PCP adamant on freedom clauses in Sudan Constitution

Sudan’s opposition Popular Congress Party (PCP) has threatened to withdraw from the National Dialogue “if even one comma on the project of freedoms is changed”.

Kamal Omar Abdelsalam, the political secretary of the PCP, says his party has objected to the emergency parliamentary committee chaired by Badria Suleiman opening of discussion on the constitutional amendments concerning freedoms.

Speaking to Radio Dabanga yesterday evening, Abdelsalam described the constitutional amendments concerning freedoms as “sacred because they represent the National Dialogue that is higher than any constitutional authority; they express the will of the interlocutors, not the PCP alone. The dialogue outcomes are issued by the general conference; therefore the council does not have the right to repeal them.”

He stressed that the PCP would pull out of the dialogue in the event of any amendments “even one comma” on the project on freedoms.

Parliament

The meeting of the emergency committee for constitutional amendments with the coordinating committee of the National Dialogue which was held in the Parliament in Omdurman on Wednesday. After a heated debate, Abdelsalam walked out angrily after he was surprised by amendments contrary to the copy submitted to the Parliament with regard to public freedoms and reduction of the powers of the security apparatus.

Dialogue

Dr Ammar El Saggad, the head of dialogue support stream agreed with Abdelsalam in rejecting the amendments to the dialogue.

In an interview with Radio Dabanga, he called on the parties to stop the dialogue and consultations on forming the government of national reconciliation until the NCP and President Al Bashir provide clarification.

He explained that the political bureau of the Popular Congress Party will hold a meeting to look into the constitutional amendments crisis on Thursday.

The draft of the constitutional amendments in the text of amendments tasks the security services with collection of information, analysis and provision of advice to the authorities concerned under the supervision of the President, this along with submitting reports and hearings before the relevant committees in the Parliament.