‘Power of Sudan’s security apparatus to be restricted’: PCP

The recommendations of Sudan’s National Dialogue stipulate the restriction of the powers of the National Intelligence and Security Service (NISS) to the collection and analysis, says the Popular Congress Party. The National Consensus Forces coalition rejects the outcomes of the Dialogue.

In early January, the Sudanese parliament passed a number of amendments to the 2005 Interim Constitution. An important amendment concerned the extension of the NISS competences, by which the institution became a full part of Sudan's regular forces. According to the chairman of the parliamentary Popular Congress Party (PCP) block, Dr Ismail Hussein Fadlallah, the “sinful” amendments would convert Sudan into a full-blown police state.

Ibrahim El Sanusi, Secretary-General of the opposition PCP, said in a press conference in Khartoum on Saturday that the Dialogue committees agreed on the restriction of the powers granted to the NISS in the beginning of this year. The mandate of the security apparatus will be restricted to the collection and analysis of information and data, and will be held accountable for its actions by the Parliament.

Moreover, security officers will not be allowed to invest and participate in the Sudanese trade markets anymore. “They will be forced to leave the market,” El Sanusi stated.

The new Government of Reconciliation will rule the country for a transitional period of three years from the date of its formation, he added. 

“Security officers will not be allowed to invest and participate in the Sudanese trade markets anymore.”

In side remarks, El Sanusi confirmed that a number of high ranking army officers are being held as prisoners by the armed movements in Sudan.

Last week, PCP Political Bureau member Abubaker Abdelrazeg said that his party, which was one of the seven opposition parties participating in the National Dialogue, doubts about the guarantees for the implementation of the Dialogue outcomes.

He pointed out that the participants “have patiently dealt with the interventions by the ruling National Congress Party (NCP),” and denied that the PCP will take part in the new transitional government.

‘Conspiracy’

The NCF coalition of leftist opposition parties consider the outputs of Sudan’s National Dialogue as “primarily designed to extend the life of the regime”.

In a press statement on Sunday, the NCF said that the Dialogue outputs are “part of the ongoing regime’s conspiracy to buy time, and polish its image before the world which is not concerned in them in anyway”.

The Dialogue recommendations grant all powers to President Al Bashir, the NCF states. “The Presidency will decide on the appointment of the Prime Minister and the Supreme Court justices, and will directly manage the security apparatus.”

“The National Dialogue is just a means to push the opposition into the regime’s straitjacket.”

According to the coalition, the Dialogue process and outcomes reflect “the mentality of this regime that is specialised in undermining its own agreements.

“The National Dialogue is just a means to push the opposition into the regime’s straitjacket, under the pretext of granting all parties a say in the government, as happened many times before.”

Last week, Sudanese situation observers predicted that the Dialogue outputs will deepen the political divisions in the country, and that the non-participation of the armed movements will result in escalation of the wars in Darfur, Blue Nile, and South Kordofan.

They told Radio Dabanga that President Al Bashir will exploit the recommendations of the Dialogue to manoeuvre with the opposition. According to them, the Sudanese president initiated the dialogue to mislead the public opinion and send a message to the international community that he is willing to resolve the various crises in the country peacefully.