Stunned Sudanese opposition parties study Bashir’s restrictive decree

The main Sudanese opposition, organised within the National Consensus Forces (NCF), have condemned a new Presidential decree that does not allow parties to have meetings without prior approval. NCF chairman, Faroug Abu Eisa, told Radio Dabanga that “the President has no such right to issue decrees on other parties”. “President Omar Al Bashir isn’t just the President of this country; he is also the head of the ruling National Congress Party. He can now use his power to the advantage of his own party and to continue the crack-down on other parties,” Abu Eisa said. Abu Eisa represents the majority of the opposition, including the Umma Party, Popular Congress Party and the Democratic Unionist Party, recently asked to join the National Dialogue. President Al Bashir announced with much fanfare that the dialogue would be allowed in a non-restricted environment for the opposition. “We have formed a legal committee to study the decree. We will discuss how to influence this decision and start a public debate on it,” he told Radio Dabanga on Tuesday. File photo: NCF chairman, Faroug Abu EisaRelated:Sudan’s Al Bashir restricts political parties after promising the opposite (15 April 2014)Sudan’s rebels take ‘strategic decision’ not to participate in national dialogue (14 April 2014)Sudan opposition forces reiterate their conditions for a national dialogue (9 April 2014)’Political and legal basis needed for Sudan dialogue’: Yasir Arman (8 April 2014)