Sudan Call opposition members meet in Paris

Leaders of the Sudan Call alliance of Sudanese opposition groups, are meeting in the French capital of Paris this week to discuss support of the revolutionary movement taking place in Sudan.

The meetings, hosted by the Public International Law & Policy Group (PILPG), in the French capital started on Monday and will conclude tomorrow. Leaders and representatives of the Sudan Call include Dr Maryam El Sadig El Mahdi, who is the co-vice-president of the National Umma Party, and Hamid Ali Nour, Deputy Chairman of Sudan Call forces and Secretary-General of the Sudanese Civil Society.

The members are expected to discuss the support, development and expansion of the Sudanese uprising, as well as the unity of the parties that have signed the Declaration of Freedom and Change and other driving forces of the demonstrations against the Sudanese government and President Omar Al Bashir.

Arko Minni Minawi, leader of a rebel Sudan Liberation Movement faction (SLM-MM), said in a statement that the meetings also discussed the development of visions and plans for the post-Al Bashir government of Sudan, in addition to mobilising regional and international support for the Sudanese revolution.

“The agenda will be subject to a detailed and profound discussion and its outcome will be announced at the end of the meetings on Wednesday.

He expressed the hope that these meetings “will add to the movement of our brave people and promote unity among all its components”.

The Sudanese Professionals Association, which has been a major driver of the ongoing public uprising and protests in Sudan, declined the invitation to attend the meetings. It attributed this to its normal daily contact with opposition political forces and pointed out that the Sudanese Professionals Association is in a joint alliance with the actors under the umbrella of the forces of the Declaration of Freedom and Change.

“We are in full contact with the National Consensus Forces (a coalition of opposition parties, Sudan Call, the Unionists’ political bloc and civil society forces),” a statement by the Association read.

Mediating panel

In December, the latest round of the African Union High-level Implementation Panel (AUHIP)’s consultations with Sudanese parties ended in failure. The mediating panel wrapped up the consultations with the Sudanese parties without meeting the Sudan Call coalition, stating it only wants to meet with the National Umma Party (NUP), the Justice and Equality Movement (JEM) armed opposition and the Sudan Liberation Movement-Minni Minawi (SLM-MM). It excluded the Sudan People's Liberation Movement-North (SPLM-N) faction headed by Malik Agar and other political opposition groups including the Sudanese Congress Party.

The African Union High-level Implementation Panel (AUHIP) brokers the comprehensive peace talks to end the war and achieve democratic reforms in Sudan.