Sudan Call wants ‘to set date for protests’ at Paris meetings

The opposition parties and rebel movements joined under the Sudan Call coalition announced to hold a meeting in Paris, France, next week. The meeting would set a time for a peaceful popular uprising in Sudan.

The leadership of the coalition will attend the meeting on August 14. Imam El Sadig El Mahdi, chair of the National Umma Party (NUP) and the Sudan Call, said that the upcoming meeting will decide on the work strategy required in the event of a national dialogue under the road map.

In addition, he said that “the meeting would also decide on measures and times related to the peaceful popular uprising”. Another topic of discussion is the unanimous call for all national opposition forces to agree on the unity of purpose, regardless of any difference in the factions.

As reported by Radio Dabanga last week, the Sudan Revolutionary Front (SRF, a coalition of Sudanese armed movements) has renewed its commitment to search for a peaceful solution for the crisis in Sudan. The Sudan Liberation Movement-Transitional Council (SLM-TC) faction has officially joined the coalition.

Victims of floods

El Mahdi appealed to the members of the Sudan Call to donate money to victims of the torrential rains and flash floods in En Nahud, Kassala and New Halfa through the Ansar Affairs Committee – as El Mahdi himself has made a contribution too.

“This isolated government cannot hold an international conference to secure relief for those affected by floods and rains,” he told Radio Dabanga. He added that the government has failed to provide sufficient fuel for farmers and agricultural workers, “which will seriously harm the agricultural season”.

The rainy season has made a number of victims in various Sudanese states. In North Darfur, heavy rains in the past days caused the death of two people in Mellit, sources reported. Houses and government institutions were damaged in both El Fasher and Mellit.

Also in North Kordofan torrents destroyed houses in Sodari on Sunday, forcing residents to shelter in schools or live out in the open.