Sudan opposition discusses Al Bashir’s stance in Addis Ababa
On Monday, leaders of the Sudanese opposition met in the Ethiopian capital of Addis Ababa and discussed the “five noes” President Omar Al Bashir mentioned during his press conference in Khartoum the day before. The Sudan Revolutionary Front (SRF, an alliance of the main rebel movements), the National Consensus Forces (NCF, a collation of opposition parties), the National Umma Party, and members of civil society organisations denounced the Sudanese president’s rejection of autonomy for the war-torn regions of Darfur, the Blue Nile and South Kordofan; the merging of the peace processes; re-negotiation of the Doha Document for Peace in Darfur; re-consideration of the federal system, and postponement of the general elections. According to Ibrahim El Sheikh, chairman of the Sudanese Congress Party, “Al Bashir once again testified that he is not interested in peace or a dialogue with the opposition”. Dr Jibril Ibrahim, head of the Justice and Equality Moment and SRF vice-president, commented to Radio Dabanga by saying that the president is contradicting himself continuously. “He told the chief mediator, Thabo Mbeki, before that he is prepared to talk with the opposition forces. He even agreed to participate in a preparatory conference in Addis Ababa, to discuss the National Dialogue process. Based on these words, the AU Peace and Security Council decided to invite all Sudanese political forces to the Ethiopian capital.” On his part, Minni Minawi, leader of the Sudan Liberation Movement-MM faction, and SRF vice-president, downplayed Al Bashir’s speech by saying that “the president can only talk in noes”. “After organising genocide, destroying the economy, and being responsible for the secession of South Sudan, we cannot expect mild yeses. What he is striving for now is to extract more money from Qatar, supposedly for the reconstruction of Darfur, but in reality to save the sinking National Congress Party.” File photo: President Omar Al Bashir and Defence Minister Abdelrahim Hussein Related:‘No Darfur peace agreement to be expected soon’: JEM rebel leader (1 December 2014)Sudan’s Al Bashir rejects merging of peace talks, tells Unamid to leave (30 November 2014)
On Monday, leaders of the Sudanese opposition met in the Ethiopian capital of Addis Ababa and discussed the “five noes” President Omar Al Bashir mentioned during his press conference in Khartoum the day before.
The Sudan Revolutionary Front (SRF, an alliance of the main rebel movements), the National Consensus Forces (NCF, a collation of opposition parties), the National Umma Party, and members of civil society organisations denounced the Sudanese president’s rejection of autonomy for the war-torn regions of Darfur, the Blue Nile and South Kordofan; the merging of the peace processes; re-negotiation of the Doha Document for Peace in Darfur; re-consideration of the federal system, and postponement of the general elections.
According to Ibrahim El Sheikh, chairman of the Sudanese Congress Party, “Al Bashir once again testified that he is not interested in peace or a dialogue with the opposition”.
Dr Jibril Ibrahim, head of the Justice and Equality Moment and SRF vice-president, commented to Radio Dabanga by saying that the president is contradicting himself continuously. “He told the chief mediator, Thabo Mbeki, before that he is prepared to talk with the opposition forces. He even agreed to participate in a preparatory conference in Addis Ababa, to discuss the National Dialogue process. Based on these words, the AU Peace and Security Council decided to invite all Sudanese political forces to the Ethiopian capital.”
On his part, Minni Minawi, leader of the Sudan Liberation Movement-MM faction, and SRF vice-president, downplayed Al Bashir’s speech by saying that “the president can only talk in noes”. “After organising genocide, destroying the economy, and being responsible for the secession of South Sudan, we cannot expect mild yeses. What he is striving for now is to extract more money from Qatar, supposedly for the reconstruction of Darfur, but in reality to save the sinking National Congress Party.”
File photo: President Omar Al Bashir and Defence Minister Abdelrahim Hussein
Related:
‘No Darfur peace agreement to be expected soon’: JEM rebel leader (1 December 2014)
Sudan’s Al Bashir rejects merging of peace talks, tells Unamid to leave (30 November 2014)
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