Sudan’s opposition launch international lobby campaign

The Sudan Revolutionary Front (SRF) and the National Umma Party (NUP) have agreed to launch an international campaign to lobby for support for ending the violent conflicts in Sudan, and a peaceful transition to democracy. Dr Jibril Ibrahim, Deputy President of the SRF, an alliance of the main Sudanese rebel movements, and the leader of the Darfuri Justice and Equality Movement (JEM) described the meeting between the SRF and the NUP leaders in Paris last week as “historic, frank, and of utmost importance for Sudan and its citizens”.  “Despite the fact that the meeting was characterised by mutual respect, the participating leaders were very frank, and criticised each other’s positions and actions. Yet, the two sides agreed to overcome the past, and focus on the future of Sudan, and the core issues of concern to the citizens. They agreed on the urgent need to end the armed conflicts for the sake of the displaced and refugees, and return the usurped freedoms of freedoms”, Ibrahim told Radio Dabanga from Paris after the SRF-NUP signing of the Paris Declaration on Friday.      He affirmed that the SRF and NUP are not against the idea of a national dialogue, but that they do not accept dialogue that reproduces the ruling National Congress Party regime. He also confirmed that both parties will not participate in the national elections, scheduled for April 2015, “unless it is run under the supervision of a transitional government that should be completely independent of the regime”. Diplomatic campaign Ibrahim reported that the opposition leaders agreed on a set of basic principles, such as improving the relationship with neighbouring countries and the international community, and the need to unite the Sudanese opposition in order to work together to achieve the desired goals. He stressed that the points agreed upon in the Paris declaration represent a prelude to bring together the opposition “in order to bring about the change the Sudanese people are aspiring for”. He explained that it was agreed to launch a diplomatic campaign to lobby for the programme agreed upon: a road map leading to a just and comprehensive peace, and a national dialogue heading towards democratic change in the country. After an SRF leadership conference, convened between 20 and 25 July in Paris, NUP leaders joined them on 6 August. On Friday, Malik Agar, SRF chairman, and El Sadig El Mahdi, president of the NUP, signed a joint political declaration in which they call for the unification of the Sudanese opposition forces to cooperate for the achievement of peace, and democratic reforms in the country. File photo: Dr Jibril Ibrahim (second from left) during the summit between the SRF and NUP in Paris on 7 August 2014. (Radio Dabanga) Related:Sudan opposition parties sign for toppling regime (8 August 2014) Sudan opposition hope to announce agreement on Friday (7 August 2014) Sudan opposition demands freedoms in National Dialogue meeting (12 July 2014) Rebel SRF road map ‘towards National Dialogue Sudan’ (25 April 2014)‘Question is how to govern Sudan’: Malik Agar (29 January 2014)