Sudanese MPs protest Parliamentary procedures

According to the deputy-head of the Sudanese Reform Now Movement (RNM), the federal Parliament is managed incorrectly. Members of the parliamentary Agriculture Committee condemn the neglect of the agricultural sector by the authorities.

In an interview with Radio Dabanga, RNM Deputy-President and MP Hassan Osman Rizig criticised “the injustice done” against certain groups within the national Parliament.

“The 55 members of parties that participated in the National Dialogue, who were sworn-in at the new Parliament earlier this year, are marginalised,” he said.

“When we entered the Parliament, we were asked to fill in our preferences for certain parliamentary committees. None of us has been awarded a seat in a committee so far.”

He said they raised a memorandum to the Speaker of the Parliament last week. “We handed a copy to the secretary-general, who promised to study it as soon as possible.”

“The secretary-general asked each of the 55 MPs to identify three committees to work in, but so far they have not received any response.”

Rizig further denounced the way the Speaker of Parliament distributes the discussion opportunities. “He begins giving speaking opportunities to the MPs sitting at his right. He then moves to the western side, and ends with the left side, where the MPs of the National Dialogue parties sit, giving them less time than their colleagues.”

He also demanded reports from the various Ministries to be distributed to the MPs in advance of a meeting. “Now the reports are distributed during a parliamentary meeting and we are supposed to directly react on the contents.”

“The iron siege of the Ministry of Finance on the economic sector has a worse impact than the US sanctions.”

He confirmed that presenting a memorandum of protest by MPs is an unusual step. “But it was the only way we could point to the clear injustice that falls on the National Dialogue MPs”.

The RNM, chaired by Ghazi Salaheldin Atabani, was established by dissidents of the ruling National Congress Party in December 2013. They were expelled from the party after they had protested the violent crackdown against peaceful demonstrators against new austerity measures in September and October that year.

‘Iron siege’

Members of the parliamentary Agriculture Committee have strongly criticised the absence of the Minister of Finance and the Director of the Agricultural Bank from a meeting scheduled with the Committee on Sunday without giving any apology.

“The meeting was scheduled very late, as the discussion of the funding of the agricultural summer season should have taken place in April or May, so that the beneficiaries can use the funding in a timely manner,” Mahmoud Abdeljabbar, Chairman of the Nation Forces Union Party and member of the parliamentary Agriculture Committee said in a press statement.

“In fact, there is no point in discussing the financing of the summer season after its start. It just confirms the extent of neglect and tampering with the agricultural sector by those responsible for it.”

According to Abdeljabbar, “The iron siege of the Ministry of Finance on the economic sector has a worse impact than the US sanctions”.