Commentators sceptical of Sudan’s Dialogue outputs

Politicians and experts of the situation in Sudan say that the outputs of the national dialogue will not lead to a solution to the crisis, but will deepen the political divisions in the country.

They have branded threats posed by President Omar Al Bashir “to peruse the political forces and armed movements until the forest or the caves” as “inconsistent with the idea of the dialogue he has been calling for; it will escalate the situation in Darfur, the Blue Nile and South Kordofan”.

Ali Mahmoud Hassanein, the head of the Broad National Front, considered National Dialogue outputs as “a monologue in which the National Congress Party has engaged with its followers and allies in order to achieve their goals and maintain their interests”.

He said in an interview with Radio Dabanga that “the new element in the dialogue is the creation of the post of Prime Minister which wouldn't change the situation, because the Prime Minister is going to be employed and working on implementing Al Bashir’s policies.”

He considers “the National Dialogue is non-feasible to resolve the crisis. The only solution is to overthrow Khartoum regime and try its leaders.

Hassanein called on the opposition including Sudan Appeal forces not to count on the international community and African mediation, but “to unite efforts and mobilise the Sudanese man-in-street to lead an uprising that will sweep the regime from power”.

Observers

Sudanese situation observers who spoke to Radio Dabanga agree that outputs of the National Dialogue will not lead to resolving the crisis, but rather, to deepen the political divisions in the country.

They pointed out that the non-participation of the armed movements will result in escalation of the war in Darfur, Blue Nile, and South Kordofan.

They said that President Al Bashir went ahead with the dialogue, by announcing that it would be held with whoever attended, to mislead public opinion and send a message to the international community that he is willing to resolve the crisis peacefully. “He is also exploiting the recommendations of the dialogue to manoeuvre with the opposition.”

Al Bashir: ‘Document binding to all’

The official Sudan News Agency (SUNA) reports that President Omar Al Bashir has affirmed that the Sudanese government has put in place a number of programmes including the compulsory primary education, basic health care for all people and expanding the health insurance coverage as well as its programme on zero thirst.

Al Bashir pointed out that the societal Dialogue has given the Sudanese expatriates a special chapter and attention, working to facilitate all procedures related to the expatriates.

He stressed that the door was still open for those who did not join the process to do so, stressing that the document is binding to all Sudanese people because it has been negotiated and drafted and approved by all Sudanese people. He said if the constitution is approved then it would be binding to all people, the SUNA report reads.

He revealed that “the government has released all children who were captured fighting alongside rebels in Goz Dango, as well as those who entered Omdurman with Khalid Ibrahim and those found with Bolad”.

He added that “any persons imprisoned for crimes related to the rebellion would be released the moment the peace deal was reached and a comprehensive peace concluded”.