Sudan opposition parties call for ‘intifada’

The National Consensus Forces (NCF) are not interested in a national dialogue, as long as it will not dismantle the one-party-state in Sudan. The allied opposition parties instead call for an intifada. After a lengthy meeting on Wednesday, the leadership of the NCF, a coalition of Sudanese opposition parties, issued the September Declaration, calling for the “elimination of the Khartoum regime” through civil disobedience and a popular uprising, with the purpose of establishing “an alternative democratic and independent Sudan, meeting the aspirations of the people”. “The NCF are not interested in any dialogue that does not aim at dismantling the one-party state that is responsible for the wide-spread abuses against the Sudanese people”, Faroug Abu Eisa, chairman of the NCF told Radio Dabanga. He said that the opposition leaders stressed the importance of unity among the Sudanese opposition during the meeting. “We need to unite all political and civil society elements in the country to cooperate on the solution for the Sudanese crises.” “Therefore”, Abu Eisa stated, “communication with the Sudan Revolutionary Front, as one of the opposition forces, is of utmost significance.” The NCF consider the Paris Declaration, signed by the Sudan Revolutionary Front (SRF, an alliance of the main rebel movements) and the National Umma Party (NUP), and the Addis Ababa “principles agreement on the National Dialogue” a step forward. “These agreements will be completed by Sudan’s cancellation of laws restricting freedoms, the toppling of the current regime, and an agreement on a comprehensive transitional power.” “The NCF have reservations on both agreements because they are defective. The National Dialogue, as it is proposed now, will enable the ruling National Congress Party to re-legitimise itself again, and continue its repression and destructive policies with impunity. We will not take part in any dialogue that will not aim at the elimination of El Bashir’s regime.”    Participation of the people The Sudanese Communist Party, a leading force within the NCF, confirmed to Radio Dabanga that they consider the Paris Declaration a step forward. Siddig Yousef, member of the Party’s Central Bureau, told Radio Dabanga that the NCF, being allied with the SRF, in fact have signed the Paris Declaration and the Addis Ababa agreement too. “Both documents call for the restorations of freedom in the country. This point, however, does not mean anything as long as the freedoms-restricting laws are still standing. The most oppressing law is the National Security Act, which allows detentions without charges.” Yousef added that both documents did not mention the accountability for crimes committed against the people of Sudan, nor the possibility of their participation in the National Dialogue and a transitional government. On 5 August, the leaders of the SRF and the NUP signed the Paris Declaration in the French capital, in which they agreed on unifying the Sudanese opposition in order to end the conflicts in the country, and work on a democratic transformation. In the Ethiopian capital of Addis Ababa, representatives of the National Dialogue 7+7 Steering Committee, the SRF, and the NUP signed an agreement on 5 September, “on the national dialogue and constitutional process”, under auspices of the African Union High Level Implementation Panel (AUHIP). File photo: NCF chairman, Faroug Abu Eisa Related: ‘National Dialogue document positive step’: Sudan opposition (8 September 2014) Sudan committee, opposition agree on National Dialogue (5 September 2014)‘Sudan’s regime should accept Paris Declaration’: El Mahdi (11 August 2014)