Sudan’s regime rejects Paris Declaration; Umma Party responds

The Political Secretary of the ruling National Congress Party (NCP) on Monday justified his party’s rejection of the Declaration on the basis that was hatched up on foreign ground. The Secretary-General of the National Umma Party, Sara Nugdallah, reacted in a press conference in Omdurman on Tuesday to the responses of the government, and stated that the Paris Declaration constitutes “a great leap forwards in the Sudanese political arena”. During an address to a conference of student adherents of the National Congress Party (NCP) in Khartoum on Monday, the party’s Political Secretary, Dr Mustafa Osman Ismail, said that the NCP rejected the Paris Declaration because it was contrived by foreign forces. “The capital cities of foreign countries cannot solve the issues in Sudan. The National Dialogue is Sudanese, and is set up and organised by Sudanese.” Yasir Arman, Foreign Relations Secretary of the Sudan Revolutionary Front (SRF, an alliance of the main rebel movements) mocked Ismail’s words, describing them as “empty words to keep the people busy. Such talk is an attempt to escape from the key questions, raised in Paris, about the fate of Sudan and how to end the many crises the Sudanese continue to suffer from,” Arman told Radio Dabanga from London. ‘National salvation’ In Omdurman, the sister-city of Khartoum, Sara Nugdallah, secretary-general of the National Umma Party (NUP), said in a press conference on Tuesday that the Paris Declaration means “a great leap forwards in the Sudanese political arena”. “The Declaration brought together the political forces of the centre, represented by the NUP, with those of the peripheries, represented by the SRF. The Paris Declaration is the roadmap to national salvation.” The Declaration aims to gather all Sudanese to support the visions presented, in order to achieve a national consensus as a starting point for change. “As stated in the Declaration, the Khartoum regime has the choice to respond to its contents, or expect a national uprising.” Nugdallah condemned the government’s reaction to the Paris Declaration. “We could only meet with SRF leaders abroad, as the chairman and other members have been sentenced to death by Sudanese courts.” “The NCP has accused the signatories the Declaration of treason, saying they are Zionists. Well, Zionism and Israel can be found in Khartoum and Port Sudan. The aerial attacks by Israeli forces on arms factories and stores, and on weapon transports in Sudan, were implemented with internal support.” Concerning the “unlawful detention” of NUP Co-Vice President Dr Maryam El Mahdi on 11 August, the NUP Secretary-General said that “the security officers even refuse to inform us about the place where she is being held.” News photo: Sara Nugdallah (C) at the press conference, 19 August 2014. To her right sits NUP Co-Vice President Fadlallah Burma Nasir (Radio Dabanga) Related:Paris Declaration signatories campaign in Sudan and abroad (19 August 2014)Sudan: NUP cadres demand release of Maryam El Mahdi (19 August 2014)Sudan’s Umma Party mobilising for ‘national uprising’ (14 August 2014) ‘Sudan’s regime should accept Paris Declaration’: El Mahdi (11 August 2014) Sudan opposition parties sign for toppling regime (8 August 2014)Sudan Appeal Court upholds death penalty for SPLM-N leaders (5 August 2014)