The Sudanese government rejected once again calls by the political and armed opposition groups to postpone the general elections and reiterated determination to move forwards and hold it next April.
- Sudanese Information Minister Ahmed al-Balal Osman speaks during a joint press conference with the chief of Sudan’s intelligence service Mohammed Atta (unseen) in the Sudanese capital Khartoum on June 9, 2013. (ASHRAF SHAZLY/AFP/Getty Images)
The opposition umbrella National Consensus Forces (NCF), alliance of rebel groups Sudanese Revolutionary Front (SRF), National Umma Party (NUP) and civil society groups announced in a meeting held in Berlin their readiness to participate in a preparatory meeting for the national dialogue as provided in a roadmap issued by the African Union.
However, the ’Sudan Call’ forces demanded to release two of their leaders detained since last December before this predatory meeting. And reiterated their demands for the implementation of the confidence building measures included in the AU roadmap. Further, they demanded to postpone April elections, to investigate alleged mass rape in Tabit and killing of peaceful protesters in September 2013, among others.
In a first reaction to Berlin Declaration, Sudanese information minister Ahmed al-Balal said the government is determined to hold the elections as scheduled, stressing that Berlin Declaration would not affect the national dialogue process or the elections.
"The elections will not stop and we will proceed with the determination and will of the (Sudanese) people, because they (the elections) are a constitutional entitlement," said al-Balal in an electoral meeting held in Kadugli, South Kordofan with the president Omer al-Bashir on Sunday.
The opposition forces made a new concession in Berlin Declaration, as the NCF, which opposed to the national dialogue before the creation of a conducive environment, accepted that NUP and SRF represent them in the preparatory meeting which should be held at the African Union headquarters.
Also, they accepted to hold the preparatory meeting before the signing of a cessation of hostilities agreement which is supposed to be negotiated before the national dialogue preparatory meeting.
The information minister who is also a spokesperson of the national dialogue committee said that "Berlin Declaration" was preceded by several other opposition declarations that did not affect the government. He pointed out that the elections will produce a majority capable of solving the country’s problems.
Al-Balal said the government can only encounter with the opposition in Addis Ababa, in a procedural meeting to agree on ways to hold the internal political process or, to discuss the dialogue’s roadmap and committees.
But "We will not accept to transfer the dialogue to any country," he added.
The NCF welcomed in a statement issued in Khartoum Sunday the Berlin Declaration saying it reaffirmed the opposition unity and represents a diplomatic victory for the Sudan Call forces.
The opposition alliance further reiterated their support to the NCF leader Farouk Abu Issa who is in jail since 6 December after the signing of Sudan Call in Addis Ababa. The statement further called on the activists to be present at the court on Monday to attend the trial of its leader and rights defender Amin Mekki Madani.
