Mubarak al-Fadil of Sudan’s opposition Umman Party gives a speech in Khartoum on April 9, 2010. Sudanese President Omar al-Beshir and his remaining challengers addressed supporters on the last day of campaigning for elections that have been overshadowed by opposition boycotts. AFP PHOTO/ASHRAF SHAZLY (Photo credit should read ASHRAF SHAZLY/AFP/Getty Images)
Khartoum- The former Sudanese President Assistant, Mubarak al Fadil al Mahdi, slammed the Sudanese parties for refusing to sign the Roadmap Agreement with the government, calling to stop war in Blue Nile, Darfur, and South Kordofan and to engage in the national dialogue process.
In an interview with Asharq Al-Awsat, Mubarak al Mahdi pointed out that he agrees on the content of the roadmap, which was created by the head of the African Union High Level Implementation Panel (AUHIP) Thabo Mbeki, and was rejected by opposition parties.
The opposition groups, Justice and Equality Movement (JEM), National Umma Party (NUP), Sudan People’s Liberation Movement -North (SPLM-N), and Sudan Liberation Movement-Minni Minnawi (SLM-MM) refused the roadmap saying it would lead to reproduce the regime.
He added that the agreement prioritized ceasefire, which the country is in need of in the meantime, and entry of humanitarian aids. In addition, “the agreement paved the way for conducting an inclusive and comprehensive national dialogue that paves the way towards a peaceful political solution to end the war and achieve stability and democratic transformation in Sudan in order to avoid the fate of Syria, Libya and Yemen.”
Al Mahdi, who was defected from National Umma Party and formed the Umma Reform and Renewal Party (URRP), also said that the opposition parties abandoned the leading role of the party and followed agenda of the armed groups.
Moreover, Al Mahdi urged leaders of these parties to sign the Roadmap Agreement in order to stop the war and engage in the inclusive national dialogue.
He praised efforts of the African mediation and the international powers which support its mission, saying “we support it because it gave priority to stopping the war and delivering humanitarian relief”.
Mubarak al Fadil al Mahdi confirmed that all what matters is Sudan’s stability and URRP was created for this reason. He said that he refused several offers by the party and asked Sadiq al-Mahdi to conclude a deal with all leaderships and cadres.