Mubarak El-Mahdi: no Egyptian initiatives, our struggle has made progress
Sudan, Politics, 8/17/1998

The secretary-general of the Sudanese opposition Democratic National Alliance, Mubarak El-Mahdi, specified the conditions the Sudanese government has to fulfill to enable a settlement of the current problem between them.

In an exclusive statement to ArabicNews.com, El-Mahdi said there will be no peace agreement with the Sudanese government unless the 1995 Asmara resolutions are implemented and the government abandons its obstinacy toward establishing a new government based on peace, justice and democratic values.

Concerning Egypt's hosting of the Democratic National Alliance meetings, which drew fire from the Sudanese government, El-Mahdi said that Egypt hosted the first meeting in the history of the Sudanese opposition where they will convene at the headquarters of the Egyptian ruling party. He said that Egypt strongly opposes "Sudanese terrorism and all that takes place in Sudan under the name of Islamic religion."

Moreover El-Mahdi said, "The importance of the meeting lies in Egypt's consideration to the current regime in Sudan and that the latter is based on a very small minority that does not exceed 3 to 5% (of the population) where as the Sudanese leaders and the people's representatives are in the National Alliance."

El-Mahdi said Sudan is currently suffering due to the government policies and because of the wars taking place on four fronts, adding that Egypt has to deal with this reality of the Sudanese leaders if it wants stability in Sudan, adding that the situation in Sudan greatly affects Egyptian national security.

Concerning escalating efforts by the opposition to topple the Sudanese government, the secretary-general confirmed that the escalation will be in all fields -- diplomatic military and information -- adding that it is the opposition's duty to point out that its struggle has progressed while the ruling government is weakening.

El-Mahdi refused to raise the possibility of diplomatic solutions, saying that there will be no diplomatic solution unless the regime accepts the resolutions of Asmara as a basis for changing authority in Sudan. El-Mahdi said: "Our target is removing the ruling regime and offering solutions to Sudan's problems, the religious issues, the state and the non-central rule," adding that the opposition is not calling for war but for freedom, democracy and peace.

Concerning the peace talks between the government and the Sudanese People's Liberation Movement and how to cope with the meetings of the Democratic National Alliance, El-Mahdi said that SPLM members informed the opposition about the details of the Addis Ababa meetings, and how they failed due to the government's refusal of all the options presented by the SPLM, where the first of these options is the establishment a multi-party democratic system that calls for the seperation of religion and state, after which they would discuss the arrangements for the transitional period and political multiplicity and democracy.

He added: "We are not deterred by these discussions that have been ongoing since 1990 and resulted in nothing," adding that the government aims at dividing the issues of the north and south, as well as the opposition coalition.

Previous Stories:
  Sudan opposition meeting starts today   (8/15/1998)
  Mubarak stresses Sudan's unity as Sudan considers negotiations   (8/13/1998)
  Sudanese opposition to meet in Cairo, absentia trial of Mahdi to begin   (7/31/1998)

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