Sudan’s NCP Too Deformed to be Reformed, Says SPLM Official

The Sudan People's Liberation Movement (SPLM) said it will continue boycotting parliament until the National Congress Party (NCP) meets its demands for democratic transformation. 

The SPLM said last week it would end the boycott by Sunday, October 25, but on Sunday it said it would not attend Monday's parliamentary proceedings because the NCP has yet to meet SPLM demands.

But the NCP contends that the continuation of the boycott would not help the SPLM's cause.

Political observers say the boycott could worsen the already acidic relations between the two parties and endanger the 2005 Comprehensive Peace Agreement (CPA).

Yien Matthew Chol, the spokesman for the SPLM said that democratic transformation is an integral part of the CPA which ended over two decades of civil war in Sudan.

"SPLM as a political, democratic organization has been working very hard to make sure that there is a democratic transformation and this has not happened," Chol said.

He said the NCP is unwilling to implement the Comprehensive Peace Agreement.

"The essence of the agreement is to change and transform the country democratically. However, people are in the fourth year at the moment and nothing… is happening as regards to this democratic transformation, "he said.

Chol said the refusal of the NCP to implement the CPA necessitated the boycott.

"SPLM promulgated and announced to the extent that it will continue boycotting of parliament that is in disharmony with the constitution and the CPA," Chol said.

He said the SPLM will continue to stay away from parliament.

"This boycott of the SPLM will continue unless we see a timetable set forth a clear itinerary of parliament sittings whereby these laws would be passed in conformity with the national interim constitution as well as the Comprehensive Peace Agreement," he said.

Chol denied the NCP has agreed to the SPLM's demands.

"I'm afraid we haven't reached an agreement on anything. It is a fact and indeed that we agreed on some of the points on the referendum law. However, only yesterday (Saturday) we learned that they've changed their minds into most of the agreements that we had agreed upon," Chol said.

He said their northern partners have often reneged on agreements.

"This has been repeatedly taking place that NCP has agreed and suddenly changes. It will be very difficult to deal with the NCP in such a manner if the national question is taken with responsibility. These are very hot and serious things," he said.

Chol said the SPLM will work with its northern partners if they embrace the tenets of the CPA.

"There is no such a clear change that the NCP is willing to change. However, if they (NCP) can change if we learn that these are put in order henceforth the SPLM will change its boycotting," Chol said.

He said the SPLM backs the peace agreement.

"It is indeed very true that we are for the CPA and in fact the boycott is another call to the NCP to implement (the CPA). People should not see the boycott as something that is in conformity with the agreement. We are talking of referendum that is enshrined plainly and that is stipulated clearly in the agreement," he said.

The NCP has denied undermining the CPA and questioned the rationale behind the SPLM's boycott of parliament.