Banning the NCP from the Political Process.. The Road to the Future is Full of Thorns
Sudan Events: Abdel Basset Idris
The decision of the parties participating in the African Union conference to ban the dissolved National Congress Party NCP from participating in post-war arrangements sparked widespread controversy and division between supporters and opponents. What is the impact of the decision on political stability?
Banning decision:
The decision was issued by a committee composed of blocs, parties and public figures participating in a conference organized by the African Union AU for Sudanese political forces. Some of them (40) parties responded, while others boycotted it.
The committee was formed after intense controversy over whether or not the National Congress NCP would participate. The committee reached a decision to ban the National Congress Party NCP from participating in any future political arrangements after the war.
The move sparked controversy between supporters of the move and others who rejected the matter, and they affirmed that the country needs broad consensus and comprehensive reconciliation.
Adoption of the decision:
The parties participating in the Addis Ababa conference adopted the recommendation, and said that political participation in the dialogue should be comprehensive without exclusion, except for those who have been sentenced according to the law, those who have committed war crimes, crimes against humanity, and crimes of genocide, and those who have been sentenced according to the Constitutional Document of 2019.
The National Party responds:
The National Congress Party NCP said that it does not derive its legitimacy from any other political party, and no party can determine its position in political action.
The party mocked in a statement on Sunday the decision of the parties participating in the Addis Ababa conference to ban it from participating in the political process, adding, “We do not expect modest parties that do not have popular support or political weight to grant us political participation.”
Explicit rejection:
The head of the Umma Party and head of the National Accord Powers bloc, Mubarak Al-Fadil, announced his rejection of the decision, and said in a tweet on the (x) platform that the political ban that is not based on a judicial ruling is an unconstitutional procedure, and it is within the powers of the Constitutional Court to cancel it.
Al-Fadil added, “The( Islamists )and Salafist currents are a reality in Sudanese society that cannot be eliminated by a political decision, so it is safer to leave the decision to the Sudanese people through the ballot box.”
He continued, “The Salvation banned the parties for ten years and could not eliminate the Umma and Federal parties and the country was torn apart, so it sought reconciliation with them and cancelled the ban decision..
We all, the political and societal powers and the SAF, after this war that destroyed the country, must realize the lessons of the recent past that tore our country apart and reconcile with ourselves and with each other so that we realize what remains of the country and do not turn into a refugee and begging nation.”
He continued, “As we plan for the Sudanese-Sudanese dialogue, we must stop the trial of opinion and drop all open reports on politicians because of their political attitudes and only prosecute the murderers, criminals and thieves of the people’s food.” Reasons for the decision:
There are several factors that may have prompted the Addis forces to make this decision, most notably that most of the powers and figures participating in the African Union conference support the SAF in the war of dignity and some of them are close to its leadership. The decision to ban the conference and before its dissolution is a decision issued by the military council and was included in the transitional government under a special law.
The second matter is that some of the participating parties and blocs have ties to their social roots and it is difficult for them to overcome the violations that occurred during the Darfur and two areas war and they fear that they will not find support in their social incubators.
The third is the presence of figures and leaders of divided parties from the extreme left that rejects any point of convergence between it and the National Congress NCP.
In fact, this trend in particular adopted a campaign to demonize the National Congress NCP and expose its cadres and leaders during the transitional period that adopted unjust rulings without laws and judicial rulings to settle its political dispute with the National Congress NCP after the revolution.
The National Congress’s Dilemma:
The National Congress NCP is experiencing a major political dilemma, as the Military Council dissolved the party, the Rapid Support RSF Militia occupied its headquarters, confiscated its assets, and its leadership and membership were subject to harsh decisions adopted by the transitional government through the Empowerment Committee. However, at the same time, it suffers from an inability to change and renew due to its leadership’s insistence on the helm and its refusal to leave the scene after April 11.
This led to silent divisions and numerous disagreements about how to deal with the phase, which prompted an entire movement to split and form the Future Movement for Reform and Development, which enjoys the support of the Secretary-General of the Islamic Movement, Ali Karti. Karti himself expressed frankly in a television interview the movement’s unwillingness to work with the National’s institutions, and said that he informed the National’s leaders that if they wanted to keep the party, he would not object to that, but the movement would not have any commitment to it.
Al-Mahdi’s advice:
Informed sources told ( Sudan Events) that the late head of the National Umma Party, Imam Al-Sadiq Al-Mahdi, met with leaders of the National Congress NCPafter the revolution and change at their request, and added: “The late Imam told them that a revolution had taken place against you, and you must acknowledge that and review your experience… Do not listen to the noise made by the left, as it has continued to do that with every revolution and it will end… We are not exclusionists, make reviews and reforms and make a new “basket with ears” so that we can carry you with us into the future.”