Sudanese rebel leader calls for reconciliation with al-Bashir’s National Congress Party

KHARTOUM – Sudanese rebel-leader Minni Minnawi who is a signatory to the Juba Sudanese peace agreement signed in October 2020 has called for reconciliation among Sudanese political forces including ex-president Omar al Bashir’s National Congress Party, saying the move would help in ushering in a successful transition.

Speaking during a press conference held in the Sudanese capital Khartoum on Saturday, Minnawi who is the leader of the opposition Sudan Liberation Movement/Army – Minni Minnawi faction, however reiterated calls to hand over al Bashir to the International Criminal Court where the long-time former president is wanted for war crimes and crimes against humanity in the country’s restive Darfur region.

“The political forces must reconcile in order to manage the transitional period, with the participation of all vital groups such as women, youth, pastoralists, farmers and civil society organizations. We must reconcile with the National Congress Party (NCP) because it is part of the Sudanese, but that does not prevent from holding the criminals accountable,” Minnawi said.

Similar calls were made last month by the leader of Sudan’s Justice and Equality Movement (JEM) Gibril Ibrahim, but his calls were trashed by some members of the ruling coalition and the many rebel movements who signed the Juba agreement pointing to his previous membership of the NCP.

Sudan has been under harsh economic conditions since the ouster of al Bashir in April 2019 with local currency depreciating in unprecedented rate. As of Sunday, $1 was traded at 415 Sudanese Pounds with currency traders in Khartoum expecting sharp rise of all foreign currency against the locals currency by the middle of the month.

Al Bashir is wanted by the ICC over crimes committed in Darfur. The country’s governing Transitional Sovereign Council led by General Abdel Fattah al Burhan has in the past vowed to transfer al Bashir to the Hague upon end of his trial at home to face the international top court.