Khartaum, October 02: President Omar al-Beshir on Thursday said he supported a “democratic transformation” in Sudan and promised that general elections scheduled for next year would be free and fair.
He spoke after around 20 political parties threatened on Wednesday to boycott the elections — the first in more than two decades — unless he implements reforms.
“We affirm our commitment for a democratic transformation and multi-party politics as well as holding general elections without influence and pressure,” Beshir told his ruling National Congress Party’s general conference.
Wednesday’s election boycott threat came at a meeting in Juba in semi-autonomous south Sudan that was not attended by NCP representatives.
Participants in the Juba talks called for “amendment of all laws related to freedoms and democratic transformation” to bring them into line with the interim constitution in Africa’s largest nation.
In the “Juba declaration for dialogue and national consensus,” agreed after five days of talks, the party leaders said they will only take part in planned presidential, parliamentary and regional elections if the relevant laws are amended by the end of November.
The elections, scheduled for next April, would be the first since 1986.
In 2005, after 21 years of north-south civil war, the south’s Sudan People’s Liberation Movement (SPLM) and the NCP signed a Comprehensive Peace Agreement including the interim constitution.
“We announce our respect for the treaties we have signed, including those relating to the next elections… and the referendum in the south,” Beshir said on Thursday.
The party leaders meeting in Juba also backed the idea of a simple majority — 50 percent plus one vote — as the threshold for south Sudan gaining independence in a referendum scheduled for January 2011.
Beshir’s party wants a 75 percent threshold in the referendum.
—Agencies