6 November ‏1999

UMMA PROPOSALS FOR APPROPRIATE MECHANISM FOR

A COMPREHENSIVE POLITICAL AGREEMENT

IN SUDAN

1. The D.O.P’s most important principle is that it favors an agreement that preserves the unity of Sudan as a priority. That unity guarantees equality and justice for all the citizens of Sudan. Failing that, the South will be entitled to the Right of Self- determination.

2. The evolution of Sudanese political opinion has crystallized into the following requirements for a united Sudan:

• Constitutional Rights and duties to be based on citizenship guaranteeing equality and justice for all.
• Recognition of religious and cultural plurality and guaranteeing mutual tolerance and peaceful co-existence.
• The establishment of a Democratic Political System of Government.
• Constitutionally regulated decentralization of Government and Administration.
• A transition period to fulfill these commitments would be followed by self-determination.
• If they were satisfactorily fulfilled, then the aggrieved party will advocate a vote for unity.

3. The current IGAD format recognizes only two parties to the conflict. It recognizes GOS as representative of the North, and SPLM/A as representative of the South. It would reach a bilateral Agreement between North and South. This arrangement would lead to:

•  A de facto division of the NDA.
•  A bilateral resolution of the “Southern Problem”. A concept alien to current political reality, which regards the problem as a National Problem.

4. The present IGAD format guarantees the division of NDA and makes the break up of the country into two hostile States inevitable, the Theocratic Sudan favored by the National Islamic Front is anathema to the other negotiating party: The SPLM/A. The recent activation of the IGAD process has not redressed these shortcomings. It is an activation within the same defective format.

5. The Joint Egyptian Libyan Initiative emerged to address objective requirements:

• To recognize and address all the parties to the conflict.
• To seek a comprehensive political settlement of Sudan’s National problem.
• To involve Sudan’s North African neighbors as well as Horn of Africa neighbors.

6. The Joint Initiative had already scored some important points:

1. Recognition of the NDA by the Khartoum government which was previously confined to the SPML/A only.
2. Acceptance of the Regime to put its fate on the negotiating table for the first time.
3.  Recognition of the need for a comprehensive settlement for the Sudanese crisis.
4. Put pressure on the IGAD countries and partners to move to a comprehensive settlement and include the NDA and our neighbors in North Africa in their initiative.
5. It ignited the issue of a comprehensive political settlement inside the Sudan and offered the Opposition an opportunity for mass mobilization to besiege the Regime with the legitimate demands of the People.

It is true; the joint initiative is silent on the issue of self-determination. However, this will be catered for by the preparatory committee.

7. It is unwise to allow multiple tracks for the same process. However, as things stand, there is one track for a bilateral North/South negotiation involving Sudan Horn of Africa neighbors, and one track for an All- Party negotiation involving Sudan’s North Africa and Horn of Africa neighbors. Until the IGAD process rectifies its current format by fully recognizing the NDA, and extending a formula of 4+2 to accommodate Sudan’s North Africa neighbors, the purposes of preserving the Unity of NDA and seeking a comprehensive Resolution of Sudan’s National Problem could best be served by the following procedure:

1.  The NDA to form a Negotiating Team and to brief it with a common position paper.
2. The NDA negotiating team will form two subcommittees. A committee led by SPLM/A with NDA observers to participate in the bilateral IGAD negotiations. Another committee representing the full NDA to participate in the search for a comprehensive political agreement under the auspices of the Joint Initiative.
3. The preparatory committee of the Joint Egyptian Libyan Initiative will issue a Declaration of Principles for a Comprehensive Agreement. The two States of the Joint Initiative will accept the four IGAD States as associate members in the process.
4.  The IGAD process would maintain its bilateral charter, extend observer status to NDA, and involve the two North African neighbors of Sudan as associate members.
5. The NDA negotiating team will coordinate the position of both sub-committees on the basis of the adopted position paper.
6. The IPF. will be expected to play a consultative role in both initiatives.

7th- The tragic situation in Sudan and the National, Regional and International pressures for resolution of the problem make it unwise to waste valuable time on mechanisms and procedures and to go for fundamentals. The above proposals would cater for all interests and concerns, and coordinate National, Regional and International pressures for a Comprehensive Resolution of Sudan’s National Problem