CAIRO: A leading Sudanese politician has lashed out at an agreement signed between the government and the Liberation and Justice Movement (LJM) last month in Doha, Qatar. Former Sudanese Prime Minister Al-Sadiq al-Mahdi, now the head of the National Umma Party (NUP), said in statements that the deal in the Qatari capital was “provocative.” The agreement reached in Doha hopes to end 8 years of violent conflict in the Western Darfur region of Sudan that has seen over 300,000 people killed and over two million flee their homes, according to the United Nations. Two other rebel groups were not party to the deal. Al-Mahdi described the Doha Agreement, which gives three months for the movements to join the political scene as “unrealistic and wishful thinking.” He added that the Darfur conflict can only be resolved through a “radical and collective” approach that is part of a national framework. The former PM revealed that he declined to attend the signing ceremony in Doha due to his reservations on the agreement. He did however, say that the final document contained positive points such as the establishment of a truth, justice and reconciliation commission; approval of individual and collective compensation; reinstating civil servants who were laid off; ensuring that state institutions are national ones. BM
