Sudanese communists denounces Addis Ababa Declaration for failing to address urgent priorities

January 6, 2024 (KHARTOUM) – The Sudanese Communist Party (SCP) has publicly criticized the Addis Ababa Declaration, arguing that it endorsed political partnership and failed to address the pressing issues of halting the war and providing humanitarian aid to affected civilians.

On January 2, the Rapid Support Forces (RSF) and the Coordination of Civilian Democratic Forces (CCDF) signed the “Addis Ababa Declaration” outlining a path towards ending the current conflict. Also, it touched the political process to reshape the political system in Sudan.

However, the SCP argues that the agreement strays from its intended purpose, delving into broader discussions on the form of government and the reconstruction of the Sudanese state while neglecting the urgent humanitarian crisis and the escalating conflict.

The SCP’s Political Bureau, in a statement released on Saturday, vehemently condemned the Addis Ababa Declaration, stating that it “departs from its expected tasks of urgently stopping the war and delivering humanitarian aid to affected civilians to a political agreement with the Rapid Support Forces, which is complicit in war crimes and violations alongside the other party to the conflict.”

The SCP’s concerns stem from the perceived perpetuation of the RSF’s presence and influence, which the party believes could exacerbate instability and further prolong the conflict. The SCP emphasizes that the civilian bloc lacks the authority to supersede the Constitutional Conference in determining the form of government and must prioritize the cessation of hostilities.

The SCP also criticizes the declaration’s handling of transitional justice, expressing fears that the emphasis on “transitional justice” could provide a loophole for perpetrators of war crimes, the dispersal of the sit-in protest, and other atrocities against humanity to evade accountability.

The left party expressed disapproval of the agreement’s willingness to work with existing institutions until a unified professional national army is established. This, the SCP argued, amounted to overlooking the crimes and violations committed by these institutions and perpetuating the partnership with the RSF and the military.

The SCP stresses the immediate need to halt the war, open safe humanitarian corridors, and ensure the safe return of displaced persons to their homes and villages.

The statement reiterates its staunch opposition to any form of partnership with the military and the RSF, reiterating the need for the military, including the RSF, to withdraw from both political and economic spheres. The SCP further advocates for security arrangements to dissolve these entities along with militias affiliated with the remnants of the former regime, their allies, and the armed groups, and the establishment of a unified professional national army under the supervision of a civilian government.

(ST)