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Senior NCP Official says Party Committed to Sudanâs Unity

   Peter Clottey 12 October 2010
   Qatari Emir Hamad bin Khalifa al-Thani (L) welcomes Sudanese President
   Omar  al-Beshir  upon his arrival in Doha to sign a peace deal between
   Khartoum  and  the  Darfur rebel Justice and Equality Movement, 22 Feb
   2010

Photo: AFP

   Qatari Emir Hamad bin Khalifa al-Thani (L) welcomes Sudanese President
   Omar  al-Beshir  upon his arrival in Doha to sign a peace deal between
   Khartoum  and  the  Darfur rebel Justice and Equality Movement, 22 Feb
   2010

   A  top  official  of Sudanâs ruling National Congress Party (NCP) told
   VOA  President Omar Hassan Al-Bashirâs speech to the National Assembly
   is  a  demonstration  of  the  partyâs  commitment towards maintaining
   âSudanâs  unity,â  as  stipulated in the Comprehensive Peace Agreement
   (CPA).

   Professor  Ibrahim Ghandour, the NCPâs Secretary for Political Affairs
   said  the  party  is  committed  to the full implementation of the CPA
   despite  what he called secessionist rhetoric from senior officials of
   the Sudan Peopleâs Liberation Movement (SPLM).

   âThe  NCP  will  never give up working for unity to the last moment in
   spite  of  the  fact  that our partners, brothers and sisters from the
   SPLM, some of them have declared publicly, including (their) commander
   in  chief, President Salva Kiir Mayardit, the president of SPLM, SPLA,
   that he is a secessionist.â

   South  Sudan  Recent polls show a majority of south Sudanese will vote
   for the Sudan's separation in the 9th January referendum

   Ghandour  also  said, âThe NCP will continue to fight for the unity of
   the  country  because  itâs  a  commitment  under  the CPA and it is a
   responsibility of every Sudanese.â

   President  Bashir,  in his remarks Tuesday to Sudanâs parliament, said
   his  party  is  committed  to  the  provisions  of the CPA despite the
   breakdown  of  talks  with  the  SPLM in Ethiopia mediated by the U.S.
   special envoy to Sudan, retired Air Force Major General Scott Gration.

   Officials  of the SPLM have accused their northern partners of lacking
   the  political  will  to  fully  implement  the provisions of the CPA,
   including the scheduled January referendum.

   They also accused the ruling party of failing to make unity attractive
   for the last five years ahead of the referendum. But, Ghandour sharply
   denies the accusations.

   âPresident  al-Bashir,  in his speech, said that, while we are working
   for  unity,  we  will  accept the outcome of a credible referendum. He
   also said that, when we signed the CPA, the CPA to us meant unity, but
   we  also know that secession is also a choice. And, this has been said
   repeatedly  by  NCP  leaders,  including  the  president  of  NCP, the
   president of the country President al-Bashir himself.â

   Ghandour  also  said  that  the SPLM has continued to flout the CPA by
   openly campaigning for the countryâs split.

   âOur  SPLM  colleagues, now feeling that they are getting support from
   some  international  players,  including  the U.S.A., they have always
   tried  to  present  the  NCP  as  a  partner  who is not keeping (its)
   promises. While (the) NCP has always been fulfilling its promises, the
   SPLM is doing otherwise.â

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