Articles and Analysies
Reconciliation, Accord in the Offing by Yassir Madani
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Jun 29, 2008 - 7:59:32 AM

Reconciliation, Accord in the Offing

Following the regrettable incidents offset by Khalil's heinous attack on Omdurman, that city is once more the center of events but this time happy ones as recently  witnessed the conclusion of a reconciliation deal between the National Congress Party and the National Umma Party, chaired by El-Sadig El-Mahdi.
The deal which was signed in El-Mahdi's residence in Omdurman appears bilateral at face value, yet a discerning look into the files signed would reveal that the issues addressed in those files pivot around the main core concerns of all the Sudanese political forces. The two parties to the agreement moreover stated that they will pass it round to the other political parties to share ideas on its content and purport, preparatory for holding the all-round conference for the people of Sudan.
The deal also readily lends itself as a nucleus for instilling the spirit of national reconciliation and accord among Sudanese parties and contestants to prevent the country from breaking up into minor states and degrading into a state of chaos and instability. As President Al Bashir has affirmed, inking the national reconciliation document would constitute the second victory achieved by the nation after the first victory represented in routing the recent criminal attack.

Yet the greatest achievement of all for the nation resides in the fact that Umma Party with its broad popular base has now managed to ink pact of national reconciliation through the avenue of dialogue and understanding though the Umma Party had previously mounted the fiercest opposition to the National Congress Party.

The challenge that the political forces now face, be they in the government or opposition, lies in following the example of Umma Party by seeking to originate a formula for national consensus. The other challenge is the exigency for these forces to act in concert to realize a settlement for Darfur problems as well as to get set for the coming elections, considering that the reconciliation deal included two provisions on Darfur and the elections files.