By Hussein Da’ssa
Albawaba.com – Algiers
Former Sudanese President, Abdul Rahman Siwar El Zahab has revealed that “efforts are currently being exerted in Sudan for national reconciliation between the government and the Cairo-based opposition groups.”
In a statement to Albawaba.com in Algeria, Siwar El Dahab said “the state of war in south Sudan still exists and is using up the country’s resources, and I’m glad to announce that an Arab initiative undertaken by Libya and Egypt is in the making towards a final solution to the conflict in Sudan.”
After the popular uprising of April 1985, General Siwar El Dahab became the chairman of the transitional military council. As promised, he respectfully surrendered power to the elected government of Sadiq Al-Mahdi in 1986, a unique case of peaceful transition of power in the history of the third world.
“I expect that the coming days will witness efforts in this context,” the former leader said, adding that Sudan has to address two problems, the opposition in the north and the separatists in the south if peace is to prevail.
Libya and Egypt have embarked on plans to mediate between the adversaries in the multifaceted conflict at a ministerial level, but this time the Egyptian President Hosni Mubarak and Libyan leader Muammar Kadhafi will be personally involved in the talks that aim at ending a 17-year-old civil war in the country, according to the former leader.
He added that a “historic conference,” will be held in Cairo in the coming few days where the leading opposition figures, leaders of the rebels in the south and Sudanese officials will be taking part.
Siwar El Dahab stressed that the intuitive was totally proposed by Arabs and that “no western country or the UN are involved in this effort.”
© 2000 Al Bawaba (www.albawaba.com)
