BNF calls upon Civil and Armed Opposition to unite

In the Name of God, the Compassionate, the Merciful

The Broad National Front (BNF) calls upon the Civil and Armed Opposition Forces, to unite in order to overthrow the Regime and agree on the Democratic Alternative

Today we address without exception, all Sudanese Opposition Forces, those who have opted for peaceful means and those who have opted for military confrontation. We urge all of them to come together and agree on a common position.
There are several forces that are in opposition to, and are seeking to topple, the regime of the National Congress Party by military force. These armed opposition forces have emerged in particular regions of the country in order to defend themselves against the atrocities of the regime. These forces have recently united under the Revolutionary Front.
On the other hand, we have the National Consensus Forces that began their opposition to the regime under the umbrella of the defunct National Democratic Alliance. They renewed their activity under the Juba Alliance and, following the secession of South Sudan, they have renamed themselves as the National Consensus Forces. These are composed of a number of political forces, some of which believe in the removal of the regime while others would prefer to enter into dialogue with the regime, all of whom adopt political means in their endeavour to articulate their views.
And there is the Broad National Front (BNF), which was established in October 2010 and is working on removing the regime by all possible means while refusing to enter into any dialogue with it.
Between this and that, there are several opposition groups that seek to overthrow the regime by all means available to them.
There are also forces that are silently working to overthrow the regime.
We at the Broad National Front (BNF) respect all of the opposition forces mentioned above and appreciate their dedicated efforts to overthrow the regime as much as we respect the privacy of their intellectual orientations.
At this historic juncture in the struggle of our people, we at the Broad National Front (BNF) would like to address all opposition forces. The popular uprising has begun, spearheaded by our students and youngsters who are joined by the masses in different cities and regions of Sudan. Though the high cost of living is the key to this revolution, it has blown up a stockpile of feelings of resentment and anger that has been accumulating for twenty three years of humiliation, tyranny, corruption, fragmentation and wars.
At this historical moment, we call upon all opposition forces, armed or unarmed, to speak up in one voice so that the popular revolution does not get fragmented and divided allowing the regime to quell it.
In order for the opposition forces to unite and point their gun at one and the same enemy, they must agree on the following:
1- The removal of the regime as an ultimate and a strategic goal.
2- No dialogue should be entered into with the regime since such dialogue would contradict the strategic goal of removing the very same regime. Dialogue would also provide support for the regime and the negotiators would only expect to come back empty handed.
3- The immediate withdrawal from participating in the institutions of the regime or, otherwise, a declaration disowning those who continue to participate in the regime.
In light of these principles, the unified opposition is required to agree on an interim programme, lest we go astray in our quest to erase the legacy of this despotic and criminal regime, as had happened to others when their revolution was successful.
We, at the Broad National Front (BNF), would like to propose the following to the unified opposition forces:
1- A two-year transitional period shall be established upon the removal of the regime, extendable by no more than one year, in order to allow our people to enjoy and participate, after a long period of deprivation, in free, democratic and multi-party elections that shall determine the form of government.
2- Sudan shall be rebuilt as a civil, federal, democratic and multi-party state where the principles of full equality between citizens in relation to their rights and duties are solely based on citizenship regardless of religion, race or gender.
3- The federal state shall be composed of six regions: Darfur, Kordufan, Central, East, North, and the National Capital. Each region shall be governed by an elected governor and each region shall have the right to administer its own affairs including the formation of states, provinces, localities or other smaller units that shall be answerable to the region’s central government.
4- The office of the head of state composed of the President of the Republic shall be nationally elected under a rotational system involving all the regions. The President shall remain in office for one term, the length of which shall be agreed upon. The President shall have six elected Vice-Presidents representing each of the country’s six regions.
5- The use of religion or ethnicity to serve political purposes shall be made a crime in accordance with a law to be enacted.
6- A multi-party democratic system shall be adopted with safeguards for human rights, the rule of law, public and personal freedoms, freedom of the press and expression, and the freedom to organise peaceful processions. Protective incarceration shall be prohibited and enforcement laws shall be enacted.
7- A law shall be enacted in order to punish political and economic corruption as well as corruption within the institutions of the media. Impartial and independent courts shall be formed in all cities of Sudan and political seclusion shall be determined by the decisions of the judiciary.
8- The Public Service and regular Armed Forces shall be rebuilt in a fashion that would affirm their independence, impartiality and national orientation.
9- A law that would transform the political parties into democratic institutions shall be enacted in order to protect the country's democratic system.
10- Injustices inflicted upon the individuals, communities and regions of Sudan shall be redressed and fair compensation for all those affected by war and aggression shall be approved.
11- A law that would affirm the professionalism of the judiciary and the independence and integrity of staff members shall be enacted. The judiciary shall be rebuilt in accordance with the said law.
12- War in Sudan shall immediately be stopped and its causes shall be addressed with all fairness.
13- The current trade unions shall be dismantled and new trade unions shall be formed on professional grounds and in accordance with democratic laws and free elections.
14- All those who have been arbitrarily dismissed for political reasons shall be brought back to the service or compensated in a fair and adequate manner.
15- The educational system and curricula shall be reviewed with a view to improving the content and performance, providing free public education, administering justice to teachers, and mobilising all efforts to eradicate illiteracy.
16- The health system shall be reviewed with a view to providing free medical treatment, distributing the medical services fairly, administering justice to doctors, prohibiting gross commercialisation of the medical profession, and organising the step-by-step provision of medical care.
17- The performance of the banking system shall be reviewed and an economic policy primarily concerned with the realisation of social justice for the poor and destitute and that focuses on the agricultural and industrial infrastructure shall be adopted with a view of providing and securing food and medicine.
18- The agricultural projects, pioneered by the Al-Jazeera Agricultural Project, shall be rehabilitated. The 2005 Al-Jazeera Project Law shall be abolished and a new law, whereby land owners retain their ownership and relations of production are determined, shall be enacted in full consultation with the representatives of farmers, land owners and experts.
19- The current acrimony and conflict with the international community shall be alleviated and a policy of mutual cooperation shall be pursued in accordance with the principles and provisions of the international law. The debts of Sudan shall be sought to be written off, the mutual interests with everyone shall be supported and the unity and independence of Sudan shall be preserved.
20- The differences with the state of South Sudan shall be sorted out and a policy that would help reinstate Sudan's unity shall be pursued.
21- A properly organised population census shall be carried out.
22- A national committee representing all political, social and intellectual forces shall be formed in order to draft a permanent constitution for the Sudan that shall be approved after a national referendum. The said constitution shall reflect the diversity and plurality of the country and the equal distribution of power and wealth according to the above.
23- Following the transitional period, regional and national democratic and fair multi-party free elections shall be organised in accordance with the provisions of the constitution.
24- On the administration of the transitional period, a consensus shall be reached on the selection of the Head of State, regional governors, the Council of Ministers, and the transitional legislature according to the above.
25- Members of the transitional Head of State shall abstain from participating in the first elections that follow the transitional period. Other transitional period officials shall resign before they stand for elections.
We are pleased to put forward our above proposals for discussion and agreement in order for all of us to approach a new Sudan in full agreement hoping that the coming democratic elections will be held on grounds for a new Sudan that have been agreed upon by everyone.
O' masses of our people:
The unification of the opposition today is not a mere hope. It is rather an absolute necessity that we urge everyone to achieve. We, at the Broad National Front (BNF), are fully prepared to sit down to discuss these issues and reach an agreement on them.
Long live the Revolution of the Sudanese People and we shall not retreat until the regime of hunger, repression, despotism, hollow arrogance and despicable racism is brought down. Tribute to the freedom fighters in the streets of the Sudan and in the prisons and detentions of the regime.

Ali Mahmoud Hasanain
Chairman of the Broad National Front (BNF)
Friday 22 June 2012

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