Colored eye-glass for the sight of reality in different colors. by Abdul-Aziz Al Omer

I can hardly conceal my shock from the adverse developments –especially regarding the stumbling dialogue process in Sudan , the country that witnessed the arrest of Al-sadig Al-mahdi, a former prime minster and another similar incident is the arrest of another opponent that is Mr. Abraham Al-sharief , the leader of Sudan’s Congress Party. These are signs that contradict the spirit of currently proposed dialogue. I don’t know where shall the eagles of National Congress will take us , their reading of flaring situation or near future of the country and what clout do they rely on to ruin the prospects of reform attempts. The sun doesn’t set without having within our ear –shots, a high –ranking officials from National Congress drooling on the significance of dialogue and re-assuring us with its durability .On Monday, the day on which Mr. Abraham Al-sheriff, the leader of Sudan’s Congress Party was detained by the police, Samia Ahmad, the deputy-chairman of National Assembly stated that the issue of staggering dialogue necessitates the mobility of all society with its disparate segments. She underscored that dialogue is un-stoppable or rebuffed politically or in principle. In her statement to SUNA, she added further that any political group with an intellectual approach and political will never stand as a hurdle to dialogue. She explained that dialogue through political parties relevant commissions 7+7 will carry on its ad hoc arrangements. She believes that is important to maintain communitarian dialogue via its factions as dialogue is a comprehensive reform of society in all its affairs. Each faction reformation will be on its part.
Such a philosophical remark is too luxurious and dreamy since its author is un-interested in seeing the reality with stark eyes so he put on colored sun glass to peer out from behind it on life not as it is .But fact is fact. I don’t know what she means by reform that involves the movement of all society factions describing political parties as an integral part of them. She would have relieved us, if she cited an example so that we can directly go to those factions overlooking the smaller ones. Samia considers her political party as mini-faction on which is based the dialogue.She went on to say that political parties committees will continue making arrangements for dialogue. What conceit and an exaggerated hope as if she had over 7 political parties of what we know. Those parties presented a strong –worded statement warning that they will suspend dialogue if press freedom restriction and arbitrary detention have not been subdued. Samia should take off the colored spectacle to see the dusty landscape. In my view, these abuses are not channeled only to opposition parties but also the presidency of republic which called for dialogue and subsequently political parties committed themselves to a definite national track. However, the eagles of government have snatched the doves of peace and lay in iron cages so as not be heard by others. Can we say that the president wasn’t honest as he addressed the Sudanese nation on 6th, April, 2014 calling seriously for dialogue opening gates for press freedom? We know that government de-constructed political parties which relinquished its power and wealth and not in position to mobilize the street for any military take-over. What is more humiliating, the leaders of those debilitated parties are held in prisons. The government and on the top of the list the National Congress is un-aware of the state to which the country has retrogressed. What is their solution to the secession of South Sudan, other political internal dissentions, un-employment, war and the exorbitant cost of livelihood? Why do they bear hostility towards political parties instead of paying heed to inside and outside problems? The citizen is desperate for food, water and to lie down in peace. Has the national congress accomplished such first priority? Or does want their nationals to wear the colored glass and say no sound towers over the sound of gun and subsistence issue is a matter of recreation. Whenever the citizen takes off the colored glass, he will have a more vigorous attitude than government with political parties. In conclusion, I say to my brother, the first vice-president: you are now acting the president in his temporal absence due to a surgical operation. Whatever is done by some actors target you first as salvation officers to alienate you from the people? Then, the eagles will some day in the event of coup, wouldn’t be held accountable, they would fly to the crest of their mountains, I mean to their palaces in Dubai and Malaysia. You would survive as particles of this country’s earth and you would be culpable for whatever you committed in your era. Those who regard political parties as a part of small factions ignore the tangible reality. They are the back-bone of the country. We should release their detainees so that we can sustain the disrupted dialogue. Hopefully, we are going to build a bright and shining future for our country, the Sudan.

















Inter-religious summit in Brussels condemns the prosecution of a Sudanese woman for apostasy



Abdul-Aziz Ali Omer
Known as Merriam Yahiya or Abrar Al-hadi, a Sudanese medical doctor has changed her Islamic affiliation. Her conversion to Christianity raised a raucous controversy in the court of public opinion. Abdullah Al-sheikh, a Sudanese columnist in his article “a female a apostate and counter -attack” addressed the Sudan’s Foreign Minister saying “The issue of Merriam is a slap on the face of your government” describing the image of Sudan in his time as tattoo of crucifix on the chest of covenant. He berated his staff for their indiscretion and imprudence for the incident that was offensive. The president of the European Commission, Jose Manuel Barraso, the president of the European Council ,Herman Van Rompuy and the president of the European Parliament Martin Schulz together with religious leaders participating at high-level meeting in Brussels expressed their deepest dismay and concern with the fate of Mrs. Merriam Yahiya who has been sentenced to a hundred lashes and sentenced to hanging on charges of apostasy and adultery . The above-mentioned presidents of E.U institutions as well as religious leaders at high-level meeting which include christians,muslims, Jews,Hindus,Sikhs, and the church of Jesus Christ of latter-day saints underline Sudan’s international obligation to protect freedom of religion and belief and unanimously call upon the Sudanese responsible authorities and appeal court to revoke this inhuman verdict and release Mrs. Merriam with utmost urgency. The participants in meeting welcome the fact the Sudanese Court of Appeal has accepted the appeal and demand that the Sudanese government – in line with universal human rights to repeal any legal provisions that penalize or discriminate against individuals for their religious belief or for changing their religion or belief or inducing others to change a religion or belief especially when cases of apostasy, heterodoxy or conversion are punishable by death.
Last month, the Court of first Instance at Hajj Yousef, a residential area delivered the sentence giving 3 days to renounce Christianity. But she refused to recant as she believed she was originally a Christian.

Arabic Forum