Asmara

In continuation of efforts to promote peace in East Sudan, the East Sudan Front is holding a workshop at Hotel Intercontinental Asmara aimed at strengthening its capacity and develop negotiation potentialities.

Speaking at the opening session yesterday, the Chairman of the Front, Mr. Mussa Mohammed Ahmedin, after explaining the reasons why the Front was compelled to wage armed struggle, said that his organization is ready to hold round-table negotiations with the Sudanese government towards reaching a just and peaceful political solution. He further indicated that the East Sudan Front would, as an alternative, pursue the objective of self-determination if the principle it advocates and the ones on which any agreement should be based is not respected.

Mr. Mussa Mohammed Ahmedin underlined as a precondition that the Government of Sudan should in the first place accord official recognition to the East Sudan Front and that the holding of negotiations should be held in an open manner under the umbrella of regional and international mediator. Before that, the Chairman of the Front underlined, the Sudanese government should assure its readiness to lift the prevailing state of emergency in East Sudan, release all political prisoners and bring to justice all those accused of violating human rights and abuse of power as well as corruption.

Mr. Mussa Mohammed Ahmedin stated that the East Sudan Front not only embraces the entire people of East Sudan but also has a broad basis and possesses a vision helping to resolve all problems confronting the Sudan.

The three-day workshop is being attended by a number of the Front's cadres from inside Sudan, Europe, America, Australia, the Arab world and Africa.