امن الإنقاذ يصادر العدد الأسبوعي من الميدان

Dear Mohamed El Mekki

Let me say I did not view your criticism as some form of unwarranted extravagance or malice. To the contrary, I think it is healthy to reconsider issues that trouble us individually in a collective atmosphere – who knows perhaps some of us can lay our particular demons to rest

I think we can agree that the SCP is a political organization whose effectiveness depends on certain objective conditions – beyond the existential, the climate of democracy or lack thereof also has consequences

Although the SCP had pioneered many issues related to political devolution and social justice – many of its current positions are usually attached as part of a greater whole – implicitly lacking what differentiates the SCP from others

Today we find in the CPA an Accord between the SPLM and Ingaz that was predicated on a series of graduated steps that were ultimately designed to lead to full elections and referendum. As we speak the CPA is in dire straits because of the intransigence of the Ingaz and inability of the SPLM to mount an effective counter strategy for reasons that partially to do with its retrenchment, reorganization, and inertia - the CPA remains the exclusive domain of its signatories – which leaves the rest of us seeking a comprehensive and self-sustaining strategy for change

For the SCP there has to be an evaluation of how far it can carry on with the pretence that it is supporting the enforcement of the CPA – and working within some sort of opposition consensus. It has to make a political judgment regarding the probable validity and promise of democratic elections and the referendum. It also has to consider its own existential needs like the Congress, and renewal of leadership ..etc. While doing so it has to reorient its activities toward the masses and avoid the constraints imposed by uncertain political cliques

My argument is very simple – the membership is a consequence of many prior steps taken - without reconsidering those, it is futile, in my opinion, to try to vent all our frustration on this single issue with the improbable assumption that it was the only misstep. To be perfectly honest, I see no purpose in pulling out while the political wavering continues on the fate of the Cairo Accords, which gave rise to the issue in the first place. The Ingaz controls every aspect of public existence – there is no political activity, I can think of, that can proceed without dealing with it directly

For argument sake – let us say the Council Membership is resolved per your compartmentalized wish and mine- what then?

Thirty years ago the SCP was in worst shape, yet that did not cause to support the National Front/Mayo Accords, it never wavered in opposition to the Addis Accords. It stood alone and called for a new way
جبهة للديمقراطية وإنقاذ الوطن
My argument is the SCP needs that sort of vision and propensity for proactively rather than just rolling with the punches

Many thanks again – my apologies for not writing in Arabic as that would have taken for ever