Ali Shummo to Sudanhorizon: Reports of Me Chairing Dialogue Committee Are False; Everyone Must Make Concessions to End War

Cairo – Sudanhorizon – Sabah Musa

Media expert and former Sudanese Minister of Information Professor Ali Mohamed Shummo denied reports that he had been appointed to chair the preparatory committee for the Sudanese-Sudanese dialogue from within the country, stressing that the reports circulating about the matter were untrue.

In an exclusive statement to Sudanhorizon, Shummo said: “No one has contacted me or offered me the position.” He added: “I am 94 years old, I am ill and unable to move around, and I no longer have the concentration required to manage such difficult dialogues. I cannot accept this task. It is difficult, and it would be preferable to choose someone younger and capable of managing the process.”

Shummo stressed that the Sudanese crisis can only be resolved by Sudanese people sitting together at one table to address their problems. He noted that previous calls for dialogue had failed to produce solutions and that the positions put forward during those efforts had not been sufficiently focused on reaching an agreement, while external interventions had also prevented a settlement.

“I believe everyone has learned the lesson, and the world is now moving toward solutions and an end to the war in Sudan, which can no longer endure this situation,” he said.

Shummo stressed the need for adequate guarantees for the dialogue. “A dialogue cannot be held without sufficient guarantees and simply become a trap for the participants,” he said, describing such an approach as unethical.

He added that local, African, and international public opinion could not accept a dialogue conducted under pressure, conditions, or threats, describing such a process as “worthless.” He called for Arab and international guarantees in addition to domestic guarantees, saying every participant should have the right to attend and express their views freely, as well as the ability to leave safely without facing threats.

Shummo said the guarantees announced by Chairman of the Sovereignty Council General Abdel Fattah Al-Burhan regarding dialogue from within Sudan were sufficient, ensuring the ability to enter the country, participate, and express one’s views freely, while also guaranteeing safe departure.

He said the absence of politicians currently abroad would make the dialogue incomplete, while emphasizing that “there is no better offer for dialogue than this.” He added that the current situation includes an authority and government that have provided guarantees, and warned that if opposition figures abroad reject them, they will miss a major opportunity.

“The government has stated its position, and I trust what it has publicly offered,” he said, adding that any retreat by the government from these guarantees and commitments would not serve its interests.

Shummo said the other parties have no justification for refusing to participate in light of these guarantees, calling on Sudanese groups abroad to take part. “If they are not satisfied, they should leave peacefully,” he said, stressing that “there is no third possibility.”

He emphasized the importance of trust between the parties, saying: “If trust is not established, Sudan will not move forward. We cannot endure this any longer.”

Regarding calls to exclude the National Congress Party from the dialogue, Shummo said he had noticed that Al-Burhan avoided focusing on the issue of exclusion. He likened exclusion to withholding guarantees and “setting a trap” for participants, adding that guarantees and exclusion are closely connected and that dialogue is in the interests of all parties.

At the same time, he noted that the international community is currently in agreement that the Tasis bloc should not participate in the dialogue, stressing that “Tasis has no place in the dialogue.”

On the military situation, Shummo said the army is in a better position on the battlefield, but warned that the continued flow of weapons and supplies to the militia would prolong the war, exhaust the army, and increase the financial burden of the conflict.

“War requires weapons and spending,” he said. “To avoid continuing for many years, fighting and spending, there must be a genuine way out.”

While expressing a lack of confidence in solutions coming from abroad, Shummo stressed that such proposals should nevertheless be addressed rather than ignored. He also called for concessions, saying Sudan lacks the ability to confront these major external powers.

In a final message to all Sudanese parties, Shummo said: “Everyone should fear God regarding this country, put all disagreements and conflicts on the table, and reach a solution so that Sudan does not perish. We are in a hurry.”

Shortlink: https://sudanhorizon.com/?p=17110