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April 20, 2015 (KHARTOUM) - The Sudan People’s Liberation Movement -North (SPLM) - said the turnout of April elections is a "vote of no confidence" in the regime of president Omer al-Bashir and called for a new approach to achieve the democratic aspiration of Sudanese people.

Election officials at a polling station on the first day of Sudan’s presidential and legislative elections in Khartoum on 13 April 2015 (Photo: AP/Mosa’ab Elshamy)

The weak voter turnout is admitted by all the Sudanese parties and foreign observation missions. Also, it meets a boycott campaign organised by the large alliance of political and armed opposition forces called the Sudan Call forces.

The opposition parties members of the Sudan Call held a press conference in Khartoum where they vowed to build up on the disaffection of the Sudanese street towards the regime and mobilise the masses to overthrow it peacefully.

In a statement extended to Sudan Tribune on Monday, SPLM-N secretary-general Yasir Arman stressed on the weak turnout of elections saying it "is a vote of no confidence in the regime and it is, indeed, a vote for change".

Arman further said there are two possible scenarios to achieve political change in Sudan
The first scenario is a "decisive uprising", he said and called for restructuring the opposition and to absorb more political forces in the Sudan Call alliance, and to adopt a political programme for the post-Bashir’s regime.

The second option, according to the rebel leader, is to establish a new approach that should lead in the first step to stop the armed conflict and air attacks on civilians, ensure open humanitarian access to the affected civilians in the rebel held areas in the Two Areas and Darfur, and to restore freedoms in the country.

The Sudanese foreign ministry on Sunday held a briefing for the head of Western diplomatic missions in Khartoum on the results of the vote and reiterated the government’s commitment to engage in a national dialogue with the opposition forces after the election.

"National dialogue is a strategic vision for the State and it will continue after the announcement of the final results of the election," said the foreign in a statement issued on Sunday, adding that all the opposition groups are invited to take part in the process "without preconditions".

However, Arman expressed fears that this dialogue process allows the Bashir’s regime to "engaging the opposition in non-stop negotiations, which are fruitless and only aim to achieve a piece-meal solution".

The SPLM-N secretary-general said the popular uprising and the negotiated settlement are "inter-related and interlinked", in a way that the former will help to achieve the latter and convince the regime to discuss seriously with the opposition.

"As we fully recognise the importance of the outside factors, the real answer is in the hands of those who decided to boycott the elections. The answer is inside Sudan. It has never been outside," he said.

The electoral bodies in the different states started to announce the results of vote in different electoral districts and the final results are expected to be announced during the last week of April.

After what, Bahsir who is expected to be re-elected will form a new government including the political forces allied to his party. Also, he will address the new parliament and expected to renew his commitment for the national dialogue.
(ST)