Member Country News
Under the sponsorship of the German Government, a conference to promote international investment in Sudan took place in Berlin on 29 January 2013, having been postponed from October 2012 due to the attack on the German embassy in Khartoum.
Despitean attack on its embassy, the German Government remained committed to thisconference. This is striking given that similar conferences planned in Turkeyand Norway for March 2012 were cancelled due to lack of support from EU, USadministration, and other international bodies.
The Liberal Democratic Party – Sudan (LDP) considers that this conference will only prolong the life of one of the most corrupt regimes in the world. It is an awkward step from a democratic state like Germany. Through the eyes of the Sudanese people, this conference has been perceived as undeserved support for the dictatorship in Sudan that would only perpetuate the failure to manage national resources, and prolong the conflict and resulting suffering of the Sudanese people.
Sudan faces many challenges, including instability and insecurity, which continue to undermine the fragile peace building process.75% of the national revenue is wasted on military expenditure and corruption.According to Wikileaks, forty-four Government companies were listed as part of money laundering, drug dealing, and weaponry to LRA and other militants in Africa; and between 1999 and 2012, 17 billion dollars of the national revenue were illegally transferred to Government official’s private accounts in Malaysia. Transparency International, a German based organisation, report for 2012 listed Sudan as oneof the most corrupt regimes in the world occupying number 174 out of 175 countries evaluated by the organization. The International Monetary Fund reported the Sudanese economy as the worst in the world for the year 2012.
In principle, LDP welcomes international efforts by aid and development operations which will contribute to the settlement of the Sudanese crisis. However, the LDP emphasizes the importance of considering the people’s legitimate demands for regime change, peace, stability, democracy,freedom and justice. These should be secured first.
LDP receives the German Government’s sponsorship ofthis conference equates to unproductive support for the dictatorial regime inSudan, which contradicts Germany’s moral responsibilities and is contrary to humanitarianprinciples. Therefore, LDP callsupon the German Government to immediately refrain from contributing to thesystematic crimes against the Sudanese people by financially supporting theon-going wars and human rights violation committed by the regime and its suspectswanted by the International Criminal Court.
LDP seizes this opportunity to remind all thosesupporting the Government of Sudan to consider the regime’s deliberatefood-blockage against the civilians in Blue Nileand Nuba Mountains, as well as the on-goingkilling of civilians by the government sponsored militia-men in Darfur.
LDP appreciates the longstanding support of theInternational Community to the Sudanese people through its humanitarianoperations. The LDP counts onfurther extension of such support to find lasting peace accords, democracy andfreedom.