The reactions to the "Declaration of Principles" agreement signed by the Sudanese government and the SPLM-N, on Sunday in Juba, which provides for the secularism of the state, and paves the way for negotiations between the two parties in Sudan next month.

Sudanese Prime Minister Abdullah Hamdok said, "The signing of the Declaration of Principles today, Sunday, between the Chairman of the Sovereignty Council and the President of the People's Movement - North, is a courageous gesture and evidence of the solid will of all Sudanese to complete the second phase of Sudan's peace."

Hamdok added in a press statement, "All efforts will continue to reach a comprehensive and just peace agreement that does not exclude anyone," as he put it.

The head of the Sudanese Sovereignty Council, Abdel Fattah Al-Burhan, said that the signing of the agreement marks a real beginning of the transitional phase in Sudan.

For his part, the head of the SPLM-North Abdulaziz Al-Hilu said that the declaration provides religious and ethnic freedoms and preserves human rights in Sudan.

The Declaration of Principles stipulates the separation of religion from the state, the neutrality of the state in religious affairs, the guarantee of freedom of belief, and that the state does not adopt any religion to be official in the country.

The agreement includes the autonomy of the Sudanese regions within the framework of a federal system, and the establishment of a unified national army that reflects the Sudanese diversity.

welcome

For his part, the head of the United Nations Integrated Mission in Sudan "UNITAMS", Volker Peretz, said in a tweet on Twitter, "Congratulations to Sudan, the declaration of principles, it is an important step towards a comprehensive peace in Sudan."

In turn, the National Umma Party (the most prominent party of the Forces of Freedom and Change) affirmed in a statement that "the Declaration of Principles represents an important positive step for completing the requirements of peace, stopping the war, and achieving security and stability."

The Revolutionary Front (armed movements) considered in a statement issued by its president, Al-Hadi Idris, that the signing of the Declaration of Principles "is a step in the right direction and an end to the peace process."

In turn, the head of the Sudanese Congress Party (a party of the Forces for the Declaration of Freedom and Change), Omar Al-Dukair, said in a tweet, "We welcome the signing of the Declaration of Principles, and we consider it a big step forward."

The Sudanese Professionals Association issued a statement declaring its welcome to the agreement, stressing that this represents a very important step for achieving a comprehensive and just peace, a final end to the war and building the state of citizenship and the rule of law.

Refusal

On the other hand, the political secretary of the opposition People's Congress Party in Sudan, Abdel Wahab Saad, said in a comment on the principles agreement that the proof does not have a mandate from the Sudanese people to separate religion from the state, and that everyone should respect the institutional and democratic choice in making such decisions, regardless of their results.

The Forum for Just Peace in Sudan also rejected the agreement, and Al-Tayeb Mustafa, president of the forum, told Al-Jazeera that the signed declaration of principles is devoted to secularism and goes beyond the constitutional document.

Mustafa added that Sudan is living under a full-fat military coup, and its leader does what he wants.

The SPLM / A has been fighting government forces in the states of South Kordofan (south) and Blue Nile (southeast) since June 2011.

On October 3, 2020, the Juba Agreement was signed between the Sudanese government and representatives of armed movements within the "Revolutionary Front" coalition, while the Popular Movement and the Sudan Liberation Movement led by Abdel Wahid Nour, which is fighting in Darfur, did not participate.

Bringing peace to Sudan is one of the most prominent files on the table of Hamdok's government, which is the first government since the army leadership in April 2019 removed Omar al-Bashir from the presidency, under pressure from popular protests against his rule.