Sudan’s ex-PM slams Libyan leader on his treatment of dissent Article Comments (0) Email PrintSave --------------------------------------------------------------------------------
February 24, 2011 (KHARTOUM) – The former Sudanese Prime Minister Al-Sadiq Al-Mahdi today lambasted the Libyan leader Muammar Gaddafi saying the latter routinely dismissed any dissenting opinion as treason. Former Sudanese Prime Minister and leader of National Umma Party Al-Sadiq Al-Mahdi Al-Mahdi who maintained close ties with Libya’s top guy since the 70’s said in a press release that he noticed this trend during his previous dialogues with Gaddafi. Libya continues to sink deeper into chaos as its defiant ruler Gaddafi battles to retain control of the capital Tripoli amid an international outcry over the rising death toll and mass exodus by foreigners. Hundreds were killed since the demonstrations broke out on February 17 and spread from the eastern city of Benghazi, which is now totally controlled by the opposition, to the capital Tripoli. Italian foreign ministry on Wednesday said the clashes killed 1000 people. The former PM revealed that he wrote to the Libyan leader five days ago to stress that the right of civil expression for political demands in the form of protests should not be met with bloody crackdown. Al-Mahdi also communicated with the Arab League Secretary General Amr Moussa demanding immediate intervention. The opposition leader and head of National Umma Party (NUP) noted that his relationship with Gaddafi was characterized with cooperation, exchanging advices and continuous dialogue. "We were constantly asserting to him that the diversity of views is the inevitable result of freedom and that the alternative of freedom is tyranny," he said. Al-Mahdi said that the region was dominated by autocratic regimes under different political labels. He said the current revolution of Arab people in the region is a result of their aspiration for human rights and freedoms by the legitimate standards of legality and humanity emphasizing that the rulers must respond to the demands of their people or face uprising. He called for immediate ceasefire saying that he intends to ask the United Nations, African Union, the Organization of Islamic Conference (OIC) to move quickly "to stop the blood bath scenes in Libya". The ex-PM also stressed the importance of conducting an investigation into the events to ensure accountability. The Libyan leader has been a long-time supporter of the NUP until the year 2003 when his request that Al-Mahdi join the Sudanese government went unheeded. In 1976, the Sudanese National Front headed by Al-Mahdi and based in Libya launched a surprise attack aimed at toppling the regime of then president Ga’afar Nimeiri. The operation is believed to have been financed by Libya’s Gaddafi. (ST) -- You received this message because you are subscribed to the Google Groups "JFD info" group. To post to this group, send email to [email protected]. To unsubscribe from this group, send email to [email protected]. For more options, visit this group at http://groups.google.com/group/jfdinfo?hl=en.
