Sudan’s NCP accuses Darfur rebels of stirring up protests to topple regime
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March 21, 2011 (KHARTOUM) – The ruling National Congress Party (NCP)
on Monday accused students loyal to Darfur rebel groups of working on
mobilizing people to stage demonstrations that would lead to removing
the government in a manner similar to uprisings in Egypt and Tunisia.
JPEG - 49 kb
Sudanese students union-Pakistan protest outside the press club in
Hyderabad, Pakistan, March 21, 2011 (Demotix Images)
The NCP deputy chairman in Khartoum state Mandoor Al-Mahdi told
reporters that "sleeping cells" belonging to Darfur armed movements in
the capital are planning to engage in military conflict starting from
Omdurman Ahliya university and Omdurman Islamic university.
Al-Mahdi added that they have credible intel showing that members from
the Darfur Justice and Equality Movement (JEM) in universities want to
stage protests and burn gas stations in Omdurman to encourage people
to demonstrate.
The NCP official further alleged that unspecified foreign circles are
supporting Sudanese youth groups on Facebook that are calling for
regime change adding that it is also receiving the backing of the
opposition parties such as the communist party, Popular Congress
Party, Sudan People Liberation Movement, head of opposition alliance
Farouk Abu Eissa and communist figure Sideeg Youssef.
He expressed confidence that this plan will not work as it is
"illogical" and doomed to fail. Al-Mahdi further stressed that the NCP
is committed to political and media freedoms and called on opposition
parties to seek permission to demonstrate rather than simply notifying
the authorities.
The official also revealed that his party will conduct a nationwide
dialogue with the political powers on the new constitution and
broad-based governments in preparation for the South’s breakup next
July. However he ruled out any compromise on the adoption of Islamic
Sharia’a law.
This comes as several small demonstrations took place in different
parts of North Sudan in response to Facebook group calls.
The protests calling for change led to the blocking of Khartoum-Madani
highway while others burned tires in Wad-Madani’s bus station.
Students from Al-Jezira university and Madani collage gathered at a
bus stop chanting slogans against the government and demanding change
before being dispersed by riot police which also arrested around 10 of
them.
In Sennar university police clashed with demonstrators until they were
rounded up and taken into custody. The Sudanese capital witnessed
heavy police presence since early morning hours in city centers and
around university campuses. According to witnesses they also broke up
protests near Khartoum stadium.
Pro-government students at a rally at Khartoum University labeled
those trying to organize the demonstrations "atheists" and agents of
the United States and Israel.
Witnesses also reported a large security deployment in the centre of
El-Obeid, a city around 600 kilometres (370 miles) west of Khartoum,
with police trucks surrounding the university.
Tensions are mounting in Sudan as the country heads towards a split
amid growing economic problems that lead to rising cost of living for
the ordinary citizens in a country where most of the population live
below poverty levels.
There have been several attempts to stage mass demonstrations but so
far the turnout has been minimal.
Activists said the protesters failed to mobilize because of security
fears and the movement’s lack of organization.
"It is because of the police presence, and because people are afraid
of the national security attacking them," said Mohammed, 24, an
activist who was arrested at one of the protests in January to Agence
France Presse (AFP).
"Also there is no leadership. It is not an organized group," he added.
The NCP said its leader president Omer Hassan Al-Bashir will not run
for another term after 2015 which would mark 26 since he took power in
a bloodless coup. Pressure is mounting from within the ruling party to
make reforms and address corruption problem which many observers say
have reached epidemic levels.
Bashir is currently the only sitting heard of state wanted by the
International Criminal Court (ICC) for his alleged role in the Darfur
war crimes. This has restricted his travel to few friendly nations
while many others have declined to receive him prompting shy domestic
calls for him to step down.
But many analysts believe that any attempt to stage reforms will meet
resistance from the old guard within the NCP who have frequently
asserted that they have the backing of most of the Sudanese people.
(ST)
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