Sudan’s ruling party rejects demands for a national government
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July 3, 2011 (KHARTOUM) – A leading figure in the ruling National
Congress Party (NCP) and speaker of Sudan’s parliament Ahmed Ibrahim
Al-Tahir dismissed demands of opposition parties for the formation of
a national government following the official secession of South Sudan
next week.
JPEG - 13.9 kb
Ahmed Ibrahim al-Tahir, speaker of the National Assembly (Getty)
At a press conference in Khartoum, al-Tahir challenged those making
such proposals to take the streets in a manner similar to Tunisia and
Egypt to press for the national government.
The top legislator also downplayed the threat made by the opposition
to resort to the Constitutional Court to sue the government for what
it describes as a loss of its legitimacy after July 9 saying it is a
“lost cause”.
On the recent Addis Ababa accord on South Kordofan brokered by the
African Union (AU) he denied rifts in the government with regard to
the agreement saying that the latter is a step towards discussing
security arrangements after the South secedes.
Al-Tahir added that the government through this agreement wanted to
assist in incorporating some of the Sudan People Liberation Army
(SPLA) units that are comprised of Northerners in the federal army
after the South becomes independent or alternativeLY help disarm them.
He stressed that the SPLM can only continue as a political party in
the North if it complies with the laws and regulations governing the
work of political parties.
Following Friday prayers at a mosque in the Sudanese capital president
Omer Hassan al-Bashir said he had commanded the Sudan Armed Forces
(SAF) not to cease its military offensive in South Kordofan until it
“purges” the area and “arrests and brings to trial the rebel” Abdul
Aziz Adam Al-Hilu for the “crimes of terrorizing civilians and killing
of innocent people”.
Al-Hilu is the leader of the SPLM in South Kordofan and the former
deputy governor who refused to concede his defeat in the state’s
gubernatorial elections to the incumbent governor Ahmad Haroun of the
NCP who - as well as Bashir - is wanted by the International Criminal
Court (ICC) in connection with war crimes allegedly committed in
Darfur.
Following the contentious elections, fighting erupted in early June
between SAF and SPLM forces. It is not clear what ignited the
confrontation but the SPLA claimed it was because SAF had attempted to
disarm its fighters while SAF alleged that it responded to a raid by
SPLA members on a local police station.
Friday’s remarks by Bashir were seen as voiding the framework
agreement signed by his assistant with the SPLM which stipulates that
the NCP would recognise the right of the SPLM to continue "as a legal
political party” in North Sudan.
(ST)
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