Al-Beshir meets returnee opposition Beja Congress official
By Sudanese TV
KHARTOUM, Nov. 22, 2003 — The president of the republic, Staff Lt-Gen Umar al-Bashir, has reiterated government’s commitment to unifying ranks and establishing consensus of the people of the homeland, in the framework of efforts of realizing comprehensive peace.
During his meeting, this afternoon at the Guest House, with the secretary-general of the [opposition] Beja Congress, Al-Shaykh [honorific] Umar Muhammad Tahir, who recently decamped from the opposition ranks, the president commended the return of Al-Shaykh Umar Muhammad Tahir to the homeland and his conviction on the need to realize peace through dialogue and negotiation. The president also reiterated that negotiation opportunities would remain open to all, without any exception or isolation.
The meeting was also attended by the leader of the Koranic schools of Hamashkoreb [eastern Sudan], Al-Shaykh [honorific] Sulayman Ali Bitay.
For his part, Al-Shaykh Umar Muhammad Tahir commended government’s welcome of his return to the homeland. He said the meeting discussed various important issues related to the homeland. He stressed the need to realize peace and stability in all parts of the country.
[Tahir] [transmission in progress] Sudanese-Sudanese dialogue, far from mediation and pressures, and based on Sudanese will and Islam. We have agreed on issues related to the interests of the homeland and Islam. For this reason, we are striving, God willing, to uphold our religion and support our homeland, as well as develop our region and govern ourselves.
[Bitay] First of all, I would like to generally congratulate the Sudanese people and wish them well as we approach the end of Ramadan, may the Lord accept our deeds in these last ten blessed days of Ramadan.
Well, I would like to ask all the Sudanese brothers to be aware that Sudan is now calling them and seeking their rescue. This a major and important point which all people should note.
On this basis, we moved and exerted efforts so as to make our Brother Umar [Muhammad Tahir] and the government sit together and discuss amongst themselves, without any foreign mediation, instead through the efforts of Sudanese people and their views. We wanted to sit together, talk and come out with some agreement, God willing.
The talks, by the grace of God, were focused on the homeland, developing and safeguarding it, as well safeguarding Islam, [all] by God’s will. Therefore, praise and thanks be to God.
Despite the fact that these efforts were difficult, our Lord has made it possible.
BBC Monitoring Middle East