Ex-SLM Secretary General slams Minawi for his suspension

October 26, 2008 (KHARTOUM) — The suspended Secretary General of the former rebel Sudan Liberation Movement led by Minni Minawi slammed the decision issued by the chief of movement against him saying it was violating the SLM constitution.

Mustafa Teirab was suspended by Minni Minawi for freezing the activities of the SLM executive body during his four month absence from Khartoum to protest the non-implementation of Darfur Peace Agreement.

Teirab accused Minawi of opposing the transformation of the SLM from a military organisation to a political party. He also said that Minawi used to not respect the institutions of the former rebel group since the Haskanita conference

Minawi, who was the SLM secretary general, and his partisans organised a conference in northern Darfur in November 2005 where he was elected as president of a faction that signed a peace deal with the Sudanese government in May 2006.

Teirab told the Arabic language daily Al-Sahafa if Minawi wants the general Secretariat he has to go back to his post prior to the Haskanita conference – Secretary General – and reinstate Abdel Wahid Al-Nur in the chairmanship of the movement.

The suspended secretary general and others criticised openly Minawi decision to quit Khartoum and to remain in Darfur during the past months. They said he his decision was individual.

Since the signing of Abuja agreement, Minawi lost many of his commanders and political cadres who founded the SLM-Unity.

In a press conference he held today in Khartoum, the former rebel turned Senior Presidential Assistant said he has an initiative to hold direct contact with the non signatory rebels.

Minawi underscored that some of the proposals were presented to the Sudan’s People Forum and others to be discussed with the ruling National Congress Party before to engage talks with the rebel movements.

He also urged Khartoum to release rebels that had been condemned to death after a raid on the Sudanese capital last May.

(ST)