Sudan bars opposition leader from travelling abroad
April 19, 2009 (KHARTOUM) — Sudanese authorities took a last minute decision to bar an Islamist opposition leader from flying to Paris to receive medical treatment.
Turabi was also accompanied by his wife Wisal Al-Mahdi and their daughter Omama when the incident happened, Rahma said.
The Islamist leader was reportedly in possession of a diplomatic passport which contained an exit permit as well as a visa to enter France where made appointments at a hospital to undergo medical tests.
PCP officials and his family claim that Turabi’s health deteriorated following the time he spent in detention earlier this year particularly after being transferred to the poorly maintained Port Sudan coastal jail.
Turabi was arrested after making remarks calling on Sudanese president Omer Hassan Al-Bashir to surrender himself to the International Criminal Court (ICC) in connection with war crimes in Darfur region.
Rahma said that airport authorities asked him and Turabi to check with the security bureau on the action taken against them.
The pro-government Sudanese Media Center (SMC) website quoted an unnamed official as saying that Turabi’s movements abroad aimed at rallying countries against the state and national reconciliation.
The Sudanese official also rapped Turabi’s “suspicious” trips saying he wants to split national ranks and hinder efforts to achieve peace in the country. He said that Turabi planned to visit other Arab, African and European countries after France.
A Sudanese delegation is scheduled to arrive in France next week comprised of presidential assistant Nafi Nafi, presidential adviser Mustafa Ismail, Sudanese intelligence director Salah Gosh and Abdel-Basit Sanoosi chief of bilateral relations at the Sudanese foreign ministry.
It is not clear if Khartoum fears that Turabi will want to sabotage the purpose of the visit by Sudanese officials to Paris.
Rahma said that the government’s decision is a violation of the constitution that allows for freedom of movement and cast doubt over government commitment to democratic transformation in the country.
He held the Sudanese authorities responsible for any “harm” inflicted as a result of preventing Turabi to seek medical treatment
Turabi was Bashir’s ally in the military coup the latter staged in June 1989. However ten years later the two men fell out in disagreement and Turabi moved to opposition ranks and was subject to long periods of detention and house arrests ever since.
The Sudanese president accused the Darfur Justice and Equality Movement (JEM) rebel movement of being the military wing of Turabi’s party.
(ST)
Sudanthinker
Sudan bars opposition leader from travelling abroad
It is really strange that anyone in their right mind should refer to this political “Madam” as an opposition leader.
Was he not the master mind behind this regime, its brutal policies and is he not responsible for the catastrophic state in which Sudan finds itself today?
Hassan El Turabi was the one that urged people to fight the holy war against the South, he was also the master mind behind the Darfur conflict, for is it not strange that the war in Darfur began shortly after he lost power in Khartoum? Isn’t the leader of JEM a close associate of this false Sheikh?
Turabi was the one who abolished the multi party system, the trade unions and any other form of political expression. His cadres are well known for their brutality and corruption
Today he speaks of democracy and personal freedoms, how canny of him, so if he is such a great believer in democracy, why did he abolish it in the first place?
This man should be jailed for life for crimes against that Sudanese people!
Joseph Dut Gak
Sudan bars opposition leader from travelling abroad
Mr Turabi !
You re to know the Endangers of being spy and what is means by conflict of interests and how they muderers friends when they become foes how critical the will closerly vigerously deals with themselves.
you have been the wild greed dog of whole country ,if God know, how things will be in your case you re the worse man then Bashir,Bashir has did his part to his p’ple even some of the southers they love him but you re bad boy of Sudan,
you remains confused old man.
Dut Gak
Mr Network
Sudan bars opposition leader from travelling abroad
Shit!
Some people are just implyling themself with the of sudan but haven,t know the real fact.The Bashir,s purpose of send his mindless and notoroius Guy,s to paris only to defuse the tension raise by france and there bond and strange words for theie beloved african which are suffering fron Bashir regime.Let him not facus only on Turabi alone but think twic before he carry his decision.
Moreover,Let him prepare the ground for US to vote him in upcoming election between SPLM/NCP which was schedule to take place coming year,if he trying to still showing greedness to his follows I will not vote him at all what so ever case may we need independent State and that we acn now focus on down,down,down to bashir and up,up,up to Kirr and we are going to upgrade him on top letArabic go back to where they came from we don,t want non-sense for your info!