Sudan’s opposition rejects bilateral talks with government

January 25, 2011 (KHARTOUM) – The Sudanese opposition parties held a meeting on Tuesday aimed primarily at getting clarifications from the leader of the National Umma Party (NUP) Al-Sadiq Al-Mahdi on his last week’s summit with the Sudanese president Omer Hassan Al-Bashir.

There was an uproar within the opposition ranks and even among supporters of Al-Mahdi who felt betrayed over his surprise rendezvous with Bashir at a time when the general sentiment is leaning towards a confrontation with the government to force it to agree to its demands.

The NUP defended Al-Mahdi’s decision to satisfy Bashir’s invitation saying that the former presented the “national agenda” containing the list of items it wants the ruling National Congress Party (NCP) to implement.

But opposition parties were far from convinced by the justifications Al-Mahdi reiterated in today’s meeting which was described by sources who attended it as “stormy” and “highly tense” as the participants argued back and forth.

The ex-PM was asked by opposition figures to inform the NCP leadership that they will no longer agree to bilateral talks and that they can only meet in a multilateral setting thus offering representation to all concerned groups.

The opposition parties want the NCP to agree to a constitutional conference, form an interim government that will prepare the country for new elections, lifting political restrictions, ending Darfur crisis and reversing recent increases in food prices.

But Bashir’s party which secured a comfortable win in last year’s elections dismissed the call saying that it will only cede power if it loses in the next polls after five years.

In a joint statement issued after today’s meeting, the opposition parties reiterated their previous demands and also urged the government to release the leader of the Popular Congress Party Hassan Al-Turabi who was detained along with his senior aides this month without charges.

The NUP’s leading figure Mariam Al-Mahdi said that there is no deadline given to the NCP to meet these demands at this time but that one could be given when they meet again.

On Wednesday, the NUP is scheduled to hold a rally celebrating the liberation of Khartoum from the British rule by Mohamed Ahmed Al-Mahdi who is Al-Sadiq’s great grandfather.

The NUP chief has given January 26th as the day he will decide on whether to join the ranks of those calling for a regime change or announce his retirement from politics.

However, it is likely that Al-Mahdi will delay any decision while he awaits the response of the NCP to his initiative.

(ST)