Sudanese MP calls for the resignation of the defence minister

April 28, 2013 (KHARTOUM) – The Sudanese defense minister Abdel-Rahim Mohamed Hussein should immediately tender his resignation in the wake of the rebels’ brief occupation of Um Rawaba in North Kordofan state this weekend, a Sudanese lawmaker said today.

MP Mohamed Ahmed Al-Zein Hamid asserted that the minister’s ouster is necessary because, despite the availability of information on the attack, the army’s response was lacking. He went on to say that issues of national security are being dealt with naively.

In 2012, following the fall of Heglig at the hands of the South Sudanese army (SPLA), the ruling National Congress Party (NCP) bloc in parliament called on the presidency to relieve the defence minister of his duties after his failure in protecting the oil-rich area which produces half of Sudan’s crude output.

Many are questioning president Omer Hassan al-Bashir’s insistence to keep Hussein despite his poor performance. They note the attack on the capital by Darfur Justice and Equality Movement (JEM) in 2008 which rattled the army at the time despite quickly repulsing it.

It was reported that Bashir swiftly rejected calls that he sack Hussein, telling members of his party that it is a “red line”. Like Bashir, Hussein has also been indicted by the International Criminal Court (ICC) for alleged crimes in Sudan’s western Darfur region.

However, the deputy speaker of parliament, Samia Ahmed Mohamed, dismissed MP Hamid’s position as “political talk”.

“I don’t talk in politics” she added.

The deputy speaker defended the army, saying that it has taken on many tasks and duties beyond its main responsibilities of defending the borders. She pointed out that the army is involved in resolving tribal conflicts besides securing commercial convoys in Darfur.

Earlier this month, the defence minister said in his testimony before the parliament that the army suspended military operations in Darfur and stepped up its efforts to secure commercial trucks going to the capital city of South Darfur because police forces were no longer able to protect commercial convoys on their own.

“We were able to secure 700 trucks loaded with fuel and food and when we got ready to resume military operations, we were asked by state authorities in South Darfur to secure other convoys so we stopped military operations for the second time”, he said suggesting that his forces in South Darfur were stretched thin as a result.

Mohamed downplayed the impact of the Um Rawaba attack on negotiations between the Sudanese government and the Sudanese People’s Liberation Movement-North (SPLM-N), describing the rebel group as a “dead movement”, especially in light of its disengagement with South Sudan following the implementation of cooperation agreements between Khartoum and Juba.

(ST)