30 DUP officials call on their party to withdraw from the NCP-led government

September 29, 2013 (KHARTOUM) – Thirty members from the Democratic Unionist Party (DUP) have called on their party to pull out from the government and threatened dissociate themselves from their ministers in the cabinet if they don’t.

In a statement sent by the disenfranchised DUP officials, they called on the government to reinstate fuel subsidies that were scrapped this week and led to violent demonstrations that killed at least 33 according to official figures.

They called the economic measures as ones that exacerbated the suffering of Sudanese people.

The signatories also condemned violence against protestors and demanded prosecution of those who stand behind it.

The DUP, which sealed a political partnership with the ruling National Congress Party (NCP) in December 2011 and was granted several posts in the cabinet, initially announced its support to the economic measures aiming to bridge a budget gap.

But later the DUP spokesperson Ibrahim Mirghani released a statement denying the statement by his colleague in support of the subsidies move adding that they handed a written position to the finance minister in this regard.

Last Thursday, DUP leadership commission made the same calls and threatened to withdraw if their demands are not met by Sunday.

The party’s chief has Mohamed Osman al-Mirghani left the country to seek medical treatment abroad/

(ST)