Sudanese authorities question official on opposition DUP’s stand

KHARTOUM, May 29, 2005 (Sudan Tribune) — The deputy leader of the opposition Democratic Unionist Party (DUP), Ali Mahmoud Hassanein has informed security authorities that all the views he puts forward on the political scene are not personal but belong to the party.

Speaking to the independent newspaper Al-Ayam, Hassanein said that the security authorities detained him for questioning the day before yesterday Friday 27 May afternoon until 11 pm local time.

He said the authorities questioned him about, what they considered to be, the party’s hard-line positions regarding government policies.

Hassanein said he explained that the views he put forward were not hard-line. “I told them that the views were put forward in my capacity as deputy leader of the DUP”.

The deputy leader of the opposition DUP said he informed the authorities that the main issue was the nation which was now on the edge of a precipice “there is the possibility of separation and war in the east and west which means the nation’s unity is now in danger.

Armed factions now exist at the cost of democratic political activity and the ruling government is responsible for all of this. The ruling power must control the interests of the nation and of democratic change and address all the problems in the states.”

Hassanein said he had informed the authorities that the DUP would only share power through free and fair elections “however we are keen for all political forces to adopt an approach, at the present time, that will stop the breaking up and demise of Sudan” he added.

Material provided by the BBC Monitoring Service.