Turabi’s party accuses government of exacerbating western rebellion, detaining its members

KHARTOUM, Mar 02, 2004 (AP) — The leader of a main Sudanese opposition party accused the government Tuesday of mishandling a rebellion in the west of the country and of arresting scores of its members there.

Hassan Turabi, leader of the opposition Popular Congress Party, told a press briefing Tuesday that the government had arrested “scores” of its members in the western Darfur region, including six party leaders.

A statement released by the party and obtained by The Associated Press also accused the government of “implementing its ruthless military doctrine to solve the problem (of the rebellion) and pushing the members of the military into unconvincing battles.”

Government officials and members of the ruling National Congress party have accused the Popular Congress of providing assistance and backing the rebellion. The opposition party has denied having anything to do with events in Darfur.

Also Tuesday, the official Al-Anba newspaper quoted President Omar al-Beshir as ordering the release of all people detained in connection with the recent events in Darfur.

The year-old rebellion is being waged by groups seeking autonomy for Darfur province, which the rebels say has been neglected for years by the government. Fighting between rebel groups, the army and government-backed militia has killed hundreds of people and forced more than 600,000 to flee their homes, aid agencies estimate.

Darfur is one of the poorest areas of Sudan and a region prone to drought and famine.

The insurgency there has intensified even as peace talks between the government and southern rebels fighting a 21-year-long civil war move closer to a conclusion.

Turabi was once a top ally of al-Beshir and the main architect of the Islamic fundamentalist government that was set up in the 1990s. But in 1999, al-Beshir accused Turabi of trying to grab power and stripped him of his position. His party was banned in 2001 for signing a peace deal with southern rebels and Turabi was placed under house arrest. He was released last October and ban on the party was lifted.