Sudan’s Bashir says coup ‘salvaged’ country from collapse
June 27, 2009 (KHARTOUM) — The Sudanese president Omer Hassan Al-Bashir described the coup he carried out 20 years ago as an important milestone that saved the country from “economic and military collapse”.
The Sudanese president said that the “National Salvation Revolution” made several achievements saying that pre-1989 the war, rising level expenses and lack of essential cervices was prevalent in Sudan.
He noted that the International Monetary Fund (IMF) figures showed that when he took power the growth rate was -1%.
A group within the Sudanese army backed by the National Islamic Front (NIF) headed by Hassan Al-Turabi staged a bloodless coup that ousted the 3 years democratically elected government led by Sadiq Al-Mahdi.
However Bashir and Turabi fell out together in 1999 and in disagreement and the latter moved to opposition ranks and was subject to long periods of detention and house arrests ever since.
Bashir said that peace was the first issue tackled by the revolution and that it was a “strategic choice” along with uniting the internal front.
The historic 2005 Comprehensive Peace Agreement (CPA) between the North and South ended years of war and laid down key benchmarks including elections, demarcation of the North-South border and a referendum on Southern independence in 2011.
The Sudanese president said that the only issue left is the Darfur conflict which he expressed hope to be resolved soon.
He said that the latest census results showing an increase in the population of Darfur refutes allegations of genocide in Darfur.
The International Criminal Court (ICC) issued an arrest warrant for Bashir last March for seven counts of war crimes and crimes against humanity allegedly committed in Darfur.
The judges scrapped the genocide charges but the ICC prosecutor Luis Moreno-Ocampo this week won the right the appeal the dropping of the genocide charges.
Ocampo accused Al-Bashir of masterminding a campaign to get rid of the African tribes in Darfur; Fur, Masalit and Zaghawa.
On the relations with the US Bashir welcomed the “reconciliatory” tone by the Obama administration saying previous US presidents were hostile to his country.
Sudan has been pushing Washington towards a full upgrade of diplomatic relations, removing it from list of terror sponsoring countries and appointing an official at an ambassador level.
US officials have hinted that sanctions maybe partially lifted if Sudan makes progress on several political tracks.
(ST)