“Storms coming in Darfur” says Sudan ex-PM

September 16, 2009 (KHARTOUM) — The former Sudanese prime minister and the leader of the opposition Umma party Al-Sadiq Al-Mahdi expressed pessimism over the prospects of a political solution in the war ravaged region of Darfur.

“There are upcoming storms in Darfur [clear] to whoever has a heart or is carefully listening,” Al-Mahdi told participants at a Ramadan dinner banquet hosted by the Umma party.

Al-Mahdi did not elaborate on what he meant by his remarks at a time when top UN officials and military peacekeepers described the war in Darfur as being over.

He has criticized statements by former UNAMID chief Rodolphe Adada in that regard warning that it will push Darfur rebels to step up military operations to prove the contrary.

The Umma party leader said the only option to get Sudan out of the “swamp” is to get all political powers including the ruling National Congress Party (NCP) and Sudan People Liberation Movement (SPLM) in a roundtable discussion to reach binding decisions on the outstanding issues faced by the country.

Al-Mahdi said that seeking “outside solutions” through bilateral meetings “have failed in the past and will fail again”.

He described the Comprehensive Peace Agreement (CPA) as being at a critical point due to differences between the NCP and SPLM on national security law, census results, referendum law and oil proceeds.

“The mistrust between the two sides does not allow for direct meetings without an international third party” A;-Mahdi said.

(ST)