Jordan’s king reportedly paid for medical treatment of Sudan’s ex-PM daughter
January 2, 2011 (KHARTOUM) – The Jordanian King Abdullah II is picking the tab for the medical treatment of Mariam Al-Mahdi, daughter of Umma party chief, who suffered substantial injuries to her hands after being beaten by Sudanese police earlier this week.
Sources at the Northern opposition party told Sudan Tribune that a surgery was performed on Mariam’s hands as the bones were badly fractured.
The daughter of the former Sudanese Prime Minister Al-Sadiq Al-Mahdi said in an interview with the London-based Al-Hayat newspaper that she was attacked when she went to the officer in charge of the security force surrounding the Umma Party headquarters in the twin capital city of Omdurman armed with batons and shields.
After a brief dialogue with the commanding officer she was pushed by one of the security officers and the beating started immediately with batons on her head six to seven times, Mariam said. She shielded her head with the hands leaving it to receive the pounding.
Members from the Umma Party present at the scene rushed to protect her and a scuffle ensued with Sudanese police and they all fell on the ground in the mini-stampede. The anti-riot police fired teargas on the crowd at that point to disperse the gathering.
Sudanese police later issued a statement accusing the Umma Party members of throwing stones on them and blocking the adjacent street.
The Jordanian monarch and Al-Mahdi’s family have long enjoyed strong relations. Ironically King Abdullah’s grandfather, Talal was treated at the expense of Abdel-Rahman al-Mahdi who is Mariam’s great grandfather and the founder of the Umma party.
Mariam herself is a graduate of the medical school at the University of Jordan in the 90’s.
(ST)