Sudan’s NCP dismisses reports of dissent in East

February 4, 2011 (KHARTOUM) – The ruling National Congress Party (NCP) in Sudan denied reports that the governor of the Red Sea Mohamed Tahir Iyla has defected due to deep differences with the central government in Khartoum.

The NCP’s deputy chairman and presidential assistant Nafie Ali Nafie cited by state media at a rally welcoming Iyla on Friday that any such talk is done by circles targeting East Sudan and eying its wealth.

Nafie said that Iyla was elected through fair and free elections last year and thus he has no motive to rebel. He hailed his accomplishments in the state saying it is an example for the rest of the country that is being studied.

The Red Sea governor’s long absence in Saudi Arabia has fueled intense speculations that he defected from the NCP.

But officials in the state at the time denied these rumors saying that Iyla is receiving medical treatment and while in Saudi Arabia met with foreign investors and Sudanese expatriates. They accused opposition parties of standing behind these reports.

Iyla at the rally today said that he will provide a detailed response to all the rumors on Saturday in Port Sudan stadium. He said that people in the East learned the hard lessons from the rebellion they staged over the last decade and as such they cannot repeat it.

Some opposition groups in East Sudan issued statements accusing the Red Sea governor of corruption and using ‘divide and conquer’ tactics to consolidate his rule.

Separately, a newspaper affiliated with the NCP reported that the U.S. special envoy Scott Gration made a visit to the East without informing the authorities.

Al-Raed newspaper said it observed Gration arriving at Port Sudan airport with his aides and embassy officials through the normal passenger gates and not the VIP lounge. The report said that the US envoy met with UN officials and was briefed on the humanitarian situation.

He was not allowed however, to meet with leaders from the Beja tribe on the grounds that he received no clearance from Khartoum for that.

East Sudan, an area as large as Italy and divided into the three states of Kassala, Al-Gadaref and Red Sea, has a long history of rebellion against the central government in Khartoum.

The Beja Congress, named after the region’s largest ethnic minority, and the Free Lions of the Rashiyda Arab tribe took up arms against Khartoum in 1994, protesting of an unfair distribution of wealth between Sudan’s regions.

The 2006 peace deal between Khartoum and their Eastern Front coalition promised government jobs and 600 million dollars for development over five years.

A donors conference for East Sudan held last month in Kuwait pledged $3.5 billion to develop the region.

(ST)