Khartoum infuriated by SPLM’s Arman call for keeping US economic sanctions on Sudan
March 29, 2011 (KHARTOUM) – The Sudanese government has reacted angrily to reports that the secretary-general of the opposition SPLM-northern sector, Yasir Arman, called on the US Administration to keep economic sanctions imposed on Sudan until the government there demonstrates commitment to democratic transformation.
Moussa added that Arman’s call for sustaining hardships of the Sudanese people was actuated by “party agendas violating the regulations of national and political work.”
He warned that the SPLM northern sector must repudiate and correct these statements since the sanctions are directed against the Sudanese people.
It was reported that Arman suggested during a visit to Washington last week, where he met with a host of senior US officials, that the administration of President Obama should not reward Khartoum for separating south Sudan but rather for giving freedom and democracy to Sudanese people.
He went on to urge the administration not to lift economic sanctions imposed on Sudan since 1997 over alleged support to terrorism and later over the situation in the western region of Darfur until Khartoum demonstrates commitment to democratic transformation.
The US Administration has recently initiated a process to remove Sudan’s name from the list of countries sponsoring terrorism. However, the administration said that repealing economic sanctions against Khartoum was conditional on resolving the conflict in Sudan’s western region of Darfur.
Hard-line elements within the government of north Sudan have repeatedly called for banning the SPLM’s northern sector, which is due to declare official independence from the ruling SPLM in south Sudan when the region secedes in 9 July 2011.
(ST)