Sudan’s ruling party rejects demands for a national government
July 3, 2011 (KHARTOUM) – A leading figure in the ruling National Congress Party (NCP) and speaker of Sudan’s parliament Ahmed Ibrahim Al-Tahir dismissed demands of opposition parties for the formation of a national government following the official secession of South Sudan next week.
The top legislator also downplayed the threat made by the opposition to resort to the Constitutional Court to sue the government for what it describes as a loss of its legitimacy after July 9 saying it is a “lost cause”.
On the recent Addis Ababa accord on South Kordofan brokered by the African Union (AU) he denied rifts in the government with regard to the agreement saying that the latter is a step towards discussing security arrangements after the South secedes.
Al-Tahir added that the government through this agreement wanted to assist in incorporating some of the Sudan People Liberation Army (SPLA) units that are comprised of Northerners in the federal army after the South becomes independent or alternativeLY help disarm them.
He stressed that the SPLM can only continue as a political party in the North if it complies with the laws and regulations governing the work of political parties.
Following Friday prayers at a mosque in the Sudanese capital president Omer Hassan al-Bashir said he had commanded the Sudan Armed Forces (SAF) not to cease its military offensive in South Kordofan until it “purges” the area and “arrests and brings to trial the rebel” Abdul Aziz Adam Al-Hilu for the “crimes of terrorizing civilians and killing of innocent people”.
Al-Hilu is the leader of the SPLM in South Kordofan and the former deputy governor who refused to concede his defeat in the state’s gubernatorial elections to the incumbent governor Ahmad Haroun of the NCP who – as well as Bashir – is wanted by the International Criminal Court (ICC) in connection with war crimes allegedly committed in Darfur.
Following the contentious elections, fighting erupted in early June between SAF and SPLM forces. It is not clear what ignited the confrontation but the SPLA claimed it was because SAF had attempted to disarm its fighters while SAF alleged that it responded to a raid by SPLA members on a local police station.
Friday’s remarks by Bashir were seen as voiding the framework agreement signed by his assistant with the SPLM which stipulates that the NCP would recognise the right of the SPLM to continue “as a legal political party” in North Sudan.
(ST)