Sudan’s opposition leader said to not join government

July 24, 2011 (CAIRO) – Mohamed Osman Al-Mirghani, leader of the Sudanese opposition Democratic Unionist Party (DUP), has no intention to join the government of president Al-Bahsir, according to another opposition figure.

Hassan Al-Turabi, Sudan’s veteran Islamist and leader of the opposition Popular Congress Party (PCP), said that Al-Mirghani told him during a meeting they held on Sunday that he had no intention to join the government.

“He is not after a seat or two as we read in the papers,” Al-Turabi said following his meeting with Al-Mirghani at the latter’s residence in Egypt’s capital city of Cairo.

For his part, Al-Mirghani told reporters following the meeting with the PCP leader that he was only seeking to reconcile Sudanese belligerents in order to contain potential conflicts. He added that his party was still seeking to protect Sudan’s unity and that separation “is not a reality to resign to.”

Sudan, once Africa’s largest country by size, split in two on 9 July when South Sudan declared independence from the north.

The veteran opposition figure went on to emphasize the necessity of addressing the conflicts in the rump of Sudan, referring to the western region of Darfur and the Blue Nile and South Kordofan states which border South Sudan.

In response to a question on whether he received a direct offer to join the government, Al-Mirghani retorted “I refuse to talk on this issue because I talk about the country and its citizens. This is not the time for such talk, take it off your mind.”

The DUP has been facing criticism from anti-government circles over the party’s perceived rapprochement with the ruling National Congress Party (NCP). The DUP’s decision to engage in dialogue with the NCP as well as Al-Mirghani’s failure to criticize the regime gave rise to speculations that the party was on its way to join the government.

Al-Mirghani is due to leave today for Saudi Arabia, Sudan Tribune has learned.

(ST)