Sudan’s DUP holds large gathering as supporters call for public uprising
October 17, 2011 (KHARTOUM) – Supporters of the mainstream opposition Democratic Unionist Party (DUP) on Monday appeared to be overwhelmingly in favor of a public uprising as their party reaffirmed their rejection to joining the government.
Earlier this month, the DUP drew the curtains on months of dialogue with the ruling National Congress Party (NCP) about joining the government it intends to form, saying that the offer presented by the NCP was a “farce,” according to a senior party member speaking on condition of anonymity to the London-based Al-Sharq al-Awsat newspaper.
Addressing the symposium on Monday, Hatim al-Sir said that the DUP stands at the forefront of the people’s aspirations to effect a comprehensive change.
Al-Sir, who was repeatedly interrupted by applauds and chants for regime change, likened the current protest movement in Sudan to that of October revolution which toppled the military dictatorship of President Aboud in 1964.
He went on to say that the DUP would not accept joining the government unless the party receives an offer worthy of its stature, adding that the NCP’s forecasts of power-sharing quotas were wrong.
Al-Sir, who stood on his party’s ticket as a presidential candidate in April’s 2010 elections, also launched a scathing attack against the NCP, describing its policies as foolish and short-sighted.
He warned the NCP against going too far with its current policies which, according to Al-Sir, would inevitably lead to Sudan’s implosion, citing the examples of the flaring conflicts in Blue Nile, South Kordofan and Darfur.
Some observers say that the DUP’s large gathering on Monday was a muscles-flexing show aiming to eke out concessions from the NCP in talks to join the government.
Analysts also say the NCP is seeking to rally mainstream opposition parties, particularly the DUP and the National Umma Party, in order to defuse tension in the domestic political arena and prevent them from playing on public discontent over worsening economic conditions.
Last week, the NCP’s leading member Ibrahim Ahmad Omer directed criticism at his party’s attitude during talks with the DUP on joining the government. Omer, who was in charge of the dialogue with the DUP, described the dialogue as that of the deaf and urged the party to devise a clear strategy
(ST)