NCP official says Sudanese people are not cowards

November 3, 2011 (KHARTOUM) – A senior official in the ruling National Congress Party (NCP) said yesterday that Sudanese people are not cowards and are no less than countries in the region which witnessed popular uprisings this year.

The head of NCP external relations bureau Mustafa Osman Ismail was speaking to reporters today to comment on objections raised by opposition parties on remarks made by Sudanese president Omer Hassan al-Bashir this week.

Bashir was quoted as saying that Sudanese people take the streets to demonstrate in support of the government rather than protest against it.

The NCP official dismissed opposition criticism that Bashir’s remarks are “provocative” adding that if Sudanese people decide to demonstrate they will fear no prisons or security organs.

Ismail who is also Bashir’s adviser said that Sudanese people have not staged an uprising because they are not convinced with opposition parties as an alternative. He stressed that these parties have to come out with clear and convincing vision if they want to garner support.

He further said that all political powers have freedom to operate and that Sudan has an elections law unlike countries of the Arab Spring. Ismail said the NCP would accept abandoning power through polls as part of the democratic process.

(ST)