Sudan’s opposition leaders exchange blows over coup allegations
January 7, 2012 (KHARTOUM) – An exchange of words has occurred between two of Sudan’s key opposition leaders, Hassan Al-Turabi and Al-Sadiq al-Mahdi, after the latter reminded the former of his past association with the government.
Al-Mahdi went on to accuse the PCP of being part and parcel of the current regime, in reference to the fact that Al-Turabi was the mastermind of the military coup that brought Sudan’s President Omer Al-Bashir to power in 1989. An irony of fate saw Al-Turabi being ousted ten years later following an internal power struggle with Al-Bashir.
The veteran Islamist walked away with his acolytes to form the PCP, and has since become the most outspoken critic of the very regime he helped to create.
According to Al-Mahdi, political parties did not enjoy a semblance of freedom like that of today when Al-Turabi was in power.
“We will not allow totalitarianists to give us a lesson in democracy,” he added.
Al-Mahdi also downplayed recent government accusations that Al-Turabi was plotting a military coup, saying the government had probably made up those accusations to create rifts within the opposition.
The head of Sudan’s National Intelligence and Security Services (NISS), Mohamed Atta, last week claimed that the authorities had obtained documents written by Al-Turabi himself on scenarios for toppling the government.
According to Atta, the documents revealed that Al-Turabi was contemplating a military coup, a charge Al-Turabi categorically denied in a press conference held on Thursday.
But Al-Mahdi suggested that Al-Turabi has no qualms about such a move, alleging that the veteran Islamist previously offered the NUP a chance to participate in a military coup.
In a press statement issued by the NUP later, the party explained that Al-Turabi, when he was the leader of the National Islamic Front (NIF) in 1988, asked the NUP to participate in a military coup but Al-Mahdi refused to accept the offer and advised Al-Turabi against it.
The planned coup, which was carried out a year later, ousting Al-Mahdi from his position as Prime Minister.
Reacting to the NUP’s allegations, Al-Turabi lashed out at Al-Mahdi, who happens to be his brother-in-law, and accused him of lying. Speaking on Saturday during the second conference of the PCP’s women-sector in Khartoum, Al-Turabi also maintained his innocence against the government’s accusations.
“This is a grand slander, and another politician [Al-Mahdi] comes along to give them a testimony incriminating us, I don’t know why?” he asked. “He’s a liar”, Al-Turabi added with a burst of anger.
Al-Turabi stressed that there would not be any military coup in Sudan, and that even if someone wants to do it, no other party would be consulted.
Sudanese opposition parties are divided over the best strategy to deal with the government.
Al-Turabi’s party and other groups allied under the umbrella of National Consensus Forces (NCF) vow to topple the regime. On the other hand, the NUP and the Democratic Unionist Party (DUP), the largest groups, refused to engage in hostile action against the government, with the latter ended up joining it late last year.
Although the NUP has refused to join the broad-base government in which the ruling National Congress Party (NCP) sought to include, Al-Mahdi has refused to join the PCP led camp of opposition parties calling for a popular uprising to change the regime. He is also opposed to coordination with rebel groups in the country’s peripheries to topple the regime through a merger of armed and civil strife.
Al-Mahdi has reportedly promised Al-Bashir that he would lead a “responsible opposition” and recently criticised his allies in the NCF for their rhetoric about regime change.
Meanwhile, the Sudanese government has been eyeing Al-Turabi with increased suspicion and accused him of seeking to coordinate with armed rebels to overthrow the government. The Islamist leader on Thursday said he expects Sudan to witness an abrupt and imminent revolution.
(ST)