Sudan’s squabbling opposition leaders reportedly reconciled

January 9, 2012 (KHARTOUM) – Two of Sudan’s opposition figures on Monday agreed to end a brief episode of wrangling and unite behind the goal of changing the regime, according to their fellow opposition memebers.

The two leaders are the National Umma Party (NUP)’s Al-Sadiq al-Mahdi, and the Popular Congress Party (PCP)’s Hassan Al-Turabi, who this week exchanged hostile remarks in public after the former made statements that appeared to cement the government’s recent allegations which accused Al-Turabi of planning a military coup.

The story began last Friday when Al-Mahdi launched an attack on Al-Turabi’s party during his weekly sermon and claimed that the veteran Islamist leader, who also happens to be his brother-in-law, previously invited the NUP to participate in a military coup.

Al-Mahdi made his claim while commenting on recent allegations by security authorities that Al-Turabi’s party was contemplating a military coup.

The NUP later issued a statement clarifying that the offer its leader was referring to occurred in 1989 when he was serving as the country’s Prime Minister and prior to the Al-Turab engineered coup which ousted Al-Mahdi and brought President Bashir to power, which happened in the same year.

But Al-Turabi, who himself was ousted from power ten years later and joined the opposition ranks, reacted angrily to the claim, describing Al-Mahdi as a “liar”.

In a statement to the media on Monday, Hala Abdul Halim, the leader of a minor opposition group known as Haj, told the media that mediation efforts by other opposition leaders had successfully reconciled Al-Mahdi and Al-Turabi.

According to Hala, who led the mediation, the two leaders held a meeting at a neutral location and agreed to unite behind the goal of overthrowing the government of Bashir.

The exchange of attacks between Al-Mahdi and Al-Turabi reflects, according to observers, a division within Sudanese opposition parties regarding their strategy towards the government.

Al-Mahdi’s NUP refused to accept an offer to participate in the government but he also refused to join the camp of parties calling for a popular uprising to topple the government, saying he prefers dialogue as a means to reform the ruling National Congress Party (NCP).

On the other hand, Al-Turabi and other opposition groups continue to call for regime change and refuse dialogue with the NCP.

(ST)