Sudan’s VP Taha accuses officials in Juba of pursuing ‘New Sudan’ plan

May 15, 2013 (KHARTOUM) – Sudan’s First Vice President Ali Osman Mohamed Taha said the ongoing war in Abu-Kershola and other parts of the country is a foreign plot aimed at further balkanizing Sudan calling it the “second chapter” following the south’s separation in July 2011.

Taha said that there are circles within South Sudan government which is supportive of this scheme in order to implement the strategy of the “New Sudan” irrespective of whether the governing party in Khartoum is the National Congress Party (NCP) or another party.

Khartoum says that “New Sudan” scheme, that was the motto of Sudan People Liberation Movement (SPLM) at its onset in 1983, aims at making Sudan a secular non-Arab state.

The 1st VP went on to say that the ongoing war in the states of North and South Kordofan is not about race but is waged by “gangs” and “mercenaries” who are incited by external parties.

Taha pointed out that the people of these regions are victims of this war and are the most affected by it and warned that the Sudanese army is the “red line”.

This week the Sudanese government claimed that Juba provided backing to Sudan Revolutionary Front (SRF) which attacked North Kordofan’s second largest town of Um Rawaba last month.

Sudan’s National Intelligence and Security Services (NISS) said in a statement that Juba provided SRF rebels with weapons, ammunition, vehicles, housing and medical care.

‘FREEDOM’

Taha went on talk about the internal front and underscored the need to allow more freedoms for its citizens.

“The government should allow freedoms under the circumstance quo”, the Sudanese official said and added he instructed that pre-publication censorship be lifted immediately.

But an editor at a Khartoum newspaper told Sudan Tribune said that security agents banned them from publishing this portion of Taha’s remarks.

Taha called on state organs to provide media outlets with more information than it currently does to help the army in its ongoing battle.

He stressed that the government is working hard to fulfill its citizens’ needs despite the difficult circumstances facing the country.

Taha expressed sympathy with calls for dismissing some government ministers but said that should happen after bypassing the current circumstances so that people are not drawn into side battles.

(ST)