NUP, PCP trade barbs over S. Sudan secession, Darfur crisis

November 24, 2013 (KHARTOUM) – Sudan’s opposition National Umma Party (NUP) led by Al-Sadiq Al-Mahdi and Popular Congress Party (PCP) led by Hassan Al-Turabi have exchanged accusations holding each other responsible for the secession of Southern Sudan and the continuation of the Darfur crisis.

The PCP held the NUP responsible for the separation of South Sudan and said that it did not produce any development plans in the region during its rule and noted that al-Mahdi has not appointed any southerner in his government.

Following the downfall of Ja’afar Nimeiri regime in 1985, the NUP won the largest number of seats in the 1986 elections and al-Mahdi became Sudan’s prime minister. In 1989, Al-Mahdi was overthrown in a coup that was masterminded by Turabi.

The PCP political secretary Kamal Omer, also accused the NUP of receiving foreign financial support from unnamed countries during the 1986 elections, describing the “New Regime” proposal which was launched recently by the NUP as ineffective and ambiguous.

He stressed that NUP’s accusations of Turabi as being the orchestrator of Darfur crisis would only serve the agenda of the current regime.

On Saturday, the head of the NUP politburo, Sara Nugdalla, slammed Turabi and held him responsible for the conflict in Darfur, describing it as a tragedy and a crime created by the regime.

Nugdalla said that Turabi stood behind the Darfur crisis in order to achieve four goals including the destruction of the old state structure and building a new one on its ruins, ripping the social fabric and peaceful coexistence and destroying the rules which govern relations among population groups.

Omer, who was speaking at a press conference on Sunday, said that the NUP’s accusations are nothing but political jealousy and stressed that they were made at the behest of al-Mahdi, describing them as “extreme rivalry”.

He asserted that his party offered huge sacrifices and martyrs for the sake of Darfur, affirming that differences between the NUP and the opposition parties are in principles not procedural.

Al-Mahdi had earlier made a proposal to the opposition forces to change the alliance name known as the National Consensus Forces (NCF) and restructuring it in a way which reflects the weights of the parties.

However, the opposition forces swiftly rejected conditions set by the NUP to sustain its membership in the coalition and decided to leave the door open for it to determine its options.

Omer further questioned the loyalty of the NUP leaders to the opposition, but nonetheless said that they wouldn’t support any efforts seeking to drive the NUP out of the opposition alliance.

He also acknowledged the opposition forces relations with all components of the rebel armed Sudan Revolutionary Front (SRF).

The SRF consist of Darfur rebel movements and Sudan People Liberation Movement North (SPLM-N) which is fighting government troops in South Kordofan and the Blue Nile states.

(ST)