Sudan security bar RNP from holding public seminar despite Bashir directives
April 7, 2014 (KHARTOUM) – The Reform Now Party (RNP), which is chaired by a leading dissident from the ruling National Congress Party (NCP) Ghazi Salah al-Deen al-Attabani, announced that the National Intelligence and Security Services (NISS) prevented the party from holding a seminar at the of Omdurman Ahlia University (OAU) despite obtaining prior permission.
NISS agents also assaulted an RNP student wing figure by the name of Emad al-Deen Hashim and took him away to an unknown destination in one of their cars while continuing to brutally beat him up, the party added.
The RNP alluded to president Omer Hassan al-Bashir’s directives on Sunday at the onset of a political roundtable held in Khartoum with the participation of 83 political parties including the RNP and its leaders.
He instructed authorities in the states and localities across Sudan to enable political parties to carry out their activities inside and outside their headquarters without restrictions except those dictated by the law.
The RNP statement that the occurrence of this incident at this “distinguishing historical moment” frustrates the Sudanese nation which pinned great hopes that Sudan is entering a new phase.
“We should point out here, as we present this matter to say that the security forces are either working outside the powers of Mr President or they carry a special agenda against dialogue … if the president wants for this dialogue to reach its goals he has to take actions and decisions necessary to prevent the security services from confiscating the freedom of the citizens from their political rights and their guaranteed rights according to the constitution,” the statement said.
“Our vision that what the president has issued as directives with respect to this aspect must be binding and urgently implemented so as to build confidence and sense the spirit of honesty in what comes out from the head of state,” it adds.
During Sunday’s roundtable meeting, al-Attabani underscored the need to involve the parties opposed to the dialogue and demanded the departure of the security agencies from political life.
The RNP chief also called for constitutional amendments and conducting fair elections pointing out that they are running out of time.
He said that the round-table should be treated as an assembly that makes it a priority to re-contact parties opposed to dialogue and that the assembly considers all proposals submitted by the various political forces .
(ST)