Sudan’s RNM vows ‘decisive response’ to government crackdown
September 5, 2015 (KHARTOUM) – The chairman of the Reform Now Movement (RNM) Ghazi Salah al-Din al-Attabani warned of a “decisive response” should Sudanese authorities continue imposing restrictions on his party in the wake of arrests targeting RNM members this week.
Al-Attabani had called for their release and stressed that they broke no laws adding that they are exercising their constitutionally guaranteed rights.
RNM leading figures along with their supporters arrived at the downtown bus station in Khartoum on Thursday carrying anti-government signs and loudspeakers and started making a fiery speech against the government.
Plain clothed security officers quickly stepped in and arrested four RNM members who were named as RNM chairman in Khartoum state Khaled Nouri, his deputy Ja’afar al-Sadiq, politburo member Sami Abdul-Wahab and Nagi Imam who is charge of students and youths sector in the party.
Ghazi said that authorities “arrested four brothers who carried out this symbolic work in order to draw attention to the reality of the crisis when they speak to people in a public place”.
He cautioned that RNM would respond decisively if the government continued to restrict their activities.
The former presidential adviser accused the ruling National Congress Party (NCP) of backtracking on earlier pledges related to political freedoms and creating a conducive atmosphere for the national dialogue.
RNM splintered from the NCP in October 2013 after a reform memorandum submitted to the government by prominent leaders in wake of deadly government crackdown on demonstrators protesting lifting of fuel subsidies.
(ST)