Al-Mahdi cancels South Darfur rally after protests against his visit
February 3, 2020 (KHARTOUM) – Sadiq al-Mahdi; the leader of the National Umma Party (NUP) had to cancel a public meeting in El-Geneina, the capital of West Darfur as result of a protest against his visit to the region.
A group of dozens of El-Geneina youth chanted slogans against Sadiq al-Mahdi and burned the flags of his party creating tensions that led the political veteran to cancel his rally.
Already, on Saturday al-Mahdi had to confront some protesters who sought to disturb a meeting he held in Nyala of South Darfur.
No armed group has claimed the responsibility of the protests against al-Mahdi who is their political ally within the Sudan Call alliance. However, the slogans, chanted by the protesters, about the need to prioritize the peace process have been developed by Darfur armed groups.
“The situation in the town is tense after the tribal conflicts, so the public meeting was cancelled, and there will be other meetings and visits,” Mohamed al-Amin Abd al-Nabi, a NUP media official told Sudan Tribune.
The demonstrations marched in El-Geneina streets and chanted slogans refusing al-Mahdi’s visit to the state such as “We will not disperse unless al-Sadiq returns (to Khartoum)”. The security forces were heavily deployed in the town but they did not intervene.
The NUP General-Secretariat issued a statement detailing the actions of the party after last December tribal clashes between the Massalit and the Arab tribes.
The statement mentioned the NUP’s investigation committee, humanitarian assistance provided by the party to the affected IDPs and the contacts with the authorities to hold accountable the perpetrators of the violence.
Al-Mahdi is touring the party’s constituencies as part of his efforts to reach out his supporters and mobilize them for the upcoming general elections which are planned for the end of 2022.
(ST)