January 30, 2012 (KHARTOUM) – A group of Sudanese clerics operating outside the state purview has criticised the country’s government as well as the head of the Arab League’s observer mission to Syria, accusing them of seeking to improve the image of the embattled regime of President Bashar al-Assad.

Sudanese and Syrian protesters demonstrate against the continued violence in Syria outside Sudan’s Ministry of Foreign Affairs in Khartoum November 23, 2011. (Reuters)

The Legitimate League of [Muslim] Scholars and Preachers in Sudan (LLSPS), a body of ultra conservative clerics existing in parallel to the government sponsored Muslim Scholars Association, released a statement on Monday decrying the brutality shown by Al-Assad’s regime towards Syrian protesters seeking to end his rule.

Citing a cohort of Quranic verses enjoining Muslim solidarity, the group lamented what it described as the fact that the Sudanese government had chosen to do otherwise and adopt a position contradicting that of the country’s people who support the oppressed people of Syria.

Since the uprising against Al-Assad began in early 2011, the Sudanese government stood firmly in support of the Syrian regime and framed the events there in the context of an international conspiracy seeking to subdue Damascus.

Meanwhile, several Arab countries, particularly Gulf States, rallied the Arab League to condemn the Syrian regime’s crackdown which, according to United Nations (UN) estimates has killed more than 5,400 people so far.

Khartoum later had a change of heart, apparently under Qatari influence, and supported an Arab League resolution imposing sanctions on Damascus.

Damascus reluctantly agreed to let in an Arab League Observer Mission, whose leadership was given to Mohamed Ahmad Al-Dabi, a Sudanese army general closely linked to the regime of President Al-Bashir.

The clerics accused Khartoum of having foisted Al-Dabi upon the mission in order to enable him to perform “the miserable role” of improving the image of Al-Assad regime.

They went on to describe the claim made by Al-Dabi at the end of the mission’s term on decreases in the levels of violence in Syria as “an indicator of a degree of collusion” with the Syrian regime.

LLSPS’s statement said that Al-Dabi’s “scandalous allegations” were debunked by photos released by Syrian activists as well as by testimonies of his peers.

Al-Dabi’s appointment as head of the mission drew a barrage of criticism from human rights activists who cited his alleged involvement in atrocities orchestrated by Bashir’s regime in Sudan’s western region of Darfur.

If the Sudanese government wants to change its “deformed image” with regards to Syria, the clerics said, it must pull Al-Dabi out of the observer mission and investigate him for the false claims he made.

The clerics further said that Khartoum also needs to declare a clear stance on Al-Assad’s “crimes”, sever all ties with Damascus, and support the “Jihad” of the Syrian people.

(ST)