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Sudan Tribune

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Turabi slams Sudan’s law enforcement authorities, says revolt imminent

March 11, 2012 (KHARTOUM) – The Sudanese opposition leader, Hassan Al-Turabi, has directed severe criticism against police and security apparatus in the country, saying their behaviour proved them to be above the law.

Sudan’s Islamist oppositionist Hassan Al-Turabi (ST)
Sudan’s Islamist oppositionist Hassan Al-Turabi (ST)
Al-Turabi’s remarks follows popular outrage at the killing last week of a woman by a member of the Public Order Police (POP), which is charged with regulating the behaviour of men and women in accordance with Islamic Shariah laws.

Speaking at an event organised by the human rights and justice secretariat of his Popular Congress Party (PCP) in Khartoum on Sunday, Al-Turabi charged that law enforcement authorities with no longer respecting the sanctity of private houses.

The veteran Islamist demanded that security authorities release all political detainees and reiterated his calls for overthrowing the government.

According to Al-Turabi, there is consensus among opposition forces that the government must go and be replaced with a democratic system. He added that signs of a popular uprising are looming on the horizon.

“The people of Sudan must have a revolution that attracts arms holders who have no other choice” Al-Turabi. This is the second time Al-Turabi has called for cooperation with armed rebels, unlike other opposition figures who either disagree with the call or fear the consequences.

In response, a senior member of the ruling National Congress Party (NCP), Qutbi al-Mahdi, downplayed Al-Turabi’s call, saying that changing the regime does not serve the country’s interest.

Al-Mahdi said that the problems facing the country are caused by war and armed groups. He went to say it was “irresponsible” of the opposition to call for cooperation with armed rebels.

The Sudanese government is fighting rebel groups on a number of fronts extending from the Blue Nile and South Kordofan on the southern borders with South Sudan to the westernmost region of Darfur.

The NCP tends to react violently to any signs of links between opposition forces in Khartoum and rebel groups. A senior aide of Al-Turabi, Ibrahim Al-Sanousi, has been detained since he returned last year from a visit to South Sudan and Kampala, where some rebel leaders are based.

(ST)

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