New alliance formed in Sudan
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- Created on Friday, 04 September 2009 14:59
- Written by Pachodo.org News Room
A leading Sudanese opposition leader said yesterday he would sign an accord with the ruling southern party ahead of a general election next April and also respect south Sudan's decision if it opts for independence in a 2011 referendum.
Sadeq al-Mahdi, a former prime minister and the head of the Umma party, was greeted yesterday by leaders from the south's ruling Sudan People's Liberation Movement (SPLM), including Vice President Riek Machar, at the southern capital
"We have come with a specific programme to discuss with the SPLM the terms for a just Sudan, that we believe will attract our citizens, our brothers and sisters in the south to support unity," Mahdi told reporters at Juba airport.
But he also said he would support the south if it chose independence. "We are going to discuss the terms of co-existence, if our brothers and sisters in the south opt for independence, what will be the special, fraternal relationship between our two successor states."
"It is going to be counter-productive in the national interest if we play politics with self-determination," he added, in apparent reference to the ruling National Congress Party (NCP) in the north, which insists Sudan should stay united.
Political parties in Sudan are building alliances ahead of national elections in April to challenge the NCP, which is led by President Omar al-Bashir. The country's last general election in April 1986 saw victory for Mahdi, but his government was overthrown in the 1989 coup that brought Bashir to power.
Mahdi, who is on a four-day visit to the south, said there would be a "meeting of minds" on several issues, after which a "memorandum of understanding" would be signed.
This would follow a deal the Umma party signed in July with the Justice and Equality Movement (JEM) - Darfur's most active rebel group.
JEM and Umma both say they want to see peace across Sudan, including in the western war-torn region of Darfur, before next year's elections.
Source: http://www.gulf-times.com/site/topics/article.asp?cu_no=2&item_no=312747&version=1&template_id=37&parent_id=17
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See what we mean! Why Dr. Lam Akol need to stay closest to Southern Sudan! Look at Sadeq al-Mahdi, the former president who have had his hands on killing the civilians of Southern Sudaneses before Omar al Bashir come to power! Sadeq al-Mahdi now supporting his fellows men and women in Northern part. His (Sadeq al-Mahdi) political party on the outside shows that he support the independent of Southern Sudan, but inside, he Sadeq al-Mahdi does not! None of the Northern leaders is capable of helping Southern Sudan with open heart like the man who is really born and raised like Black African man will really come from Arab related families! We are really sickened by all North Sudan leaders because all of them have killed innocent of Southern Sudaneses. We have witnessed with out eyes! Let Sadeq al-Mahdi back-off with his senseless politic that he is pretending to be supporting Southern Sudan's independent! we, Southerners are capable of handling how southerner can rule themselves. Why help now? What about 20 to 50-something years back? Why didn't they have the compassion or mercy long time ago? Now, they have seen Southern Sudaneses rising and they think they could use Southern Sudanese leaders as kinda bides to lead us into another darkness! forget it Sadeq al-Mahdi! you have done enough and your leadership and that of other nothern politicians are always linked. no matter what may happen, Arab-northern-muslim-sudaneses still have the same idealogies and ideas of converting the whole Sudan into an islamic states. How many of you southern leaders or citizens don't know what Sadeq al-Mahdi have done to southern sudaneses when he was the president of the Republican of Sudan? Didn't you have enough of his envies and crimes and how he has been mistreating Southern Sudaneses as slaves in those ages? We say no more Arab or Khartoum to play politic in Southern Sudan! Spend the less time you (extremies of North Sudan) get now and be ready to park your staffs and leave Southern Sudan before 2011! EIE, enough is enough!