Sudan opposition party declines to join interim gov't

KHARTOUM

The National Umma Party (NUP) led by prominent politician Sadiq al-Mahdi has said it would not take part in a transitional government, calling on Sudan’s ruling Military Transitional Council (MTC) to relinquish power to a civilian authority.

“Our people remain in the streets, determined to realize the demands of their revolution,” the NUP said in a Monday statement.

The party also accused the MTC of “trying to replicate the former regime” of ousted President Omar al-Bashir, who was “removed” by the army earlier this month.

In support of its assertions, the NUP said the ruling MTC was “dragging its feet in regard to the transfer of power to a civilian government”.

The MTC, the party added, “must learn from the experiences of other countries... and understand that the people remain determined to achieve their revolutionary objectives”.

Since early April, thousands of protesters have remained outside Sudanese army headquarters in Khartoum to demand the handover of power to a civilian government and the dissolution of institutions associated with the former regime.

Late Sunday, Mohamed al-Amin Abdul Aziz, head of the Sudanese Professionals Association (SPA), which for months has led the anti-regime demonstrations, said its talks with the MTC had reached a “deadlock”.

Addressing a political rally, Abdul Aziz went on to accuse the MTC of refusing to hand over power to a civilian authority.

On April 11, the Sudanese army announced the ouster of al-Bashir, who had ruled Sudan since 1989, following months of popular protests against his rule.

The MTC is now overseeing a two-year “transitional period” during which it has promised to hold presidential elections.