Sudan’s Al Bashir hints at handing power to army

In the face of country-wide public protests and calls for him to step down, Sudan’s President Omar Al Bashir, while still ‘talking tough’, has hinted at his acceptance of the handover of power to the army.

In the first reaction to the calls on him and his regime to immediately step down, Al Bashir said in a speech at the conclusion of the military shooting festival in Atbara, River Nile state on Monday: "They say they want the army to take over the power. Ok no problem, if a person wearing the khaki [uniform of the Sudan armed forces) comes [to take power] we have no objection. If the army moves, it does not do so in a vacuum nor to support the agents, but moves to support the homeland and protect its gains”.

He added: “It is apparent from our seat and our lengthy stay as politicians with dialogue here and there, but I swear by God if I heard the music, every mouse will enter its hole”.

Reaction

In the first reaction of the political forces to the statements of Al Bashir, the opposition Sudanese Congress Party said in a statement: “Al Bashir reads from the books of the most miserable totalitarian regime… he could not find any other than former Libyan President Muammar El Gaddafi as a role model in choosing bad words to demean the people”.

The statement said: “Al Bashir referring to the people as ‘mice’ reveals the fear that the head of the regime is feeling. He has and lost his mind, which means the battle for salvation from him will not last long.”