Sudan security detains opposition leader on return from Addis Ababa

The Sudanese security authorities on Friday detained a leading member of the National Consensus Forces, upon his return from the Ethiopian capital Addis Ababa after a meeting with leaders of the Sudan Revolutionary Front.The head of the Sudanese Congress Party (SCP), Ibrahim Sheikh, and seven party members are still in custody, despite the amnesty granted by President Al Bashir on Wednesday. Siddig Yousef, spokesman for the National Consensus Forces (NCF, a coalition of opposition parties) reported to Radio Dabanga that Dr Mohamed Hassan Babiker was detained by security officers early on Friday morning at Khartoum airport. “The detention of Babiker confirms the ruling National Congress Party’s lack of seriousness concerning the National Dialogue. The government is blocking the efforts of the opposition, fearing they will become too strong. They consider the rapprochement between the Sudan Revolutionary Front (SRF, an alliance of the main rebel movements) and the NCF a threat.” Yousef himself was prevented by security agents from travelling on 4 September to attend the consultation meetings between the SRF and the the AU High-Level Implementation Panel (AUHIP) team in to Addis Ababa. He was told at Khartoum airport that his name appeared on a list of Sudanese prohibited to leave the country. Political detainees The head of the Sudanese Congress Party (SCP), Ibrahim Sheikh, and seven party members are still detained, despite the declaration by Thabo Mbeki, the chairman of the AUHIP mediation team, on Wednesday that President Al Bashir agreed to order their release. Dr Fateh El Sayed, vice-president of the SCP told Radio Dabanga on Friday that SCP chairman El Sheikh; the party’s secretary-general, Siddig Nurein; the secretary-general of El Fula branch, and five student members are still being detained in the prison of North Kordofan’s capital, El Obeid, “without any trial”. He accused “certain circles in the country of trying to circumvent President Al Bashir’s decision”. “We consider the non-implementation of the amnesty an insult to the party’s chairman, President Al Bashir, Mbeki, and the Sudanese society.” “We have no answer to the question why the amnesty granted by the President has not been implemented until today.” File photo: Parade of forces of the National Intelligence and Security Service (NISS) in Khartoum, December 2013 (Sudan Tribune) Related:Sudan’s Dialogue parties call for release political detainees; peace talks to resume (12 September 2014)Sudan opposition parties call for ‘intifada’ (12 September 2014)‘Sudanese Congress Party head to be released’: Mbeki (11 September 2014)Sudan’s rebels conclude consultations with AU panel (4 September 2014)