Bashir move may exacerbate NDA tensions

There has been limited response from the leadership of the opposition umbrella National Democratic Alliance, perhaps because it has been highly divided internally in recent months over whether the NDA should negotiate with Khartoum or continue its armed struggle until the regime collapses. The NDA recently agreed in Uganda to support the Inter-Governmental
Authority for Development (IGAD) peace talks, but with greater
involvement by northern, Islamic elements of the NDA rather than leaving the southern-oriented SPLM/A to negotiate alone. The think-tank Oxford Analytica has suggested that Umma party leader Sadiq al-Mahdi, who caused dissension in NDA ranks by going his own way in signing a recent peace deal with Bashir, may yet have a critical role to play. If he were to switch sides and back Bashir against Turabi, "a more unified government
under Bashir could lead to more coherent peace talks", Oxford Analytica said.