Turabi warns of “third force”

The government on Sunday extended the state of emergency in Sudan, decreed by President Omar al-Bashir on 12 December to the end of this year. The cabinet said the decision had been taken “to enable the government to execute its programmes”, but that it would commit itself to external openness and give priority to citizens’ interests, Sudanese television reported. Former speaker of parliament Hassan al-Turabi - who is now marginalised - has called on the people to use their power to protect Sudan’s constitution from violation “if the regular forces fail to do so”. Turabi, quoted by the Sudanese newspaper ‘Al Ray al-Amm’, attacked the constitutional court’s decision, which he said had failed to protect the constitution from “oppressive forces and a coup d’etat”. He warned that continued confusion within the Congress party “would bring about a third force from the armed forces or the street to fill the gap”.