Opposition party refuses to break with rebel movement

The Popular National Congress (PNC), one of the main opposition parties, has refused to cut its ties with the Sudan People's Liberation Movement (SPLM). The announcement was made by a senior official of the PNC, Bashir Adam Rahmah, the Associated Press (AP) said on Monday. The PNC, headed by the former Speaker of Parliament, Hasan al-Turabi, said it would stick to its agreement with the SPLM, despite pressure from the government to rescind it.

Turabi was arrested on 21 February after signing an accord with the SPLM, along with some senior members of his party. President Umar al-Bashir said on Sunday that Turabi would be charged with attempting to overthrow the government. The announcement by the PNC came after a six member delegation of Islamic scholars from Yemen, Saudi Arabia, Jordan, Lebanon, Syria and Pakistan, after negotiating over a period of five days, failed to reconcile the government and the PNC.

The delegation called for the release of all "prisoners of conscience", but also called on the opposition not to sign "any agreements with the SPLA without government authorisation", said the AP report. Rahmah accused the government of wanting "to rid itself from freeing Turabi and other political detainees", AP said.