Sudan talks bring opposition together

A peace initiative by former Sudanese presidential candidate Kamel Idriss aims to bring together the various parties currently mired in deteriorating relations. Over the past few days, Idriss has reportedly joined former Prime Minister and leader of Sudan’s Ummah party, al-Sadek al-Mahdi, as well as leader of the Popular Congress Party [PCP], Hassan al-Turabi. "Al-Turabi and al-Mahdi spoke like adults and conclude that they must focus on a total, national vision to create a national project that would push Sudan forward," Idriss said. The former presidential hopeful has expressed his willingness to drive the latest initiative. Sudan has not recovered from the famous division that struck the country’s Islamist movement in 1999. Speaking to Arabstoday, former presidential adviser Abdallah Masar added: "Hassan al-Turabi has special influence, especially within the Justice and Equality Movement which is currently leading an armed conflict against the government in Darfur.” "Al-Turabi believes that the people of Darfur are an important factor in supporting revolutions and seeing them through,” Masar argued. “Therefore, if the meeting between al-Bashir and al-Turabi is successful, a jolt towards settlement will definitely occur." Arabstoday later spoke to PCP parliamentarian Ibrahim al-Senoussi who blamed the country's crisis on the government's "political, security and economic failure." "It is the government who should be dealing with the threat facing the country,” al-Senoussi said. “It is out of the opposition's hands.” "The government is looking for ways to punish the opposition for signing the New Dawn Charter in Kampala. The decision is down to President al-Bashir and only him."