Calls for Sudan's president to resign

The most distinguished figure of the Islamic movement in Sudan, head of the Centre for the Study of Islam and the Contemporary World in Khartoum Eng Suleiman Siddiq said that the debate preceding the conference of the Islamic movement scheduled next month is the result of the movement’s position and its relations with the executive authority the ruling party (of the movement) and the government itself. He said this relation is not clear and was the reason of the divisions in 1999, and the further division into two wings, one led by Omar al-Bashir and the other led by Hassan al-Torabi. Eng Siddiq told Arabstoday that some people, the movement should urgently take control over its ruling party while others refuse the movement would take this role. Asked about the legitimacy of the movement, as it continues to practice its role in the political scene without any constitutional reference, Siddiq said that Sudan knew the Islamic movement as an active entity in the political scene through its ruling party (the National Congress Party “NCP”), the same was al-Ansar and its party led by Sadiq al-Mahdi, and the Khatmiyya (largest Sufi order in Sudan) with its political front (Democratic Unionist Party "DUP"). He added that in Sudan there are entities expressing themselves through parties, even the whole world knew the “Shadow Governments”, the only difference is that it works in compliance with the law. Another question was about some people avoiding to discuss the issue of the successors of President al-Bashir in the presidency and his first deputy Ali Othman in the position of Secretary General of the Islamic Movement. The Islamic leader said it’s better if they both should quit their positions because they both kept their positions for too long. The first is the president of the republic since 1989, and the second in the secretary general of the Islamic movement for eight years now. He added that the constitution always discussed fixed rounds, so their successors should be consensus with the ruling party in the president’s case, and consensus with the congress of the Islamic movement in choosing its secretary general, specially that the current orientation is that no one should stay in the leading positions like these for a long period. Siddiq said that it is better to look for alternatives and give space for other, which he said is his personal opinion that he clearly announces even if many avoided discussing these issues. He warned about the danger of having combined positions in the Islamic movement, and the political and executive body. About the accusations against the national congress and the Islamic movement of clearly violating the constitution in their political performance, even if they are currently calling for drafting a permanent constitution for the country, Siddiq said that the private entities are subject to their own regulations, while their political and executive participation are regulated by the constitution. Asking about the Islamic movement’s opinion about the relations with South Sudan, Siddiq said that the movement’s opinion was expressed by the ruling party when it accepted the agreement. He added that there should be a great amount of accordance because the common interests between Sudan and the South are not limited to the oil. One third of Sudan’s population is on the borders with the South and most of the resources are on the borders with the south too, and there should be stability in order to reach the common interests. Regarding the external relations of the Islamic movement, Siddiq said there are relations and communications but not controlled by any institution. He commented the criticism of Dr Hassan al-Torabi to the Sudanese government saying that al-Torabi’s criticism comes from his feeling that his students and colleagues betrayed him and conspired against him after he spent his whole life for the Islamic movement, and that it’s up to al-Torabi to decide. Another question was about the chances of Islamists meeting in Sudan again, Siddiq said he doesn’t believe it’s possible at the moment because it’s difficult that Islamists gather in one party. He gave the example of previous experiences, and said that having more than one Islamic party wouldn’t be of harm to Sudan, because diversity is essential. He added that he doesn’t expect any surprises in the next conference of the Islamic movement. The Sudanese political scene is witnessing a extended debate about the background of the conferences of the Islamic movement in the state which had a conference last month. The way in which the conferences of the movement were organised raised accusations between the icons and leaders of the movement where some of them believed the conferences saw actions banning the freedom of choice and election.