الترابي للاسوشيتد برس : هجوم متمردي دارفور ربما يحث اخريين لينتفضو

Quote: Sudan opposition head: Darfur rebel assault near capital may spur others to rise up The Associated Press Saturday, May 17, 2008 KHARTOUM, Sudan: The leader of Sudan's main opposition party said Saturday the recent attack near the capital by Darfur rebels may encourage other disgruntled Sudanese to rise up against the government. Hassan Turabi, the country's leading Islamist ideologue and an ally-turned-adversary of President Omar al-Bashir, lambasted the government over its handling of the Darfur conflict in which as many as 300,000 people have died since 2003. He also said the U.N. is not doing enough to protect Darfur. "There is so much misery in Darfur, genocidal measures actually," Turabi, 75, told reporters in an interview from his home in the capital Khartoum. "They thought they have to remind this country right here in the center that there is a tragedy called Darfur." Hundreds of fighters from the Justice and Equality Movement, which has emerged as the the most effective Darfur rebel group, staged a bold attack a week ago on Khartoum's twin city Omdurman. It was the first time in decades the rebels had approached the capital. Turabi was briefly arrested after the attack, but denied any connection to the rebels, even though their leader was a former protege of his. The government has been trying to rally popular support since the attack, organizing public rallies, showcasing booty from the clashes and garnering other party support. They have rounded up hundreds of people for arrest. Turabi said the attack was "positive" although it was not a drastic turning point in the long-running Darfur conflict. "Today, I feel better than before this event. ... These people in power know that if they don't immediately return to peace with everybody, with all opposition voices, then other people would be encouraged as well," he said. "They probably learned that lesson." In 1989, al-Bashir, helped by Turabi, seized power in a coup. Turabi fell out with al-Bashir in 1999 and has since been in and out of prison on various charges, and under house arrest. In the heyday of his relationship with al-Bashir's government, Turabi was the ideologue behind the regime. He strived to turn Khartoum into the global headquarters for political Islam, hosting several conferences for regional Islamist movements. He also provided a home for Osama bin Laden from 1990-1996 after he left Afghanistan. Turabi said the government was shaken by the rebel attack on Omdurman and its image has been damaged among many Sudanese. The government was unable to stop the rebels from approaching the capital despite early warnings and Turabi said it was not clear who was defending the city. He said the assaulting rebels were welcomed by the locals. "The government here is a dictatorship, and if you are a dictatorship (you) want everyone to realize that (you) have the power and terror," Turabi said. "If that is challenged, if someone comes all the way and attacks Omdurman, and my (response) is very confused, of course that diminishes my weight and that probably would encourage any other Sudanese who has a cause to just carry the gun and do it," he said. Sitting in his guest room with modern furnishings, Turabi appeared relaxed, cracking jokes and chuckling. The two-hour interview was intermittently interrupted by visitors including four Sudanese former prisoners in Guantanamo Bay who came to pay their respects. Turabi said the assaulting rebels of the Justice and Equality movement, led by Khalil Ibrahim, realized that only with guns they can bring the government to negotiate a peace deal on their terms. Turabi was arrested for 15 hours, a day after the rebel assault last Saturday. He was interrogated about the attack organized by his former protege Ibrahim. But he said the two no longer worked together. Turabi said he has always been an advocate of a national policy that gives Darfur and other marginalized regions more political representation and resources. He said that stance makes him a threat to the current government. He predicted a negotiated deal with the rebels will follow the attack, dismissing threats of a harsh response against Ibrahim's forces. "Both parties are prepared for reconciliation," he said. "And I think Khalil now would probably next time talk, and these people would probably talk."

(عدل بواسطة أبوبكر أبوالقاسم on 05-18-2008, 09:29 PM)