When the head of the National Umma Party (NUP) denounced the paramilitary Rapid Defence Forces (RSF), he spoke on behalf of the entire party, according to NUP Secretary-General Sarah Nugdallah.

Umma leader Sadig al-Mahdi, Sudan’s former prime minister, publically denounced the RSF about three weeks ago, accusing the militias of committing war crimes in Darfur, recruiting non-Sudanese nationals, and operating beyond the scope of the regular armed troops.

The RSF responded by filing an official complaint against him, leading to the arrest of the Umma Party leader on 17 May. Held imprisoned in Kober prison in Khartoum North, he is charged with “disrespecting the prestige of the state, discrediting the regular armed forces, the spreading of false information, undermining the constitutional order,” and other charges.

His party continues to protest his detention.

In an interview with Radio Dabanga, party secretary-general Nugdallah affirmed that the party continues to boycott the National Dialogue, an initiative of the ruling National Congress Party (NCP), which earlier the Umma party had agreed to participate in.

She described rumours published by some newspapers about an NCP-NUP dialogue as ‘merely lies and propaganda.’

“These rumours were spread by the national security after cases of corruption within government institutions came to be known – which are only the tip of the iceberg. The Imam (Sadiq al-Mahdi) was detained in order to prevent more information coming out on the widespread corruption, and the internal divisions and problems of the NCP.”

The NUP secretary-general called upon all party cadres in the country to step up the recruitment of more supporters, and continue writing petitions and organising peaceful demonstrations, with the aim to reach the stage of “a general civil disobedience in the whole of Sudan.”

Rapid Support Forces

Concerning the complaint filed by the RSF against al-Mahdi, Nugdallah declared that the NUP leader’s criticism of the RSF is “the official stance of the entire NUP, including all its institutions.”

“We will never change our opinion on this issue. The RSF militias, commanded by the National Intelligence and Security Service (NISS), are unconstitutional,” she said.

Nugdallah argued, “Article 141 of the 2005 Interim Constitution limits the NISS mission to the collection and analysis of information, and presenting recommendations to the decision-making bodies in the nation.”

“The Sudan Armed Forces, not militias, are entrusted with the defense of Sudan and its people.”

Security threat

The National Consensus Forces (NCF), a coalition of opposition parties, has demanded from the National Congress Party to “immediately disarm and disband the militias.”

Siddig Yousif, the chairman of the NCF Information Committee, accused the ruling party of strengthening racism, religious discrimination, and igniting civil wars in the country throughout its reign.

“The Sudanese government is fully responsible for arming the RSF militias, and the atrocities they committed in the Kordofan and Darfur states.”

File photo: Umma Party leaders protesting against the detention of El Mahdi in Omdurman on 30 May 2014.

Related:

Peaceful El Mahdi protests after Friday prayers in Sudan (30 May 2014)