NCP Says SPLM Pressured By West Not to Invite Bashir

25 June 2011

Khartoum — The ruling National Congress Party (NCP) accused the Sudan people Liberation Movement (SPLM) of succumbing to western pressure by refusing to invite president Omer Hassan al-Bashir for the independence ceremony next month.

South Sudan is scheduled to become an independent country on July 9 following a near unanimous vote in favor of secession from the North in last January’s referendum. This was promised by a 2005 peace treaty that ended decades of civil war between the North and South Sudan.

However relations between two sides have been seriously strained over the last few months after the Sudan Armed Forces (SAF) seized the disputed border region of Abyei. Furthermore, clashes erupted earlier this month between the northern army and SPLA in South Kordofan.

Atem Garang, a leading SPLM official and former deputy speaker of federal parliament, told the pro-government Akhir Lahza newspaper that they have yet to invite the Northern government to attend the independence ceremony.

The Southern official said that invitations were sent out to leaders of Northern opposition parties including Al-Sadiq Al-Mahdi (National Umma Party), Mohamed Osman Mirghani (Democratic Unionist Party), Hassan Al-Turabi (Popular Congress Party) and Mohamed Ibrahim Nugud (Sudanese Communist Party).

Garang however affirmed that the South wants good relations with the North to enforce principles of cooperation for next generations.

The NCP leading official Rabie Abdel-Aati responded to Garang’s remarks by alleging Western pressure on SPLM so as not to invite his party to the ceremony describing this as a “test” in which the ex-Southern rebel group has failed.

Garang’s position contradicted those of the former federal cabinet affairs minister and leading SPLM figure Luka Byong who told the UAE-based Al-Itihad newspaper this month that Bashir will receive an invitation but it is up to him whether to accept or reject it.

Local media in Khartoum reported this week that the SPLM is facing the dilemma of inviting Bashir who is wanted by the International Criminal Court (ICC) on charges that he masterminded war crimes, crimes against humanity and genocide in Darfur.

Southern officials are keen on securing the maximum attendance by officials from U.S. and Europe, according to the sources and are therefore wary of the impact Bashir’s presence may have. Western officials have avoided making contact with Bashir since the warrant and in some situations threatened a walkout if he showed up in conferences they are in.

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