DATE=12/16/1999
TYPE=CORRESPONDENT REPORT
TITLE=SUDAN POLITICS (L-ONLY)
NUMBER=2-257228
BYLINE=SCOTT BOBB
DATELINE=KHARTOUM
CONTENT=
VOICED AT:
INTRO: Senior members of the ruling party in Sudan
are holding a second night of meetings, in an effort
to mend a rift that has caused the president to
declare a state of emergency and dissolve parliament.
Correspondent Scott Bobb reports from Khartoum, the
dispute has caused the dismissal of a senior cabinet
minister and a state governor.
TEXT: Sources on both sides of the dispute say the
mediators are continuing efforts to reconcile
President Omar al-Bashir and parliament speaker Hassan
al-Turabi, after spending a great part of Wednesday
night in separate meetings with the two leaders.
Officials say the mediators urged the two leaders --
both of whom are members of the ruling National
Congress party -- to refrain from actions that would
aggravate the confrontation.
However, the momentum of events sparked by President
Bashir's dissolution of the parliament appeared to
continue.
A senior cabinet minister and one of the leaders of
the coup that brought President Bashir to power 10
years ago, Mohammed al-Amin Khalifa, resigned. He was
replaced by a former senior official in the government
of ex-President Gafaar al-Nimeiry. And the governor
of the central state of Sennar, Yaacob al-Shura, was
dismissed and replaced by a retired military officer
from the Nimeiry era.
Political and diplomatic sources tell V-O-A that
several-hundred military officers who were retired
following the Bashir coup are being reactivated.
Analysts say this is part of an effort by the
President to consolidate his power in the military,
which reportedly has also been affected by the rift
within the ruling party.
Mr. Turabi has called the emergency measures the
equivalent of a coup d'etat. He says they will be
appealed to the constitutional court.
/// REST OPT ///
The president's surprise announcement has generated a
great deal of support from opposition politicians, who
say they hope it will revitalize the government and
bring greater democracy.
The leader of the internal wing of the Democratic
Union Party, Sid Ahmed al-Hussein, called the recent
developments a step forward.
/// HUSSEIN ACT ///
We are encouraging Bashir without saying that "we are
with you" -- no, no. But we are saying that the right
course to follow is [to] give more democracy, is to
lift the ban on the political parties, is to make the
freedom and the multi-party system [move] ahead.
/// END ACT ///
President Bashir has also received support from two
important neighbors, Egypt and Libya. Sudanese
Defense Minister Sirr al-Khatim flew to Cairo and met
Thursday with Egyptian President Hosni Mubarak. He
told reporters he went to thank President Mubarak for
his support. (Signed)
NEB/FSB/WTW
16-Dec-1999 16:13 PM EDT (16-Dec-1999 2113 UTC)
NNNN
Source: Voice of America
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