Officials from Abyei have agreed to an international ruling related to the status of the oil-producing area of the central African nation of Sudan, the continent's largest gepgraphic nation-state.
Originally uploaded by Pan-African News Wire File Photos
South Sudan politicians held over rally against al-Bashir's party
Courtesy of the Nigerian Guardian
SEVERAL senior southern Sudanese politicians have been arrested during a rally against President Omar al-Bashir's National Congress Party (NCP). Among those held in Khartoum was the Secretary General of the Sudan People's Liberation Movement (SPLM), Pagan Amum, according to Agence France Presse (AFP)
The arrests, agency reports added, sparked anger in the south, where NPC offices in two towns were set alight by protesters.
The SPLM joined a power-sharing government in 2005 to end 22 years of conflict between north and south Sudan. But tensions have been rising between the SPLM and the NCP in recent months. Next year's election in the country will be the first presidential, parliamentary and local elections in 24 years.
Next Monday is the final day for voters to register for the election, and the government declared it a public holiday in an effort to encourage a good turnout.
But the SPLM and the NCP have failed to agree on changes to the election laws.
And about 20 opposition parties called for a gathering in front of the parliament building in the capital to demand electoral reform. Hundreds of demonstrators turned out for rally, watched by lines of armed police.
The AFP reported that demonstrators marched through Khartoum and its neighbouring city, Omdurman, waving placards and chanting: "We want our freedom." As the protest grew - with some reports estimating thousands of people had joined the rally - police fired tear gas and beat the protesters with batons.
Amum was arrested along with his deputy, Yasir Arman, and other SPLM figures - with unconfirmed reports claiming dozens of protesters were also detained.
Following the arrests, protesters in the southern towns of Rumbek and Wau set fire to NPC offices.
After the crackdown SPLM members accused the NCP of suppressing free speech.
But interior ministry officials said the protest was outlawed because the organisers had failed to apply for permission to hold the event.
Agency reports claimed that 22-year old war between the mainly Muslim north and the Christian and animist south claimed the lives of 1.5 million people. Semi-autonomous southern Sudan has been controlled by the SPLM since a peace deal in 2005 ended the civil war.
A referendum on whether the south should secede is due in 2011.
No comments:
Post a Comment