Ibrahim Ahmed Omar Khartoum – Abdelgoum Ashmeag The chairman of the Preparatory Committee for the General Conference of Sudan’s Islamic Movement, Ibrahim Ahmed Omar, has announced that the party\'s next summit will be held mid-November in Khartoum. The First Vice President of Sudan will renew the candidacy of current Secretary-General Ali Osman Taha, although the incumbent\'s term is not to exceed two sessions. The Political Secretary of the ruling National Congress Party is expected to re-elect old leaders with full support by most members.
Omar, who served as adviser to President Omar al-Bashir more than once, said in a press conference in Khartoum that \"the movement will prepare a new constitution to keep pace with developments and transitions, and considered that the preparation of the constitution as the most important issue in the meetings of the movement”.
He added that Islamist figures and groups from outside the country were invited to attend the meetings.
The Political Secretary of the NCP, Nizar Khaled, said that the number of the existing members of the Islamic movement was not as large as the number in the ruling party, the legitimate son of the movement. It is expected that atmosphere of the meetings will be friendly and that old leadership will be re-elected, including First Vice-President Ali Osman Taha, the strongman in the government and the ruling party and the Islamist movement.In a question by Arabstoday about the seriousness of this trend, Nizar Khaled replied: \"It will prevent the flow of new blood, thus the movement shall become calcified and non-renewable.\"
As for the party’s control over the movement, he pointed out that it depends on who will take the post in the government or in the movement. \"The movement is very influential in some states, and sometimes the opposite will happen,\" he said.
In response to another question by Arabstoday on the status of the Islamic movement, Nizar said: \"I cannot answer. It\'s true that I am a leader in the ruling party but I do not attend meetings of the Islamic movement and I am not invited to attend. I am not briefed with the files of the Islamic Movement in Sudan so I cannot say anything about the status of the movement.”
A member of the Popular Congress Party predicted the movement in its future meetings would take decisions that satisfy the government because the government had the money and power and could \"use the language of sticks and carrots with those who are trying to hinder what it wants from the future meetings of the movement\".
The head of the Sudanese journalists union, Dr Mohi Tetaoa, said that the movement announced that it will save space for youth and women to take over important tasks in its structure. Tetaoa hinted that the Shura Council, composed of leaders elected by the General Conference, will approve the Constitution and will select the Secretary-General (in the past the General Conference is the one who chooses the Secretary-General).
Tetaoa said that the two terms of the leadership of the movement can be calculated since the date of the new constitution of the movement, therefore it allows for the return of historic leaders of the movement. There is however insistence on the need for change. He added: \"As an observer of the Sudanese Islamic Movement, I can say that it is like a leader of the sectarian parties, and the leader of the sect remains in his post forever.\"