Source:

Official website of the Ummah Party [ID 12485]

Document(s): Open document

Source:

Sudan.net: Major Sudanese Political Parties: Ummah Party [ID 12486]

"During the last period of parliamentary democracy, the Umma Party was the largest in the country, and its leader, Sadiq al Mahdi served as prime minister in all coalition governments between 1986 and 1989. Originally founded in 1945, the Umma was the political organization of the Islamic Ansar movement. Its supporters followed the strict teachings of the Mahdi, who ruled Sudan in the 1880s. Although the Ansar were found throughout Sudan, most lived in rural areas of western Darfur and Kurdufan. Since Sudan became independent in 1956, the Umma Party has experienced alternating periods of political prominence and persecution. Sadiq al Mahdi became head of the Umma and spiritual leader of the Ansar in 1970, following clashes with the Nimeiri government, during which about 3,000 Ansar were killed. Following a brief reconciliation with Nimeiri in the mid-1970s, Sadiq al Mahdi was imprisoned for his opposition to the government's foreign and domestic policies, including his 1983 denunciation of the September Laws as being un-Islamic.

Despite Sadiq al Mahdi's criticisms of Nimeiri's efforts to exploit religious sentiments, the Umma was an Islamic party dedicated to achieving its own Muslim political agenda for Sudan. Sadiq al Mahdi had never objected to the sharia becoming the law of the land, but rather to the "un-Islamic" manner Nimeiri had used to implement the sharia through the September Laws. Thus, when Sadiq al Mahdi became prime minister in 1986, he was loath to become the leader who abolished the sharia in Sudan. Failing to appreciate the reasons for non-Muslim antipathy toward the sharia, Sadiq al Mahdi cooperated with his brother-in-law, NIF leader Turabi, to draft Islamic legal codes for the country. By the time Sadiq al Mahdi realized that ending the civil war and retaining the sharia were incompatible political goals, public confidence in his government had dissipated, setting the stage for military intervention. Following the June 1989 coup, Sadiq al Mahdi was arrested and kept in solitary confinement for several months. He was not released from prison until early 1991. Sadiq al Mahdi indicated approval of political positions adopted by the Umma Party during his detention, including joining with the SPLM and northern political parties in the National Democratic Alliance opposition grouping."

Document(s): Open document

28.05.2008 - Source: Amnesty International

President of Umma Party and at least 40 other persons arrested; Deputy Chairman of Democratic Unionist Party (DUP) arrested; many of the detainees were tortured in detention ("Annual Report 2008") [ID 23355]

"Mubarak al-Fadel al-Mahdi, President of the Umma Party Reform and Renewal (UPRR), was arrested with at least 40 people, including many former army officers, in July and accused of smuggling arms and planning a coup.

Soon after, an order was issued forbidding discussion of the case in the press.

On 1 August Ali Mahmoud Hassanain, aged 73, a human rights lawyer and Deputy Chairman of the Democratic Unionist Party (DUP), was arrested.

Many of this group of detainees were tortured in incommunicado detention which lasted up to six weeks, apparently to force them to confess to an alleged plot.

Reported methods of torture included beatings, prolonged sitting or standing, and suspension with wrists and ankles tied behind the back (the tayyara, aeroplane).

In November Mubarak al-Fadel al-Mahdi and Ali Mahmoud Hassanain, a diabetic, went on hunger strike in protest at illegalities and delays in the pre-trial process.

On 4 December the state released Mubarak al-Fadel al-Mahdi without charge and on 31 December all other detainees received a Presidential pardon."

Document(s): Open document

11.03.2008 - Source: US Department of State

44 alleged coup plotters arrested, among them the leader of the Umma Renewal and Reform Party and the deputy chairman of the Democratic Unionist Party; they were held in incommunicado detention and allegedly tortured ("Country Report on Human Rights Practices 2007") [ID 23047]

"On July 14, NISS officers arrested 44 alleged coup plotters.

The detainees included Mubarak Al Fadil Al Mahdi, leader of the Umma Renewal and Reform Party, and Ali Mahmoud Hassanein, deputy chairman of the Democratic Unionist Party (DUP), and former police and military officers.

After over one month of incommunicado detention, authorities transferred 26 of the detainees, including Mubarak Al Fadil Al Mahdi and Ali Mahmoud Hassanein, from NISS to police custody in Khartoum's Kober Prison and released the remaining detainees.

Several of the detainees alleged that they were tortured while in detention.

In August the government expelled two foreign diplomats who had requested to visit Ali Mahmoud Hassanein.

On December 1, the minister of justice dropped the charges against Mubarak Al-Fadil Al Mahdi and released him after five months in detention.

On December 31, Ali Mahmoud Hassanein and the remaining detainees were released by presidential decree."

Document(s): Open document

11.03.2008 - Source: US Department of State

Islamic orders associated with the Umma Party and the Democratic Unionist Party continue to be denied permission to hold large public gatherings ("Country Report on Human Rights Practices 2007") [ID 23058]

"Islamic orders associated with opposition political parties, particularly the Ansar (Umma Party) and Khatmiya (Democratic Unionist Party), continued to be denied permission to hold large public gatherings.

Government security agents occasionally attended opposition political meetings or summoned participants to security headquarters for questioning after political meetings."

Document(s): Open document

23.05.2006 - Source: Amnesty International

Ongoing crackdown on Umma Party ("Annual Report 2006") [ID 18347]

"The Umma National Party headquarters in Omdurman was raided and temporarily closed in April. On 15 April, three student members of the party – Idriss Mohamed Idriss, Abu Bakr Dafallah Musa and Omar Dafallah Musa – were arrested by the security forces near Al Kalaklah central market, Khartoum, and reportedly badly beaten. They had been putting up posters. They were charged with causing a public disturbance and denied bail."

Document(s): Open document