The headquarters of Sudan's Communist Party is a shabby place. The peeling leather chairs in its meeting room are watched over by dusty photos of its most famous leaders since 1946, most of whom died at the hands of assassins. The party's newspaper has been shut down by government censors, says Salih Osman, a leading member of the group. And although the party long ago joined forces with unlikely partners, including Islamist groups, Mr Osman says political opposition to the government of Omar Al Bashir has been effectively smothered. …

"Rather than 'liberate' the Islamic Movement from the state, the eighth general conference consummated its 'nationalisation'," wrote Magdi El Gizouli, a fellow at the Rift Valley Institute, on his blog.