Al-Anbaa: Sudan government and Umma separatists reach agreement
Sudan, Politics, 7/19/2002

The Sudanese al-Anbaa official daily issued on Thursday said that the ruling national congress party in Khartoum has reached an agreement with a split-group from the Umma party on participating in the governing authority, according to a national program.

The paper said that the presidential advisor Qutbi al-Mahdi and Mubarak al-Fadel al-Mahdi who recently split from the Umma party chaired by al-Sadeq al-Mahdi on Wednesday issued a joint statement on a national program that includes the foundation of a democratic state in which "citizenship to be the base for duties and rights." The program states of recognizing and honoring "of all religions and beliefs, tolerance, preventing of religious harassment and any act that provokes ethnic or religious difference."

The program considers that the implementation of the Islamic Sharia is a duty on Muslim, but simultaneously it recognizes "the special status" of southern Sudan in the legislation.

The paper quoted Qutbi al-Mahdi as saying that the two sides agreed to share the authority within the national program. He said that separatists from the Umma party will take part in all government's establishment, including the cabinet and the local councils.

The national program calls for amending the constitution in order to "guarantee the basic rights and freedoms especially the freedom of the press, the freedom to organize demonstrations and prevent political misuse of religion."

Al-Mahdi, however, ruled out amending the constitution, noting that this will be only possible in case a peace agreement will be reached during the current negotiations with the Sudan People's Liberation Movement in Kenya. He also ruled out that the parliament will be desolved.

Qutbi al-Mahdi who has no kinship relations to Mubarak al-Mahdi said the agreement between the two sides will be signed by the commissions of the national congress.

Previous Stories:
  Sudanese army overtakes rebel base   (7/18/2002)
  Al-Bashir: Sudan's government to include opposition   (7/17/2002)
  Ismael: Sudan's peace talks enter decisive phase   (7/16/2002)

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