Sudan’s SPLM will stands firm against anti-human rights laws – official

Oct 9, 2005 (KHARTOUM) — The Sudan People’s Liberation Movement [SPLM] has announced that it will stand firm against a number of laws which contravene human rights, in particular the public order law, whose continuation, the SPLM considered as a breach of the transitional constitution and the peace agreement.

Speaking to the Khartoum based Al-Ayam, the official SPLM spokesman for the northern sector, Walid Hamid, said the SPLM had a clear view on all human rights laws and conventions being violated.

He said non-adherence to human rights was an important constitutional and legal issue which should be confronted resolutely. He said “There are unjust laws which must be removed and we will work seriously towards this”.

Hamid further said the delay in the announcement of the formation of the government and parliament of Khartoum State was not due to disagreements on representational percentages, but rather to ongoing discussions regarding human rights and the special status of the capital as stipulated in the agreement and transitional constitution.

He said “We are studying all issues separately. We did not refuse the closing down of restaurants during Ramadan for the sake of it, but rather because we regard this as an extension of the totalitarian mentality and its effects. Christians as well as Muslims who have legitimate sanctions to abstain from fasting will be affected by it”.

In this regard, MP Ahmad Eissa said the shutting down of restaurants represented a breach of clause 38 of the transitional constitution which guaranteed the freedom of belief and religious practice to all humans and gave them the right to declare their religion or belief. He further called on the concerned authorities to review its decision and to abide by the agreement and the transitional constitution.

(ST)