Sudanese alliance slams new political parties law

Jan 23, 2007 (KHARTOUM) — National democratic Alliance MPs withdrew Monday from the federal parliament to mark their opposition to the adoption of the controversial political parties law in a rowdy session.

The NDA’s withdrawal followed its accusation to the ruling partners of ‘slaughtering’ democracy and committing ‘political apostasy’ for insisting on keeping a clause in the law allowing for the dissolution or suspension of the activities of any party or preventing its participation in the elections if it carried out any activity considered contrary to the peace agreement in the south of the country.

The new parties’ law, which gives more than 80 parties three months to conform and register at the party affairs council, was passed by a large parliamentary majority. The opposition objected to the fact that these included historically important parties most notably the Ummah party led by Al-Sadiq al-Mahdi, the Democratic Unionist Party led by Mohamed Osman al-Mirghani and the Communist Party led by Mohamed Ibrahim Nugud.

The new law prevents members of the regular forces, armed forces, police, security body, the Sudan People’s Liberation Army (SPLA), and judges, ministry of justice advisors, diplomats and civil service heads from joining any party. However, it exempts the President Omar al-Bashir, who is the army commander and his first deputy Salva Kiir Mayardit the SPLA commander who are leaders of the ruling National Congress and the Sudan People’s Liberation Movement respectively until the end of the transitional period.

In a press conference following its withdrawal from the session, the NDA said the adoption of the clause was contrary to the constitution and threatened to lodge a constitutional appeal.

The SPLM had instigated the controversial article and the National Congress approved it.

(ST)