Sudanese parliament adjourns its session until next February
December 30, 2008 (KHARTOUM) — The federal parliament today adjourned its current session and decided to hold an emergency session at the beginning of next February, according to an agreement between the National Congress (NCP) Party and the Sudan People’s Liberation Movement (SPLM) today.
The agreement was passed by a majority, after the boycott of two settings by the SPLM and southern Sudan parties which demanded to extend the work of the parliament.
The agreement requests the executive and the political parties to deposit the remaining bills before the next January 31 and to hold the first session of the National Assembly in the first Monday of February 2009.
Ghazi Salah Eddin, head of the NCP bloc said that the deal was based on the NCP commitments to the SPLM and other political forces to review a series of law related to the democratic transition and to adopt the bill related to 2011 referendum.
The SPLM called for the need to extend the current session of the National Assembly until the revision of all the laws relating to democratic transition in the country particularly the national security law and the press and publications law.
The SPLM also suggested in a press statement yesterday to suspend the parliament for one month and to resume the parliamentary activities during one session.
The statement threatened to refer the issue to the presidency because the SPLM would consider the closure of the parliamentary session without the adoption of these laws as clear violation of the 2005 peace deal and the constitution.
The Speaker of the National Assembly, Ahmed Ibrahim Taher said that in accordance with internal regulations the parliament has two sessions; the first starts in April through July while the second one lasts from October through December.
He further said that the remaining laws so far have not been deposited. He also blamed the SPLM for being quick to take positions and resorting to the media saying that this created a “political friction”.
The general elections are scheduled to be run before next July despite the National Electoral Commission not fixing a date. Opposition parties say that the freedom of expression and the press law are still regulated by laws that do not comply with the constitution
(ST)
Gatwech
Sudanese parliament adjourns its session until next February
NCP/SPLM fear elections!
One top secret for sure is that both NCP and SPLM top leaders fear to go for elections. Omar alBashir fears other major political parties in the North while Salva Kiir fears losing the elections for Sudan and loss of several seats in the South to other South Sudan polical parties. They both favor the present situation without change of power. So, delaying parliament sitting that would pass important laws before elections until February next year coupled with Electoral Commission’s silence on announcing the date for the elections prove that both NCP and SPLM fear elections and do not want it to happen.