Shariah acid test for unity

Editorial, The Khartoum Monitor

May 29, 2005 — There are 11 days left to end the pre-interim period as agreed on by the government of Sudan (GoS) and the Sudan People’s Liberation Movement (SPLM) in the comprehensive peace agreement (CPA), signed in Kenya earlier this year. By the end of this period the interim constitution would have been drafted and ratified by both the SPLM’s Liberation Council and GoS National Assembly. And on 9 July 2005, a government of national unity and a government of south Sudan (GOSS) would be in place.

Dr Garang will be the first vice-president with veto power to oppose and scrutinize the decisions taken by his boss, the president of the republic, Umar al-Bashir. Will Garang come to sit in Khartoum to defend the unity of the country or will he promote the right of self-determination with both options of unity and separation?

The unity government is going to face mountains after mountains if some of the basic needs of the southerners in the national capital are ignored as it is happening today. Hence the whole issue of making unity attractive is a political joke. The majority of southern Sudanese in the north would not identify themselves with the central government for a simple reason that the imposition of shari’ah on non-Muslims is an infringement on their rights. With veto power, can Garang oppose flogging of a woman who might have brewed local beer say for birthday celebration or will he approve it. The issue of sharia in the national capital is an acid test for making unity attractive.