Sudanese women coalition slams Bashir’s statements on Public Order Regime

(Khartoum, April 15) During his campaign in Gazeera State in early April, President Bashir
vowed to maintain the Public Order Regime when he returned to office. Furthermore, the Sudan public order police have formed new committees to develop and set criteria for acceptable women’s dress and behaviour and to identify the types of violations with which women will be charged. These statements and these new steps by the current regime constitute direct humiliation and acts of violence and terror towards Sudanese women, their families and communities.

“This statement is tantamount to a declaration of war against the women of Sudan”, said Dr.
Ihasan Fagiri and Ms. Rasha Awad of the coordination office of the coalition today speaking in Khartoum.

“The public order regime is grossly unconstitutional, has been found contrary to the African human rights system of protection and is a huge obstacle to Sudanese women, in their daily, personal, social, economic and professional lives. It expresses and enforces an ideology that considers that women should not have equal protection by the law in public and in private, violating the basic components of the right to liberty, security of person and fair trial.”

“The experience of women within the public order regime constitutes lack of dignity, a great deal of suffering and lost opportunity.” As agreed by many of Sudan’s opposition political figures, women from all walks of life, especially the most vulnerable and marginalised, live under daily threat of arrest and brutal punishment for ill-defined behaviour which should never be the subject of criminal law in a democratic society”.

“A vow to retain these laws is in effect a declaration by President Bashir that he does not intend to implement the requirements of the Comprehensive Peace Agreement (CPA) or honour the principles and standards of our Interim National Constitution. As always stated by the National Consensus Forces, the reform of the public order regime was one of the conditions for a free and fair election. The public order regime fundamentally undermines the right of full participation by women in the public life of Sudan”.

“We call on the Sudanese political parties and the international community to take these
statements of President Bashir into account in questioning the bona fides of the President and his party and in relation to the extent of their respect for the Interim Constitution and the CPA in the context of the elections crisis.”

“The women of Sudan cannot be sacrificed for political expediency”

The public order regime in Sudan is a set of laws and mechanisms which prohibit and enforce a range of behaviour from dancing at private parties, to “indecent dress” to the concept of
“intention to commit adultery”. These offences can be interpreted with great latitude and are
enforced by a special police and court system with a reputation for violence and summary
justice. Procedures before the public order courts completely fail to meet fair trail standards and involve the imposition of severe penalties including lashing and execution.

For a detailed analysis of the public order regime see Beyond Trousers: the Public Order Regime and the Human Rights of Women and Girls in Sudan, by the Strategic Initiative on Women in the Horn of Africa-(SIHA ) at http://www.sihanet.org/index.php?option=com_docman&Itemid=6

No to Women Oppression is an activists Coalition focuses on challenging the current Sudan discriminatory laws and policies against Sudanese women.
For further information on No to Women Oppression;
Rasha Awad the speaker on behalf the Coalition: 249126232367
Dr. Ihasan Fagiri: The coalition coordination team: 249-924802850