Sudanese opposition leader slams Bashir’s ‘Talibanic’ speech
December 21, 2010 (KHARTOUM) – The Sudanese president Omer Hassan Al-Bashir has laid the groundwork for a “new Taliban state” through his speech in which he declared that after the secession of the South, the North will adopt a full Islamic constitution which would also make Arabic the official language, an opposition leader said today.
“If god forbids, the South separates [then] the constitution will be amended [and] a lot of things relating to the South will go away,” Bashir said last Sunday.
“But the opaque talk [about] the Sudanese people I don’t know what…is multi-racial and multi-religious, the [Islamic] Shari’a will be the main source for lawmaking….and Arabic language will the official language of the state as will be stipulated in the upcoming constitution,” Bashir added.
The largely Christian and animist south is to vote on January 9 on whether to remain united with the Muslim north or break away to form an independent country.
The referendum is the key plank of the 2005 Comprehensive Peace Agreement (CPA) deal that put an end to two decades of civil war between north and south.
Mubarak Al-Fadil who leads the Umma Reform and Renewal Party (URRP) said that Bashir’s speech reflects “bankruptcy that brings us back to square one”.
“There was never any Sharia’a to start with. Their religious slogans were purely for tactical purposes and not strategic. The National Congress Party is just using religion to support the police state and step up the oppression of the population” Al-Fadil told Sudan Tribune.
The URRP leader said that Bashir wants to deflect accusations from voices in the North that under his rule the country has split into two.
“Al-Bashir is a military man who swore an oath to preserve the territorial integrity of Sudan and now he has to let the South go away. He cannot swallow that” he added.
Al-Fadil, who was one of Bashir’s challengers in April presidential elections, said that the NCP is concerned over a possible uprising should the economic situation in the North deteriorate because of losing oilfields in the South after secession.
The separation of Sudan into a two states will deny the North billions of dollars in revenue generating from vast oilfields in the south of the country. Currently the North and the South are splitting the proceeds of crude in accordance with the CPA.
About 75 per cent of Sudan’s proven reserves of 6.3bn barrels are in the south but the pipeline that carries the oil to export terminals and refineries runs through the north.
“As it stands now there is lot of injustice, corruption, unemployment. widening gap between rich and poor, soaring food prices, agricultural sector has collapsed. The NCP has devoted most of the money for security and political functions,” he said.
“So when the government no longer has the amount of cash it received through oil it will fear social unrest so they will have to resort to force to suppress any dissent. They will use Sharia’a as cover for these measures,” Al-Fadil added.
He slammed Bashir’s talk on the irrelevance of cultural and ethnic diversity in the post-secession Sudan.
“Sudan will remain diverse even after the South becomes an independent state. There are tribes in the North, East and West that do not speak Arabic and have their own language. There are also Southerners in the North who we expect that they will continue to live with us. This will be the only hope that even after the South’s separation we can both come back as one country,” Al-Fadil said.
In recent months NCP officials have made remarks saying that Southerners in the North will be immediately stripped of their citizenship rights after the referendum outcome points towards secession.
But Al-Fadil argued that this would be a violation to the constitution.
“The Sudanese constitution since 1998 recognizes dual citizenship. There are many ministers in the cabinet with European and American passports. So why should Southerners be denied this right?” he said.
The opposition figure also warned the NCP against going ahead with seeking to implement Sharia’a law. The current constitution recognizes the “multi-ethnic,” “multi-cultural” and “multi-faith” status of the Sudanese state, and is based on both Shari’a, or Islamic law, and the “consensus” of the population.
“We are for a citizenship state that forms the basis for rights rather than religion. We strongly oppose a religious state. There is not even a universal agreement among Muslims on Sharia’a law. There are multiple views on this subject between extremists and the moderates,” Al-Fadil said.
He said that one of the messages Bashir wanted to send is to the West warning that North Sudan will move towards extremism if the South breaks away. The Sudanese leader this week accused the West of encouraging secessionist sentiments in the South.
In the 1990’s Sudan housed a number of Islamic militant groups and Al-Qaeda leader Osama Bin Laden. In 1993, the U.S. placed Sudan on the list of countries that sponsor terrorism.
(ST)
Bol Deng
Sudanese opposition leader slams Bashir’s ‘Talibanic’ speech
Dr John Garang said once that Sudan is not going to be the same again. Unfortunately, The entire sectional Sudanese were fighting the South while they were not knowing the cause of the problem. SPLM waged a war because the North were insisting imposing the Islamic laws to all Sudanese while the North leaders in particular knows that the country is diverse.It is disturbing for others to deny the right of others ,and this is what Jaffar Nimerie, Swar El Daap, Saidiq almahdi, Omer El Bashier,and their entire supporters. Now, it’s unfortunate that Omer Bashier still going to imposed it harder against other societies on other believes after the South separated. That is sad! i wise these people would have know the intention of Arabs in the North. This situation is not fair and free. Thanks
Nhomlawda
Sudanese opposition leader slams Bashir’s ‘Talibanic’ speech
Al Fhadil is right to note that Bashir wanted to inform western countries that if you allow South to separate, we will become extremists. That is too late mr. president. All you tactics are known and it is too late to convine anyone. Move to extremism and you will hear bombs in your own palace.
Monye Jur
Sudanese opposition leader slams Bashir’s ‘Talibanic’ speech
That one is now up to you the northerners to decide on what type of government do you want to impose should south Sudan separates. We the southerners don’t care about that, because the SPLM brought the proposal of New Sudan on the basis of one Sudan but in secular state but was rejected not just by the NCP but also by most of the northerners including the so called URRP.
So I don’t think that the presence of southerners in the north after separation will be a hope that Sudan one day will become one united state like the case of Germany. We are separating for good and not for return.
You the northerners have to pay the price on making how the north should look like, whether with Sharia or not that’s not our concern, we just want to separate with our oil.
kaci-banno
Sudanese opposition leader slams Bashir’s ‘Talibanic’ speech
It is too late to make the true statement for crazy NCP, South is going up to you Northerners to deal with NCP after secession.
By:kaci-Ma-banno
James Garang
Sudanese opposition leader slams Bashir’s ‘Talibanic’ speech
Dear Opposition we southerners we are tired already with sharia law which Muslim called that is a holy law of islam.
thank you for your knowing other tribes in the North who are not Arab like West and Eastern Sudan. please try to change sharia law but what know is difficult for you to change sharia law with talking only unless you and other who does want sharia law come together with you and you use arm that is a only way that you can change the sharia law
mikes
Sudanese opposition leader slams Bashir’s ‘Talibanic’ speech
ha,ah ha,that’s shallow tactics for arab in sudan on trying
to trick westerners that don’t let south go we will be coming a new taliban state,that’s baise, i don’t think its reality, its a way of convince west that you will be come extremist no,one can prevent south sudan freedom,westerners are not foolish people the know your tactis,the are for right not for baise,southern sudan oyeeee,freedom oyeee
Aleu
Sudanese opposition leader slams Bashir’s ‘Talibanic’ speech
The North Sudanese will still have a big problems with the International world in years to come, because that speech of indictment Omar Hassan Ahmed al Bashir is exactly another extremely North Sudan Talibanic. The good thing though will be none Arab speakers are going to united and create their own State that, have separation betwen Church and the government but overall, the none Arab have the choice to make it now.
Tambura
Sudanese opposition leader slams Bashir’s ‘Talibanic’ speech
Going extremist will not help him.He is just barking like homeless Dog.I am just wondering there is no men with balls in north to remove the criminal ? How come we only saw women over 40 protesting about the video clip in youtube which shows police wiping female?As southern we should careless about what he is going to do to his people as long we are going to have our country soon.If all northerns like shria law what is our problem?
Gatwech
Sudanese opposition leader slams Bashir’s ‘Talibanic’ speech
Dear readers,
The vision of disintegrated Sudan whether into two or more independent states is the most realistic and carefully thought of strategic move for Sudan. It was not based on imaginations that Sudan will one day remain united and secular. Those words borrowed from Martin Luther of US (during civil right movement) do not apply in the chronic mentally sick and cursed Sudan.
Our late leader, Dr. John Garang thought it was easy to just change Sudan to socialist state (from 1983-1991) or to secular state (1992-2005) and keep it united. Others could not buy his argument and took it as an imagination from a leader who did not know Arabized northerners very well because he did not go to school in Sudan or barely write and speak classical Arabic in order to have understood them well. They think he thought by just sloganeering and importing the Western style of democracy, Sudan would be okay and remain united.
Those who went to school in Khartoum and had their first degrees in Khartoum university before they could join Western universities for doctorates knew the Arabs very well from inside out. Their strategies were not simply based on imaginations but on realistic visions.
Yes, our late leader Dr. John Garang said Sudan would not remain the same again, thinking that it would change to secular united Sudan. Well, his prediction has come true, but in a different way he did not mean. Sudan will not be the same again now because it will break up into many states, if not into South and North as championed or predicted by separatist visionary leaders.
Bashir is so panicking and he will definitely lose East and West after the South goes away in 18 days (God bless secession).
Forcing North Sudan to be islamic state like that of Taliban is creation of more secessionist movements in the country. And that will happen by the way because Sudan is destined to disintegrate. Darfur was not part of Sudan anyway until 1916. Eastern Sudan also more associated with Eritrea.
Long live the realistic vision of self-determination to form an independent country with true and recognizable identity of our people.
Down with the so-called united Sudan at the expense of the peripheries.
The “Creeping Revolution” shall continue to further disintegrate the North!!!
jur_likang_a_ likan'g
Sudanese opposition leader slams Bashir’s ‘Talibanic’ speech
What a suprise! A member of Umma Party now accepts that Sudan is supposed to be a multi-cultural, multi-ethnic, multi-racial and multi-religious society! Where have they been in all those years of agony, tumoil and bloodbath? It is time for you to sort out where you have erred politically to ease the suffering of Darfur, Nuba, Beja, Uduk, Funj and Ingassana people.