Vice-president rejects self-rule for Sudan’s regions

November 3, 2015 (KHARTOUM) – The Sudanese vice-president, Hasabo Abdel Rahman, Tuesday rejected the regionalization of the country and described it as impossible adding it may lead Darfur to demand self-rule.

Abdel Rahman was speaking before the National Assembly to brief the legislators about the ongoing preparation for a national conference to assess the experience of decentralized governance as basic component of democratic rule in Sudan.

Also, it comes after a recent debate over a referendum the government has to organize in Darfur next April where voters have to decide on whether they approve the current territorial administrative divisions or they want the establishment of a single region in Darfur.

The vice-president pointed that the conference will discuss the current territorial system and how to strengthen the national unity and ways to create enabling environment allowing to bring closer to local people decision-making and service delivery.

“We have to take advantage of South Sudan experience and should not repeat self isolation if we do that we will weak the national unity and the return to regional system may be turned into calls for self-rule,” he said.

The different peace agreements aiming to end civil war in southern Sudan established regional governments. The comprehensive peace agreement of 2005 other than the semi-autonomous government included a referendum on self-determination.

He said the government seeks to build a federal system of governance including all the constitutional guarantees that prevent the involvement of federal government in the competences of local authorities, and expand consultations and outreach in the decision making process.

The rebel groups in the Two Areas and Darfur call to grant self-rule to the different Sudanese regions.

Since the colonial rule up to 1973, Sudan was divided into nine provinces: Bahr al Ghazal, Blue Nile, Darfur, Equatoria, Kassala, Khartoum, Kurdufan, Northern, and Upper Nile.

In July 1973, the government divided Darfur into North and South Darfur states, the same was dione in Kordofan, the Blue Nile was split into Al-Jazeerah, Blue Nile and White Nile. The Northern province became River Nile, and Northern state while Kassala divided into Red Sea and Kassala.

The regime of president Bashir divided Darfur into five states and Kordofan into three states.

(ST)