Sudanese opposition calls for political rights, law reform

KHARTOUM, Aug 10, 2003 (dpa) — Sudanese opposition figures on Sunday asked President Omar Beshir to reform laws they claim abuse human rights and limit political activity.

Speaking after a meeting with Beshir, Sudanese Democratic Front leader Ghazi Suleiman stressed the need for an independent judiciary and a political assembly following the president’s decision to abolish several restrictive laws that restrict individual freedoms including press censorship.

Suleiman also called for political prisoners such as Islamist leader Hassan Abdalla Turabi to be freed.

In an unprecedented move, Beshir has urged opposition groups to step up political activities inside the country. A compromise reached Saturday between the president and opposition parties covered peace, individual freedom and development issues.

Suleiman said the agreement paved the way for the democratic reform the opposition has been longing to see since Beshir and the military ousted an elected democratic government nearly fourteen years ago.

However, a statement from the president’s advisor on political affairs Qutbi Mohadi called on the opposition to rid itself of the past and rally behind the National Salvation Revolution government.

Analysts said improved relations between the government and the opposition was a step towards a peace deal with the Sudan Peoples Liberation Army (SPLA) rebels.

Qutbi said the opposition shared the government’s views on fundamental values such as the right to implement Islamic sharia laws and Sudanese territorial sovereignty.

He said the government had realized danger of Sudan being divided after Sudanese representatives received a set of proposals at the ongoing peace talks in Kenya.

Some two million people have reportedly died in the conflict between the northern Moslem government and rebels from the Christian and animist south.