Sudan's Government Agrees to Separate Religion and State

[Cabatli_TR]

KHARTOUM - Sudan's transitional government has agreed in principle to separate religion and state after three decades of Islamic rule in the country.

Prime Minister Abdalla Hamdok and Abdel-Aziz Adam al-Hilu, the leader of the rebel SPLM-North faction, signed a declaration of principles in the Ethiopian capital, Addis Ababa, Thursday evening that says, "The state shall not establish an official religion. No citizen shall be discriminated against based on their religion."

The two leaders agreed to recognize and respect the country's diversity.

"Sudan is a multi-racial, multi-ethnic, multi-religious and multi-cultural society. Full recognition and accommodation of these diversities must be affirmed," stated the document, seen by VOA's South Sudan in Focus.

The two sides also agreed to establish informal negotiation workshops to resolve contentious issues such as the right to self-determination of all citizens.

The declaration comes four days after the government initialed a deal in Juba, South Sudan, with a coalition of rebel forces, lifting hopes that fighting in Darfur and other parts of Sudan, which continued for years under ousted president Omar al-Bashir, is over.

Hamdok and al-Hilu have said they believe it is necessary to reach a comprehensive and just political solution to all of Sudan's conflicts, one that addresses the root causes of the crises that have racked the country.

Mohammed Hassan al Taishi, a member of the Sudan's Sovereign Council, told South Sudan in Focus that Hamdok's decision to sign the document was backed by the government but an official statement will come later.

"There's a joint statement to explain what was signed between the two of them. ... But in terms of an official statement, that needs some consultations. By tomorrow morning I should be able to give you [that]," said al Taishi.

The agreement is an important step toward achieving lasting peace in the country, according to Mohammed Ali Fazari, editor in chief of the online English newspaper, Khartoum Today.

"It is considered to be a great step forward because peace efforts are one of the top priorities of the Sudanese government and it was one of the most important issues based on the transitional tasks of the government. So, what happened in Addis Ababa last night is going to be one of the most important successes of Prime Minister Abdallah Hamdok," said Fazari.

Fazari warned that pro-Islamist political parties will likely criticize the government for agreeing to discuss the relationship between religion and state and the right to self-determination for the South Kordofan and Blue Nile regions, where the SPLM-North has fought the government for years.

"This is a very controversial point within six principles of the declaration. I think this point is going to complicate the situation with the Islamists, who will refuse this and also other parties in the Forces of Freedom and Change government," he said.

Bashir was ousted by the military in April 2019 after months of mass protests against his rule.

Sudan's Government Agrees to Separate Religion and State

Prime Minister Hamdok and the leader of the major rebel group signed a declaration of principles Thursday night in Addis Ababa

www.voanews.com

 

[Xenon54]

Step to the right direction.

 

[Null/Void]

Hmm, not sure its gonna work, I mean Sudan has been in vortex of violence since its independence from Britain in 1956, as like many third world and African states it took a more leftist or socialist direction during the 60s,70s but in the 80s with rise of Saudi sponsored fundamentalism all around the region and conflicts with the Christian African South Sudanese people have suffered

 

[Ryder]

Hmm, not sure its gonna work, I mean Sudan has been in vortex of violence since its independence from Britain in 1956, as like many third world and African states it took a more leftist or socialist direction during the 60s,70s but in the 80s with rise of Saudi sponsored fundamentalism all around the region and conflicts with the Christian African South Sudanese people have suffered

Secularism wont be having much effect on a tribal, religious or conservative groups that live in rural areas. Unless most Sudanese become urbanised and live in cities.

 

[Null/Void]

Secularism wont be having much effect on a tribal, religious or conservative groups that live in rural areas. Unless most Sudanese become urbanised and live in cities.

Thanks for expanding my thoughts yes it would require high levels of urbanisation for that to occur

 

[Ryder]

Thanks for expanding my thoughts yes it would require high levels of urbanisation for that to occur

My teacher was sudanese in high school he told me a lot of sudanese are religious or practising. Islam plays a important role in their lives. Most south sudanese they seem to be even more christian than europeans or even middle eastern christians but their christianity is mixed in with native animist beliefs.

 

[Null/Void]

My teacher was sudanese in high school he told me a lot of sudanese are religious or practising. Islam plays a important role in their. most south sudanese they seem to be even more christian than europeans or even middle eastern christians but their christianity is mixed in with native animist beliefs.

South Sudan was a "American project" just like Kosovo was they wanted to snatch a golden nest egg like that for resource extraction and plus they had use people like the South Sudanese who had legit "grievances" with the central government in Khartoum by using them as proxies quite sad tale for the worlds "newest" nation after 2011 independence they went full scale civil war

 

[Ryder]

South Sudan was a "American project" just like Kosovo was they wanted to snatch a golden nest egg like that for resource extraction and plus they had use people like the South Sudanese who had legit "grievances" with the central government in Khartoum by using them as proxies quite sad tale for the worlds "newest" nation after 2011 independence they went full scale civil war

South sudan is too tribal. I knew once they break away they will fight among themselves.

The west supports separatism in the islamic world because it benefits them. Kurdistan, balochistan, berber movement are all projects of the west to tear countries apart.

 

[Null/Void]

South sudan is too tribal. I knew once they break away they will fight among themselves.

The west supports separatism in the islamic world because it benefits them. Kurdistan, balochistan, berber movement are all projects of the west to tear countries apart.

The Islamic "world" has good amount of resource extraction potential hence the thirst for support for those conflicts which is why I don't buy "humanitarian intervention" you either admit for fight for conquest or for expansion rather than bs concepts like Liberal Democracy or Human Rights

 

[Ryder]

The Islamic "world" has good amount of resource extraction potential hence the thirst for support for those conflicts which is why I don't buy "humanitarian intervention" you either admit for fight for conquest or for expansion rather than bs concepts like Liberal Democracy or Human Rights

Islamic world is pretty diverse to be honest in culture, religion and ethnic groups. Ever since most muslim countries evolved into nation states you have every damn ethnic group asking for independance. Its ridiculous.