Sudan Democracy First Group: ‘Confronting terrorism in Sudan requires radical transformation’

The Sudan Democracy First Group says that confronting terrorism in Sudan requires a radical transformation, including a democratic political alternative committed to fighting terrorism in thought and practice.

Yesterday the group recommended in a report titled Towards a Sudanese Humanitarian Vision on Violent Extremism, the dissolving of the militias, restructuring the security services and amending their laws to abolish the immunities that constitute the legal framework for violations and intimidation.

The report recommended the abolition of the system of law, police and courts – public order, as well as abolition of Article 126 of the Criminal Code on apostasy.

The report also recommended the culture of dogmatic Salafist, hatred and brutality to be replaced by a democratic alternative culture, whether in education, media or religious discourse.

The report also recommended raising the sensitivity of society to the dangers of terrorism in consultation and coordination with political parties, youth and civil society organisations, academics, creative figures and religious leaders.

The report also recommended the production and publication of research on various aspects of the phenomenon of violent extremism in the country, such as the tangible study of Sudanese terrorists (maps of their presence, backgrounds, social origins and education), as well as the study of existing curricula and their suitability to combat extremism, develop human sense and religious discourse in mosques and media