Sudan Parliament debates State of Emergency for North Kordofan, Kassala

The Parliament of Sudan is currently deliberating in an evening session the report of the emergency committee to study the Republican Decrees 48 and 50 declaring a State of Emergency in North Kordofan and Kassala.

An emergency parliamentary committee has recommended reducing President Omar Al Bashir's emergency period, and restricting the military force by judicial order.

Prior to the start of deliberations at 2 pm today, the alliance of the Popular Congress Party (PCP) in the Parliament criticised the declaration of the State of Emergency in both states.

Kamal Omar, the head of the PCP caucus said in a statement that “the issuance of emergency orders signed by Al Bashir represents a catastrophic setback in the lives of our people which adds to the record of violations of human rights and dignity

Omar criticised what he described as “an attack on the people's right to freedom guaranteed by the freedom document in the Constitution.

‘No hope of reform’

“With this, the National Dialogue in its outputs on freedoms has ended with no hope of reform, as all the procedures have been taken without consulting the coordination committee.”

He called what he called “honourable parties” to oppose the State of Emergency and budget.

Symposium cancelled

On Monday the security apparatus prevented an evening symposium to be held at the Graduates Club which was scheduled to be addressed and participated in by the leadership of the political forces coming from Khartoum, including the President of the Sudanese Congress Party, Omar El Digeir, on the grounds that there was no permit for the symposium.

El Digeir criticised the prevention of the symposium and said that a regime that fears its opponents’ celebrating of the independence of their country is a fragile regime.

He stressed that “the lessons learned from the Sudanese struggle against colonialism and their longing for freedom can remove the totalitarian regime from their chests”.

Republican Decrees 48 and 50

On Saturday, Sudanese President Omar Al Bashir imposed the State of Emergency in these two states. Activists and politicians doubt the reasons for the measure.

In July, Khartoum announced a large disarmament campaign in the country, to begin with in the five states of Darfur, and South and West Kordofan. Paramilitaries of the Rapid Support Forces and army soldiers were employed in August to implement the measures.

Politicians and activists in North Kordofan however wonder why the State of Emergency has to be imposed for the arms collection.