Sudan’s military rulers on Tuesday said they want Islamic Sharia laws and local norms to remain the basis of the country’s new laws.
The announcement was made after the Declaration of Freedom and Change Forces, a coalition of activists and opposition political groups handed over the proposal they want to be enforced last week. Commenting on the proposal, the ruling Transitional Military Council (TMC) noted that the document omitted Sharia law.
The 10-member military council said it had many reservations about the suggestions including the protesters’ conspicuous silence on Islamic law.
TMC spokesman Lieutenant General Shams El Din Kabbashi told reporters that they had broadly agreed with the suggestions.
However, he added that the proposal failed to mention the sources of legislation, and the Islamic Sharia law and tradition should be the source of legislation. Notably, Sudan’s constitution currently specifies that Sharia is the country’s guiding principle.
“Our view is that Islamic Sharia and the local norms and traditions in the Republic of Sudan should be the sources of legislation,” he said, reported Reuters.
He said the TMC overall agreed to the proposals but had many reservations which included the silence on Islamic Sharia law.
Kabbashi also said the council believes that the power to declare a state of emergency in the country should go to the sovereign authority, not to the Cabinet as suggested by the opposition. The opposition has demanded the transitional period should last two years and not four.
Kabbashi said discussions with the opposition were ongoing, but calling early elections within six months would be an option if they could not reach an agreement. He added that former intelligence chief Salah Gosh was under house arrest.
The military council and protest leaders remain deadlocked over the composition of the new ruling council, with protest leaders demanding it be led by majority civilians and the generals insisting it be a military-led body.
