Identifier
Created
Classification
Origin
06KHARTOUM192
2006-01-25 08:38:00
UNCLASSIFIED
Embassy Khartoum
Cable title:
USCIRF meetings in Khartoum: The Status of Sharia
how-toP 250838Z JAN 06 FM AMEMBASSY KHARTOUM TO SECSTATE WASHDC PRIORITY 1179 AMEMBASSY NAIROBI PRIORITY AMEMBASSY CAIRO PRIORITY AMEMBASSY ASMARA PRIORITY
UNCLAS KHARTOUM 000192
DEPT FOR AF/SPG AND DRL
E.O. 12958: N/A
TAGS: PHUM KISL PGOV SOCI SU
SUBJECT: USCIRF meetings in Khartoum: The Status of Sharia
Law
UNCLAS KHARTOUM 000192
DEPT FOR AF/SPG AND DRL
E.O. 12958: N/A
TAGS: PHUM KISL PGOV SOCI SU
SUBJECT: USCIRF meetings in Khartoum: The Status of Sharia
Law
1. (U) Summary: The US Commission on International
Religious Freedom (USCIRF) arrived in Khartoum on January 10
and departed on January 21. The delegation met with various
interlocutors about the status of religious freedom,
especially for Christians living in Khartoum. Overall, there
was much debate about how sharia law would apply to non-
Muslims living in Khartoum. On January 4, the Presidency
decided that sharia law would apply to all people in the
North, including non-Muslims; however, there would be a
Commission for the Protection of Non-Muslims that would
ensure that non-Muslims would not be adversely affected by
the law. The Commission has been created but no one has
been named to it. End Summary.
--------------
Application of Sharia Law
--------------
2. (U) In a January 16, meeting with the Assistant Secretary
of the Bar Association, Abdel Rahman Ibrahim, the Commission
inquired about the status of sharia law in the North,
particularly how it was applied to non-Muslims. Ibrahim said
that sharia law was part of the political, social, and
cultural development of Sudan before the British entered the
country. Although there were differences within Islam on
the application of sharia law, he added, the basic
principles of sharia law remain and are implemented in
Sudan. According to Ibrahim, sharia law should be applied
to all people in the North; however, non-Muslims in Khartoum
were exempted. Ibrahim added that Southern women who brew
alcohol in the squatter areas were arrested according to
statutes deriving from old British law, not sharia law, in
which brewing alcohol was also illegal.
3. (U) The Commission spoke with the Minister of Foreign
Affairs, Lam Akol, who stated that Christians in Khartoum
were not exempted from certain punishments under sharia law,
such as lashings. However, there were discretionary ways of
applying sharia to Christians. The Minister added that the
Commission for Human Rights had not yet been established and
required the National Assembly to pass an Act to provide it
a legal basis.
--------------
No History of Religious Intolerance
--------------
4. (U) On January 18, the Commission spoke with Said El
Khatib, Director of the government supported Sudan Strategic
Studies Institute and also a member of the Assessment and
Evaluation Commission (AEC). He said that the Sudanese
people have always been tolerant of other religions, and
there was no history of religious persecution. However, as
the war with the South continued, religion became a factor.
El Khatib added that the Commission for the Protection of
Non-Muslims was not expected to deal with daily claims, but
instead with the larger issues of protecting non-Muslims.
5. (U) On January 17, the Commission spoke with the Minister
of Investment, Malik Agar, who said that the administration
of the capital demonstrated the ruling parties' intolerance
of religious freedom. According to Agar, applying sharia
law to Christians in the capital makes "Christians behave
like Muslims."
--------------
Intra-Islam Debate
--------------
6. (U) In a January 17 meeting with Saadig al Mahdi, the
leader of Umma Party and former Prime Minister of Sudan from
1985-1988, al Mahdi commented that the Comprehensive Peace
Agreement was not comprehensive, and should be called the
Navaisha Peace Agreement. For the agreement to be
comprehensive, he added, it should have been ratified
nationally. Furthermore, he said, the agreement left
several issues unresolved, such as religious freedom,
particularly for Muslims that disagree with the current
regime. According to al Mahdi, the SPLM sold out the
"silent majority" (Muslims in the North that oppose the
current regime) by agreeing with the government to implement
sharia law in the North. The question remained, Mahdi
added, as to which interpretation of Islam would be
implemented in the North. Mahdi said that the CPA-mandated
Commission for the Protection of Non-Muslims should not be
government-run, but instead an independent commission to
prevent government control.
7. (U) Comment: The various meetings demonstrated a lack of
consensus on applying sharia law to non-Muslims in the
North. This issue needs to be resolved in order to stipulate
how sharia law will apply to non-Muslims in the capital, or
non-Muslims may be subjected to differing punishments based
on varying interpretations of sharia law.
HUME
DEPT FOR AF/SPG AND DRL
E.O. 12958: N/A
TAGS: PHUM KISL PGOV SOCI SU
SUBJECT: USCIRF meetings in Khartoum: The Status of Sharia
Law
1. (U) Summary: The US Commission on International
Religious Freedom (USCIRF) arrived in Khartoum on January 10
and departed on January 21. The delegation met with various
interlocutors about the status of religious freedom,
especially for Christians living in Khartoum. Overall, there
was much debate about how sharia law would apply to non-
Muslims living in Khartoum. On January 4, the Presidency
decided that sharia law would apply to all people in the
North, including non-Muslims; however, there would be a
Commission for the Protection of Non-Muslims that would
ensure that non-Muslims would not be adversely affected by
the law. The Commission has been created but no one has
been named to it. End Summary.
--------------
Application of Sharia Law
--------------
2. (U) In a January 16, meeting with the Assistant Secretary
of the Bar Association, Abdel Rahman Ibrahim, the Commission
inquired about the status of sharia law in the North,
particularly how it was applied to non-Muslims. Ibrahim said
that sharia law was part of the political, social, and
cultural development of Sudan before the British entered the
country. Although there were differences within Islam on
the application of sharia law, he added, the basic
principles of sharia law remain and are implemented in
Sudan. According to Ibrahim, sharia law should be applied
to all people in the North; however, non-Muslims in Khartoum
were exempted. Ibrahim added that Southern women who brew
alcohol in the squatter areas were arrested according to
statutes deriving from old British law, not sharia law, in
which brewing alcohol was also illegal.
3. (U) The Commission spoke with the Minister of Foreign
Affairs, Lam Akol, who stated that Christians in Khartoum
were not exempted from certain punishments under sharia law,
such as lashings. However, there were discretionary ways of
applying sharia to Christians. The Minister added that the
Commission for Human Rights had not yet been established and
required the National Assembly to pass an Act to provide it
a legal basis.
--------------
No History of Religious Intolerance
--------------
4. (U) On January 18, the Commission spoke with Said El
Khatib, Director of the government supported Sudan Strategic
Studies Institute and also a member of the Assessment and
Evaluation Commission (AEC). He said that the Sudanese
people have always been tolerant of other religions, and
there was no history of religious persecution. However, as
the war with the South continued, religion became a factor.
El Khatib added that the Commission for the Protection of
Non-Muslims was not expected to deal with daily claims, but
instead with the larger issues of protecting non-Muslims.
5. (U) On January 17, the Commission spoke with the Minister
of Investment, Malik Agar, who said that the administration
of the capital demonstrated the ruling parties' intolerance
of religious freedom. According to Agar, applying sharia
law to Christians in the capital makes "Christians behave
like Muslims."
--------------
Intra-Islam Debate
--------------
6. (U) In a January 17 meeting with Saadig al Mahdi, the
leader of Umma Party and former Prime Minister of Sudan from
1985-1988, al Mahdi commented that the Comprehensive Peace
Agreement was not comprehensive, and should be called the
Navaisha Peace Agreement. For the agreement to be
comprehensive, he added, it should have been ratified
nationally. Furthermore, he said, the agreement left
several issues unresolved, such as religious freedom,
particularly for Muslims that disagree with the current
regime. According to al Mahdi, the SPLM sold out the
"silent majority" (Muslims in the North that oppose the
current regime) by agreeing with the government to implement
sharia law in the North. The question remained, Mahdi
added, as to which interpretation of Islam would be
implemented in the North. Mahdi said that the CPA-mandated
Commission for the Protection of Non-Muslims should not be
government-run, but instead an independent commission to
prevent government control.
7. (U) Comment: The various meetings demonstrated a lack of
consensus on applying sharia law to non-Muslims in the
North. This issue needs to be resolved in order to stipulate
how sharia law will apply to non-Muslims in the capital, or
non-Muslims may be subjected to differing punishments based
on varying interpretations of sharia law.
HUME