Identifier
Created
Classification
Origin
90KHARTOUM13366
1990-12-23 13:39:00
UNCLASSIFIED
Embassy Khartoum
Cable title:
SUDANESE HEAD OF STATE ENDORSES SHARIA LAW
how-toR 231339Z DEC 90 FM AMEMBASSY KHARTOUM TO SECSTATE WASHDC 8499 INFO RUEHDS/AMEMBASSY ADDIS ABABA AMEMBASSY CAIRO AMEMBASSY KAMPALA AMEMBASSY LONDON AMEMBASSY NAIROBI AMEMBASSY PARIS AMEMBASSY RIYADH USCENTCOM REAR MACDILL AFB FL DIA WASHDC
UNCLAS KHARTOUM 13366
FOR OFFICIAL USE ONLY
E.O.12356: N/A
TAGS: PHUM PGOV SOCI PINS SU
SUBJECT: SUDANESE HEAD OF STATE ENDORSES SHARIA LAW
REF: A) KHARTOUM 11067, B) KHARTOUM 11182,
C) KHARTOUM 11159
UNCLAS KHARTOUM 13366
FOR OFFICIAL USE ONLY
E.O.12356: N/A
TAGS: PHUM PGOV SOCI PINS SU
SUBJECT: SUDANESE HEAD OF STATE ENDORSES SHARIA LAW
REF: A) KHARTOUM 11067, B) KHARTOUM 11182,
C) KHARTOUM 11159
1. ACCORDING TO SUDAN'S ENGLISH LANGUAGE WEEKLY "NEW
HORIZON," SUDAN'S HEAD OF STATE, GENERAL OMAR AL BASHIR,
HAS PUBLICLY ENDORSED THE 1983 SEPTEMBER LAWS. PROVIDING
FOR CORPORAL PUNISHMENT KNOWN AS "HUDUD," THE SEPTEMBER
LAWS ARE ONE OF THE MOST CONTROVERSIAL ASPECTS OF
SUDANESE SOCIETY AND JURISPRUDENCE. ALTHOUGH PRECEDING
THE SEPTEMBER LAWS, JOHN GARANG'S REBELLION IN MARCH 1983
CAME IN PART AS A RESULT OF THEN PRESIDENT NIMEIRI'S
TREND TOWARD ISLAMICIZATION. HUDUD PUNISHMENTS, ALTHOUGH
HANDED DOWN, HAVE NOT BEEN IMPLEMENTED SINCE NIMEIRI'S
OVERTHROW IN 1985, AND THE ROLE OF SHARIA REMAINS A MAJOR
SYMBOL IN THE CONTINUING CIVIL WAR.
2. COMMENT: BASHIR'S ENDORSEMENT OF THE SEPTEMBER LAWS
COULD LEAD TO IMPLEMENTATION OF HUDUD PUNISHMENTS. IT
WILL CERTAINLY LEAD TO A FURTHER ESTRANGEMENT FROM THE
SOUTH (IF THAT IS POSSIBLE). IN ADDITION, BASHIR'S
ANNOUNCEMENT COULD LEAD TO DIFFICULTIES IN SUDAN'S UNITY
PLANS WITH LIBYA. DURING HIS RECENT VISIT TO KHARTOUM
QADHAFI WAS VERY CRITICAL OF SHARIA AND ALLEGEDLY
INTIMIDATED BASHIR INTO NOT ENDORSING SHARIA AT THAT TIME
(REFTELS).
O'NEILL
FOR OFFICIAL USE ONLY
E.O.12356: N/A
TAGS: PHUM PGOV SOCI PINS SU
SUBJECT: SUDANESE HEAD OF STATE ENDORSES SHARIA LAW
REF: A) KHARTOUM 11067, B) KHARTOUM 11182,
C) KHARTOUM 11159
1. ACCORDING TO SUDAN'S ENGLISH LANGUAGE WEEKLY "NEW
HORIZON," SUDAN'S HEAD OF STATE, GENERAL OMAR AL BASHIR,
HAS PUBLICLY ENDORSED THE 1983 SEPTEMBER LAWS. PROVIDING
FOR CORPORAL PUNISHMENT KNOWN AS "HUDUD," THE SEPTEMBER
LAWS ARE ONE OF THE MOST CONTROVERSIAL ASPECTS OF
SUDANESE SOCIETY AND JURISPRUDENCE. ALTHOUGH PRECEDING
THE SEPTEMBER LAWS, JOHN GARANG'S REBELLION IN MARCH 1983
CAME IN PART AS A RESULT OF THEN PRESIDENT NIMEIRI'S
TREND TOWARD ISLAMICIZATION. HUDUD PUNISHMENTS, ALTHOUGH
HANDED DOWN, HAVE NOT BEEN IMPLEMENTED SINCE NIMEIRI'S
OVERTHROW IN 1985, AND THE ROLE OF SHARIA REMAINS A MAJOR
SYMBOL IN THE CONTINUING CIVIL WAR.
2. COMMENT: BASHIR'S ENDORSEMENT OF THE SEPTEMBER LAWS
COULD LEAD TO IMPLEMENTATION OF HUDUD PUNISHMENTS. IT
WILL CERTAINLY LEAD TO A FURTHER ESTRANGEMENT FROM THE
SOUTH (IF THAT IS POSSIBLE). IN ADDITION, BASHIR'S
ANNOUNCEMENT COULD LEAD TO DIFFICULTIES IN SUDAN'S UNITY
PLANS WITH LIBYA. DURING HIS RECENT VISIT TO KHARTOUM
QADHAFI WAS VERY CRITICAL OF SHARIA AND ALLEGEDLY
INTIMIDATED BASHIR INTO NOT ENDORSING SHARIA AT THAT TIME
(REFTELS).
O'NEILL