Juba, South Sudan, May 26, 2021 – The Sudan Transitional Government has reached a consensus with the Sudan People’s Liberation Movement-North (SPLM/A-N) to separate religion from State.
This comes as both parties seek a new path in the Sudanese political arena since the issue of national identity has been a major question in Sudan for several decades.
The alignment of state and religion was the main reason that led SPLM-North not to take part in the Juba Peace Agreement which was signed last year under the auspices of H.E President Kiir Mayardit.
Over the last two months, the two parties signed the principles of declaration, which confirms the need for a civil and democratic state, the separation of cultural and religious identities from the state, and the guarantee of religious freedom.
In a statement extended to Nyamilepedia, Sudanese Prime Minister Abdallah Hamdok along with his accompanying delegation touchdown in Juba yesterday followed by the arrival of Gen. Abdel Fattah Al-Burhan, Head of the Sudanese Military Council to Juba today to discuss with the leader of the SPLM-North Abdel Aziz Al-Hilu.
The two parties to the agreement are expected to negotiate on a power-sharing formula, democracy, a federal system of governance in Sudan, and other crucial concerns.
Two months ago SPLM-North of Abdel Haziz agreed with the Sudanese Transitional Government to constitute a democratic, federal state and none theocratic state that grants freedom of religious exercise to the Sudanese people.
Sudan peace talks were initiated last year by President Salva Kiir Mayardit one year after South Sudan peace was meditated in Khartoum by Sudanese long terms ruler Omer Al-Bashir.
The brokered peace talks aimed to pacify the two sisterly countries to respectively achieve permanent peace and stability.
Sudan is predominantly a Muslim country where draconian laws like sharia reign supreme. However, the SPLM-North is opposed to the ideology of integrating religion with the State.
