Sudan's Upcoming Constitution Will Be 'Islamic' Bashir Says

Photo: Sudan Tribune
Police beat demonstrators in the capital Khartoum (file photo). Anti-government protests, initially led by students from the University of Khartoum, have inspired similar nation-wide demonstrations.

Khartoum — The Sudanese President Omer Al-Bashir on Saturday said that he rejects "secularism" and reiterated his commitment to replace the country's constitution with an "Islamic" one.

Speaking in a religious rally held in Wad Al-Fadni area east of Khartoum, Al-Bashir said that he rejects secularism in Sudan.

He went on to declare that the country's upcoming constitution will be "Islamic" and serve as "a role model for all people who have aspirations to apply religion in all aspects of their lives."

Al-Bashir also announced that they would form a committee comprising all political forces and "especially religious groups" to draft the constitution.

Al-Bashir has already decided to end the debate about his country's cultural identity, stating at one point ahead of the secession of the mainly Christian South Sudan in July 2011 that Sudan would adopt a constitution with Islam being the official religion and Arabic the official language.

His new comments come at a time when his government is facing growing public discontent and street protests over rising cost of living as the country's economy struggles to weather the effects of losing 75 percent of its oil production to South Sudan.

Sudan's current constitution, which was installed in 2005 as per the Comprehensive Peace Agreement with South Sudan, in theory recognizes the country's ethnic, religious and cultural diversity.

Official records say that 97 percent of Sudan's estimated population of over 30 million is Muslim.

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