State of emergency extended

Sudan's parliament on Monday approved the extension of a state of emergency for a fourth year, news agencies reported. Despite being imposed for an initial period of three months, the state of emergency has been in effect continuously since its original imposition in December 1999, when Sudanese President Umar Hasan al-Bashir also sacked Islamist leader Hasan al-Turabi as speaker of parliament, Reuters said. The state of emergency has been criticised by human rights groups, who claim it has been used to suppress opposition to the ruling National Congress party. In a recent report, Gerhart Baum, the UN Special Rapporteur on human rights in Sudan, said the state of emergency had allowed the establishment of Special Courts in Darfur, western Sudan, which were of "deep concern" and not in keeping with international standards. The Sudanese government says the continuation is necessary as a result of security concerns, including those arising from the country's 19-year civil war. "The decision was taken in Monday's session after parliament ratified reports explaining security justifications which require extending the state of emergency," Reuters quoted the Sudan News Agency as saying. Peace talks between the government and the southern rebel Sudan People's Liberation Movement/Army (SPLM/A) are scheduled to resume in Kenya in January, with both sides agreeing to cease hostilities at least until the end of March 2003.