Congress southerners call for progress

Southern Sudanese politicians of the ruling National Congress party of President Omar Hasan al-Bashir has called on the government to honour its commitment to the south, including by holding a referendum on self-determination, according to the daily ‘Al-Rai al-Amm’ newspaper on Friday. The officials, including ministers and provincial governors, called for respect for the principles of self-determination and sharing of national wealth, as set out in a 1997 peace treaty between six southern organisations and the government, the report stated. After a meeting chaired by former Vice-President George Kangor Arop on Thursday 16 August, the officials expressed their support for the unity of Sudan, while underlining that it should be voluntary and agreed upon in a referendum, it added. The officials also said that Shar’ia (Islamic) law should be limited to the Arab-Muslim north.