January30, 2020 (Khartoum) – SPLM-N -Alhilo and the Democratic Unionist Party led by Mohamed Othman Al-Mirghani have agreed to repeal laws that discriminate on wide range of grounds including religion ‘sex, race, culture as well as any law restricting an individual’s freedom of expression. 

The Struggle Movement led by  Alhilo, has consistently called for abolition of Islamic Sharia laws from the Sudanese constitution. However, during the ongoing negotiations with the transitional government, the movement insists on its demand to nullify   Islamic laws and establish a secular state or grant the two areas (South Kordofan & the Blue Nile) the right to self-determination. 

The city of Juba,  South Sudan, has over  the past days hosted extensive meetings between  SPLM-N-Alhilo and the Federal Democratic Unionist Party, on the   challenges of choosing between peace and unity. 

In a related development, the two parties agreed to include the provisions of the peace agreements  reached with the transitional government, in the permanent constitution. Provided that the constitution should be written by an agreed upon delegated body, which will then be put to referendum.

 The statement affirmed  the trial of those accused of genocide, crimes against humanity, war crimes as well as  cases of violations of freedoms, human rights, torture and corruption, in order to allow  full scope for achieving transitional justice and ensure absence of impunity.

 The two parties stressed their firm commitment to  unity, based on democratic, religious, ethnic and cultural pluralism.  

The two sides  also agreed on the importance of implementing just development projects that lead to removing the injustice resulting from conflicts and marginalization.