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Sudan adopts law to 'dismantle' Bashir party, NCP slams move as 'illegal’

Sudanese protesters chant slogans during a demonstration by supporters and relatives of detained former regime officials to demand their release, in front of the government headquarters in the capital Khartoum, on October 30, 2019. (Photo by AFP)

Ousted President Omar al-Bashir's party on Friday condemned Sudan's new "illegal government" for ordering its closure and the dismantling of his regime that ruled the country for 30 years.

Sudan's new authorities on Thursday approved a law ordering the leader's National Congress Party (NCP) to be dissolved, its assets confiscated and the regime dismantled as demanded by the protest movement that led to Bashir's fall in April.

On Friday, the NCP accused the authorities of trying to confiscate its properties and assets to tackle Sudan's economic crisis, which it said the new government had failed to tackle.

"To rely on the assets of the party, if there are any, is nothing more than a moral scandal, an act of intellectual bankruptcy and a total failure on the part of the illegal government," the NCP said on its Facebook page. "The party is not bothered by any law or decision issued against it as the NCP is a strong party and its ideas will prevail."

The authorities have also slapped a ban on any "symbols" of the former regime from taking part in political activities for 10 years.

The new ruling sovereign council and cabinet led by Prime Minister, Abdalla Hamdok, issued the decree under the law "Dismantling of the regime of 30th June, 1989."

"The National Congress Party is dissolved and its registration is cancelled from the list of political parties in Sudan," the decree said, adding that a committee would be formed to confiscate all its assets.

'Not revenge'

Bashir seized power on June 30, 1989, in a coup that toppled the then elected government of Prime Minister, Sadiq al-Mahdi.

Hamdok said the law to dissolve the party and dismantle the regime was "not revenge" against the former rulers.

"But it aims to preserve the dignity of [the] Sudanese people which was crushed by dishonest people," he wrote on Twitter. "This law aims to recover the plundered wealth of the people."

The Sudanese Professionals Association, the group that had initially led protests against Bashir, welcomed the decision.

"It is a major step towards achieving the goal of the revolution and on the path of building a democratic civilian state," it said in a statement.

On Thursday, the sovereign council and the cabinet also formally rescinded a controversial public-order law that had severely curtailed women's rights under Bashir.

Activists said security forces used the law to arrest women for attending private parties or wearing trousers.

The law had led to simmering anger for decades among women, who were at the forefront of the street protests that erupted in December 2018.

The demonstrations quickly turned into a nationwide anti-regime movement that consequently led to Bashir's ouster by the army on April 11.

In August, a joint civilian-military sovereign council was formed to oversee a transition to civilian rule as demanded by the protesters.

A civilian-led cabinet, headed by Hamdok, is charged with the day-to-day running of the country.

Bashir is being held in a Khartoum prison awaiting trial on graft charges. Several other officials of his government and senior NCP members are also in jail.


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