Shariah advances as constitution is rewritten

Sudanese leader Omer Hassan Al-Bashir is moving forward with rewriting the country's constitution to implement Shariah law, according to reports from organizations with links inside the Muslim-dominated nation.

International Christian Concern's North Africa specialist Jonathan Racho says that a Shariah-compliant constitution will mean more suffering for Sudan's remaining Christians.

"This new law (Shariah compliant constitution) is going to affect a significant number of Christians who live in places like Khartoum (the capital city). There are still a significant number of Christians in Sudan," Racho said.

"If Al-Bashir introduces this Shariah law and if he's going to go ahead and adopt an entirely Islamic constitution, Christians and other non-Muslims who live in Sudan will be treated like second-class citizens," Racho said.

"They will be dhimmis and they will not have full rights in the freedom of religion," Racho said.

Racho emphasized the reality of non-Muslim life under Islamic law.

"Shariah law is incompatible with human rights and the human rights that are enshrined in many Western constitutions. So, we are really alarmed by the latest statements by the government of Sudan," Racho said.

Racho says Al-Bashir's move towards Shariah shows that the government of Sudan hasn't learned anything from its recent loss of the south.

"The government of Sudan should realize that the reason the south seceded and the war for secession was because of the Shariah law and now they're repeating the same mistake," Racho said.

Racho says its highly probable that Al-Bashir is moving forward because he believes most of the Christians have left the north.

"Al-Bashir said that 98 percent of the country is Muslim so the new constitution will reflect this reality," Racho said.

Global Response Network Founder and President Tom Zurowski says that while he hasn't heard anything specific, the move fits al-Bashir's pattern.

"It would seem to fall in line with what he believes and how he treated people for years. In other words, it is and has been his 'nature' all along," Zurowski said.

"Bashir has always embraced Shariah as 'good government'. Shariah has been the very ethos of Bashir and the north for a long, long time. People on the ground in the south have known this right along," Zurowski said.

"The Islamization of Sudan (North and South and the rest of the African continent) has been the goal of Bashir's government for years," Zurowski said.

Zurowski adds his concern that the newly independent South Sudan will still have to deal with al-Bashir.

"I fear the south has not heard the last of him. As people leave the north and return to the south, the strength of Islam will only grow in Khartoum. This I guarantee," Zurowski said.

"They will have no restraint and will welcome radical elements of Islam with no fear of the international community," Zurowski said.

Zurowski adds that al-Bashir is now facing the realities of having a new southern neighbor and having to contend with the other North African Islamic countries.

"If Bashir wants the backing of neighboring Arab nations, he must fully embrace Shariah or be seen as a weak leader (or link) among other Arab countries. His ego and arrogance will not allow for that," Zurowski said.

"Though he may not like the south breaking from the north (over oil revenues and having to accept defeat), you can be sure that he enjoys the thought of ridding the north of any non-Muslim black Africans," Zurowski said.

WND reported in July on the establishment of the newly independent South Sudan.

South Sudan's independence took a major portion of Sudan's oil revenues and Al-Bashir is facing a new economic climate as a result.

The Sudan Tribune reports that Al-Bashir is having to tell his government that spending reductions are a priority to relieve economic pressure.

"He also stressed that reducing government spending is needed along with seeking more revenue sources in order to adjust with the new economic reality," the Tribune report said.

"Sudan lost 75 percent of its oil reserves after the south became an independent state which fueled an unprecedented economic boom since the signing of the 2005 Comprehensive Peace Agreement (CPA)," the Sudan Tribune story also said.

Racho says that even with Al-Bashir's economic woes and aggressive anti-Christian rhetoric, the international community should still lean on Sudan to ensure safety for the country's Christians.

"We want the international community to put pressure on Sudan. One of the important things about Sudan is its reliance on the international community," Racho said.

"We (ICC) also want the American Christian community to know that the secession of the South doesn't end the plight of Christians so they should continue to advocate on behalf of the Christians in Sudan," Racho said.