Originally posted by the Voice of America.
Voice of America content is produced by the Voice of America,
a United States federal government-sponsored entity, and is in
the public domain.


Sudan Moves to Dissolve Ex-Ruling Party, Repeals Public Order Law

Reuters

   KHARTOUM - Sudanese transitionalauthorities approved a law on Thursday
   to dissolve the formerruling party and repealed a public order law used
   to regulatewomen's behavior under ex-President Omar al-Bashir, the
   justiceminister said.

   The two measures responded to key demands by a protestmovement that
   helped overthrow Bashir in April.Their implementation will be a crucial
   test of how fartransitional authorities are willing or able to go to
   overturnnearly three decades of rule by Bashir, who took power in a
   1989coup and whose Islamist movement penetrated deep into
   Sudan'sinstitutions.

   The law to dissolve Bashir's National Congress Party (NCP)also allows
   for the party's assets to be seized, JusticeMinister Nasredeen
   Abdelbari said. State TV described it as ameasure to "dismantle" the
   former regime.

   The Sudanese Professionals Association (SPA), whichspearheaded the
   protests against Bashir, welcomed the law.

   "It is an important step on the path to building ademocratic civilian
   state," the group said in a statement.

   The law was passed during a marathon, 14-hour meeting ofSudan's
   sovereign council and cabinet. The meeting saw disputesover an article
   that bans people who took leading posts in theformer regime from
   practicing politics, sources with knowledgeof the proceedings told
   Reuters.

   Prime Minister Abdalla Hamdok said on Twitter that themeasure was not
   an act of revenge, but was rather aimed atpreserving the "dignity of
   the Sudanese people."

   Information Minister Faisal Mohamed Saleh said the delay inapproving
   the law was caused by work to "improve" it. "By thislaw, we want to
   establish a new era," he said.
   Celebration

   In the capital, Khartoum, some drivers tooted car horns incelebration
   after the late-night announcement, while othersexchanged slogans from
   the uprising on social media.

   Hamdok's government was formed in September after apower-sharing deal
   between anti-Bashir groups and theTransitional Military Council that
   ruled the country immediatelyafter Bashir's overthrow.

   The transitional authorities are due to hold power for justover three
   years before elections.

   Under Bashir, the public order law was deployed to imposeconservative
   Islamic social codes, restricting women's freedomof dress, movement,
   association, work and study.This could include preventing women from
   wearing trousers orleaving their hair uncovered in public, or mixing
   with men otherthan their husbands or an immediate relative.

   Those found to have contravened the law could be punishedwith
   flogging.Hamdokcalled the rules "an instrument ofexploitation,
   humiliation, violation, aggression on the rightsof citizens."

   Women's role

   Women played a prominent role in months of protests against
   Bashir.

   Women's rights activistHadiaHasaballahsaid the repeal of
   the law showed the failure of Islamist ideology.

   "The decision to abolish the public order law is aculmination of the
   courageous struggles of women for 30 years,"she told Reuters. "Women
   martyrs deserve it."

.