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October 25, 2005

Sudan: As Schools are Forcibly Closed for Ramadan, A New Government Begins

Yesterday, it was announced by Sudan Tribune that the government has forced private schools to close for Ramadan, the first time that this has happened. The Bashir government denied the claim, but Reuters found that several had in fact been closed by order.

The ministry of education claimed that this was a holiday period in the government school year, but in Khartoum, private schools do not follow the same timetables, and say they have lost valuable teaching time.

"We objected to it. We cannot afford to lose the lessons" said Barry Birch, headmaster of Unity, a private Christian school. He claimed that the ministry had, when asked why, replied, "Ramadan". A concession was made to allow pupils to take exams, but the decision has angered parents. Though Christian, the school is two-thirds Muslim in its intake of children.

The situation in the south of Sudan, however, appears more hopeful. An autonomous government has been formed in the south, based at Juba, according to Reuters AlertNet, in accordance with the peace agreement signed in January this year. The SPLM (Sudan People's Liberation Movement) signed the deal, allowing the formation of a federal system, with wealth sharing, transition to democracy and a referendum on secession from the Islamist north after six years.

Officially the new federal government commenced its operations on Saturday evening. Rebecca Garang, the widow of John Garang, who died in a helicopter crash only 20 days after becoming Sudan's vice-president, is the new minister for roads and transport. SPLM spokesperson, Walid Hamid, says that the SPLM have 70% of ministries, the ruling National Congress Party (NCP) have 15% and other southern forces have 15%.

Yesterday, according to Sudan Tribune, Lt General Salva Kiir Mayardit, vice president of Sudan, and President of the Government of Sudan directed ministers to make provision of services to citizens, and implementation of the peace agreement to be the new government's top priority.

The Vice President of the Government of Southern Sudan, Riek Machar, reiterated his confidence in the ministers to stick to the peace agreement, as they were sworn in to take office.

On Monday, at the official inauguration service of the new government, President Kiir vowed to fight nepotism and corruption in the war-ravaged south, according to Sudan Tribune.

Today, new details have emerged on the death of John Garang, whose helicopter crashed into the Kidepo Valley two months ago. The Russian company, Kazan, who made the helicopter, have claimed there were no manufacturing faults, but it has been suggested that the problem may have developed from poor navigation maintenance and skills on the part of Ugandan engineers. The craft was owned and maintained in Uganda, and though trained in Russia, engineers may not have had the necessary skills to maintain the craft, which at the time of the crash had only had 20 hours' flight since its last maintenance and overhaul. The investigation is continuing, according to Sudan Tribune.

Posted by Giraldus Cambrensis at October 25, 2005 2:10 PM

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