Sudanese Christians Celebrate Easter

{ 5 comments… read them below or add one }

1 Amal 03.24.08 at 1:35 pm

Hey Drima,

I think things have improved since the first few years of the Ingaz but its doubtfull whether things will go back to how they used to be before the 90s.
One thing I found interesting is the part about the guards stopping girls not wearing veils (its hijab actually, but never mind!). The issue shouldnt be that Christian girls should not be stopped, these guards should not even be there. There should not be a person there telling you what to wear and force you to wear a scarf even if you dont believe in wearing it. Its not just universities women are pressured to wear headscarfs in the workplace and attacked on the streets if they are not wearing a scarf or if they are wearing trousers! You dont even get stuff like that in the Arab world!

2 Drima 03.24.08 at 2:02 pm

I know Amal, the whole thing is disgusting but things were a lot worse back when the war was still raging. I’m still optimistic though.

The economic boom and returning Sudanese Diaspora are influencing Sudanese lifestyles and opening up the city. More openness is a lovely thing which I support (although not the negative aspects like the hardcore drugs-fueled partying).

Back when al-Turabi was in power, Islamist ideology was a central and core aspect of the regime but now after the discovery of oil and the elimination of Turabi from the ruling party, the core aspect is not Islamism anymore but simply mafia capitalism.

The main reason Al-Bashir’s NCP still maintains aspects of the old day’s version of Islamic law is because Bashir has to keep a fine balance. He has to keep Khartoum’s rich liberal elite and the SPLM happy but at the same time not piss off the hardline religious figures. The secondary reason is because Bashir himself is to some extent still a tradionalist.

3 anna 03.24.08 at 4:53 pm

interesting article, thanks for posting. I didn’t realise things were so in Khartoum, they are much better than I thought. Not much different to the situation in egy really,

“Clerics say government schools ban Bible study”- same deal at egy unis.

“employers grant fewer holidays to Christians” ditto, and add to that the significantly lower probability of getting a promotion or even a job offer.

There are restrictions on building new churches.” ditto Egypt. I think they may have changed it recently but until recently it was illegal to mend anything in a church eg a blocked toilet let alone build one without presidential agreement. And those who flout the law do actually get thrown into prison, no joke.

“Clerics say women can be stopped for what the authorities consider inappropriate dress.” don’t have that one yet.

“Christian girls are frequently seen in short sleeves, low-cut tops and knee-grazing skirts.” they won’t get stopped but it’s a sure thing that they;ll get mollested by passerbys.

“Fanatics wanted to burn the church, they wanted to burn the school.” yep, have that too. used to happen a lot in the 90s under the gamma’a islamiya though.

“The main focus is that peace be well maintained and implemented. This is our hope and our desire, that people will not go back to war,” he said.” amen to that

4 anna 03.24.08 at 4:59 pm

bit late, but hope you had a Happy Moulid

5 Drima 03.25.08 at 5:08 am

Mushakireen ya anna.

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