SUDAN: MORE THAN 100,000 VOTERS GO TO THE POLLS TO ELECT NEW NATIONAL PEOPLE'S ASSEMBLY.

Record ID: 328883

  • Title: SUDAN: MORE THAN 100,000 VOTERS GO TO THE POLLS TO ELECT NEW NATIONAL PEOPLE'S ASSEMBLY.
  • Date: 6th February 1978
  • Summary: 1. SV INTERIOR: voters looking at election posters in Khartoum, Sudan. 0.10 2. SV: officials carrying ballot boxes into polling station. 0.14 3. SV: voters queueing at doorway. 0.21 4. CU ZOOM OUT FROM: portrait of president Nimeiry TO officials checking ballot papers. 0.30 5. CU: man placing vote into ballot box. 0.32 6. SV: polling officials checking papers. 0.43 7. SV PAN AROUND: other voters with armed guards. 0.51 8. SV: man voting PAN TO officials. 0.58 Officials observers say that President Nimeiry and the right-wing opposition are trying to agree on a course of action that will bring all parties into the democratic decision-making process. This means taking into account political opinions that have been repressed for the past seven years. Sadiq el Mahdi's own political faction -- the Umma party -- have traditionally looked away from a close relationship with Egypt whereas the basis of President Nimeiry's foreign policy has been increasing Egyptian-Sudanese co-operation. Another group, the National Unionist party (NUP) favours closer ties with Egypt. Yet another group, the staunchly religious Muslim Brotherhood seeks a return to greater Islamic traditionalism and backs moves towards Islamicising the country's laws. All these factions will have to be included in any reconciliation agreement that the government draws up with the opposition. Initials RH/1825 Script is copyright Reuters Limited. All rights reserved
  • Embargoed: 21st February 1978 12:00
  • Keywords:
  • Location: KHARTOUM, SUDAN
  • Country: Sudan
  • Reuters ID: LVAA10EISCI4KXS5TE5ZC471NMEL
  • Story Text: More than 100,000 people have cast their votes in Khartoum to elect Sudan's new national assembly. The poll is part of a move by President Ja'afar Nimeiry to reconcile rival political factions -- particularly the National Front right-wing opposition party.

    SYNOPSIS: The elections, which President Nimeiry called in December last year, are of special significance to the Sudanese. Although all candidates must stand as members of the Sudanese Socialist Union, many were fielded by right-wing parties which are officially banned. They are being allowed to stand as part of a reconciliation process which President Nimeiry has been negotiating recently. According to The Guardian newspaper the eventual form of government depends on how the National Front candidates fare in the election.

    The rapprochement began last July when President Nimeiry held secret talks with National Front leader Sadiq el Mahdi. These were aimed at breaking the internal political deadlock which has existed since an attempted coup by National Front supporters in July 1976. The elections, which will pave the way for a multi-party assembly, follow the release of more than 4,000 political prisoners.
  • Copyright Holder: REUTERS
  • Copyright Notice: (c) Copyright Thomson Reuters 2015. Open For Restrictions - http://about.reuters.com/fulllegal.asp
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