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WEEKLY NEWSLETTER
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Sudan
Index
Since obtaining independence from Britain on January 1, 1956,
Sudan has had a political history marked by instability. The
military first intervened in politics in November 1958 by
overthrowing the parliamentary government of Prime Minister Abd
Allah Khalil
(see The Abbud Military Government, 1958-64
, ch. 1).
The ensuing regime of Major General Ibrahim Abbud lasted for six
years before dissolving itself in the face of widespread popular
opposition in 1964. The country then again experimented with
civilian democratic government, which was terminated by a
military coup in 1969. Colonel Jaafar an Nimeiri, leader of the
junior officers who staged that coup, survived in power for
sixteen years until overthrown by a military coup in 1985. The
new government under Lieutenant General Abd ar Rahman Siwar adh
Dhahab legalized political parties, scheduled elections, and
handed over power to civilians in 1986. Sudan's third experiment
in democratic rule was ended by yet another military coup on June
30, 1989.
The leaders of the 1989 military coup abolished all the
existing executive and legislative institutions of government,
suspended the Constitution, arrested many prominent civilian
politicians, banned all political parties and partisan political
activity, and restricted freedom of the press. They established
the Revolutionary Command Council for National Salvation, which
was designated the legislative authority of the country. The
chairman of the RCC-NS was designated as head of state. The RCCNS also appointed a cabinet that served in many respects as the
executive authority. Although the RCC-NS described its rule as
transitional, pending the reestablishment of security and order
throughout the country, as of mid-1991 the RCC-NS had not
legalized political parties nor introduced permanent governmental
institutions.
Data as of June 1991
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