Freedom of Religion in Sudan - Restrictions

Restrictions

Although the government generally does not vigorously enforce its strictest restrictions on religious freedom, it tends not to respect religious plurality in the north. The GoSS generally respects religious freedom in practice, and pursued policies that contributed to the generally-free practice of religion during the period covered by the report. The government favored Muslims over Christians in the north, in part by funding the construction of mosques but not churches. Many southern Christians living in the north are economic migrants and due to many factors, they suffer from social, educational, and job discrimination. Overwhelmingly Muslim in composition, the ruling NCP favors members of its political and tribal groups. Opposition political parties, often composed of adherents of Sufi sects and non-Arab northern Muslims, are excluded from the political process and national policymaking. Although the INC and the Constitution of Southern Sudan specifically prohibit discrimination on the basis of religion for candidates for the national civil service, the selection process favors party members and friends of the NCP.

Permits for new mosques in the north are generally issued, and three new churches were under construction in Khartoum. However, many Muslim and Christian religious leaders complain that the permit process is cumbersome and time-consuming. The GoSS did not appear to require permits for the construction and rehabilitation of mosques and churches. The government restricts foreigners from entering the country for Christian missionary work, but it allows foreign Christian religious leaders to enter in support of their local congregations. The Humanitarian Affairs Committee expelled foreign workers of international aid organizations, although several US-based Christian aid organizations maintained operations throughout the north.

The National Intelligence and Security Service monitors religious activities at mosques and churches throughout the country, often posing as members of the congregation. Christian leaders acknowledge that they usually refrain from preaching on political or other sensitive topics; some Muslim imams avoid political topics in their preaching as well. The GoSS does not appear to monitor religious activities at mosques or churches in the south. In a July 25, 2007 interview with the Saudi Arabian newspaper Okaz the Minister of Defense, Abdel Rahim Mohammed Hussein, claimed that "24 Jewish organizations" were fueling the conflict in Darfur. Anti-Semitic rhetoric is common in both official media and statements by NCP officials.