Sudan: Update to SDN4706.E of 2 April 1990 regarding the Sudanese National Party (SNP); its structure, membership, mandate, activities inside and outside of Sudan; affiliations, especially with the National Democratic Alliance (NDA) and the Nuba Mountains Association Movement; treatment of members by the authorities
| Publisher | Canada: Immigration and Refugee Board of Canada |
| Author | Research Directorate, Immigration and Refugee Board, Canada |
| Publication Date | 16 April 2003 |
| Citation / Document Symbol | SDN40941.E |
| Reference | 2 |
| Cite as | Canada: Immigration and Refugee Board of Canada, Sudan: Update to SDN4706.E of 2 April 1990 regarding the Sudanese National Party (SNP); its structure, membership, mandate, activities inside and outside of Sudan; affiliations, especially with the National Democratic Alliance (NDA) and the Nuba Mountains Association Movement; treatment of members by the authorities, 16 April 2003, SDN40941.E, available at: https://www.refworld.org/docid/3f7d4e151c.html [accessed 25 May 2023] |
| Disclaimer | This is not a UNHCR publication. UNHCR is not responsible for, nor does it necessarily endorse, its content. Any views expressed are solely those of the author or publisher and do not necessarily reflect those of UNHCR, the United Nations or its Member States. |
The Political Handbook of the World: 1999 lists the Sudanese National Party (SNP) as a political party based in Khartoum that is supported mainly by the Nuba tribes of southern Kordofan and is led by the Reverend Philip Abbas Ghabush (1999, 924). It further states that the SNP was officially recognized in 1999 following the announcement by Philip Ghabush of his support for the new constitution and laws regarding party formation (Political Handbook of the World: 1999 1999, 924).
More recent reports refer to Philip Ghabush as the chairman of another Nuba-supported party called the Free Sudan National Party (FSNP) (Europa World Yearbook 2002 2002, 3739; Nuba Survival Jan. 2003; IRIN 13 Dec. 2000; ibid. 23 Aug. 2002). Although Europa World Yearbook 2002 lists Hasan Al-Mahi as the leader of the SNP (2002, 3739), a 2002 All Nuba Conference report lists Professor Elamin Hamouda as leader of the SNP and Mohamed Hamad Kuwa as leader of the SNP - Collective Leadership (Nuba Survival Jan. 2003).
An Integrated Regional Information Networks (IRIN) article on Philip Ghabush's call for the independence of the Nuba Mountains region, in southwestern Sudan, states that Ghabush is "supported by an alliance of three political parties active in the region – —which have echoed his demand for [the] Nuba Mountains to be treated as an entity separate from both the north and the south" (23 Aug. 2002). Sources consulted also list the SNP as a member of the National Democratic Alliance (NDA), a coalition of opposition parties based in Asmara, Eritrea (Europa World Year Book 2002 2002, 3739; HRW Aug. 1998; IRCIPS Aug. 1997; NDA n.d.).
The SNP is listed among 11 other political parties as participants in a conference entitled Human Rights in the Transition in Sudan, which was held in Kampala, Uganda, on 8 to 12 February 1999 (Justice Africa n.d.). SNP also participated in a September 2001 meeting along with the Nuba Mountains General Union (NMGU) and the Free Sudan National Party (FSNP) to establish a coalition among the three parties (Nuba Survival Nov. 2001). The SNP members who signed the Party Coalition Charter were Elamin Hamouda (SNP chairman), Ibrahim Mekki Ibrahim and Osman Abedl-allah Tia (ibid.).
During an All Nuba Conference held in Kauda, Nuba Mountains Region, on 2 to 5 December 2002, the chairpersons of the Free Sudan National Party, the Sudan National Party-Collective Leadership, the Sudan National Party and the General Union of Nuba Mountain reportedly agreed to dissolve as individual parties and merge to form a new party called the United Sudan National Party (USNP) with Philip Ghabush as its president and Mohamed Hamad Kuwa, Elamin Hamouda and Yussif Abdalla Jibrill as its vice-presidents (Arkamani 20 Dec. 2002; US Jan. 2003). The conference, which was financially supported by the United States Agency for International Development (USAID) through a British non-governmental organization called Christian Aid (ibid.), resulted in additional resolutions. These included the "unequivocal commitment of the SPLM/A [Sudan People's Liberation Movement/Army] leadership to the centrality of the Nuba Mountains Region (and South Blue Nile and Abyei) in all on-going peace process negotiations" under the Intergovernmental Authority for Development (IGAD), as well as to "Nuba self-determination and an autonomous and representative Government for the Nuba Mountains Region" (Nuba Survival Jan. 2003).
Although reference to the Nuba Mountains Association Movement could not be found among the sources consulted, the following list of Nuba organizations reportedly participated in the All Nuba Conference mentioned above:
Nuba Youth Association
Nuba Student and Graduates Association
Nuba Mountains International Association (USA and Canada)
Nuba Mountains Solidarity Abroad (Britain and Netherlands)
Policy Advisory Committee for Nuba Mountains Region (Arkamani 20 Dec. 2002).
Additional information on the SNP, including its structure, membership, mandate, activities inside and outside of Sudan and its affiliations, could not be found among the sources consulted. As well, reports on the treatment of SNP members by Sudanese authorities could not be found among the sources consulted by the Research Directorate.
This Response was prepared after researching publicly accessible information currently available to the Research Directorate within time constraints. This Response is not, and does not purport to be, conclusive as to the merit of any particular claim to refugee status or asylum. Please find below the list of additional sources consulted in researching this Information Request.
References
Arkamani. 20 December 2002. "Summary Report of the First All Nuba Conference, Kauda, Nuba Mountains Region, 2nd-5th December 2002." Report compiled by the All Nuba Conference Chairing Committee. The Europa World Year Book 2002. 2002. 43rd ed. Vol. 2. London: Europa Publications Limited.
Human Rights Watch (HRW). August 1998. Vol. 10, No. 4 (A). "Sudan: Global Trade, Local Impact: Arms Transfers to All Sides in the Civil War in Sudan." Integrated Regional Information Networks (IRIN). 23 August 2002. "Sudan: Calls for Nuba Mountains Independence." (Africa News/NEXIS)
_____. 13 December 2000. "Sudan: Parties, Personalities and Positions in the 2000 Elections." Interhemispheric Resource Center and Institute for Policy Studies (IRCIPS). August 1997. Foreign Policy Focus. Vol. 2, No. 41. Dan Connell. "Sudan." Justice Africa. n.d. "List of Participants: Human Rights in the Transition in Sudan, Kampala, Uganda, 8-12 February 1999." Nuba Survival. January 2003. Nuba Vision. Vol. 2, No. 2. "Kauda Conference Communique from the All Nuba Conference of 2nd-5th December 2002." _____. November 2001. Nuba Vision. Vol. 1, No. 2. "Unification of Nuba Political Parties." National Democratic Alliance – Sudan (NDA). n.d. "Introducation: Composition of the NDA." Political Handbook of the World: 1999. 1999. Edited by Arthur S. Banks and Thomas C. Muller. Binghamton, NY: CSA Publications
United States. January 2003. United States Agency for International Development (USAID). "Field Report: Sudan." Additional Sources Consulted
Africa Research Bulletin
IRB Databases
NEXIS
Internet sites, including:
Africa Confidential
Amnesty International (AI)
Christian Aid
The Nubian Network
The Nubian.net
Nubian Relief Rehabilitation and Development Society (NRRDS)
Nubian Soul
Sudan Home
Sudan Human Rights Organization - Cairo Branch
Sudan Info Net
Sudan Net News
Sudan News Agency
Sudanese Victims of Torture
Universal Nubian Association
World Wide Nubian Organization
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