Nehad Ismail
Writing for Ammon News

Lubna Hussein has become a cause celebre capturing global media attention. Lubna dared to wear a pair of trousers and refused to be cowered into submission by the Khartoum Regime.

In Sudan thousands of women have been flogged and whipped for wearing what is described by the Sudanese Government as “indecent clothing”.

Lubna Hussein, a Sudanese journalist and a UN employee was arrested last month (August 2009) with 12 other women for wearing trousers in a Hotel Restaurant.

According to the Sudanese vague indecency laws this crime is punishable with 40 lashes or an unlimited fine and imprisonment. As it happened Lubna welcomed the sentence and sent messages to hundreds of journalists and media people all over the world to attend and witness the flogging. Her campaign to embarrass the Sudanese dictatorship was so successful that the global media has reported the story and heaped praise on Lubna’s courage.

In a failed attempt at damage limitation and fearing world-wide condemnation, the Sudanese Regime in Khartoum rescinded the 40 lash ruling and instead imposed a fine of 200 USD.
Lubna refused to pay. She was arrested and put in Jail.

Lubna’s supporters protested and clashed with the Police. Finally the Dictatorship led by Omar Al-Basheer relented and released Lubna.

This shameful episode has scandalized the bankrupt Khartoum regime which came to power through a coup d’etat in 1989. The coup leader Omar Al-Basheer executed dozens of his former colleagues and in recent weeks executed journalists and opposition figures. On top of all that he is implicated in crimes against humanity in Darfur.

Despite its natural wealth and tremendous economic potential, Sudan is one of the poorest countries in Africa, with a high percentage of illiteracy and poverty. Large segments of the population suffer from hunger and disease and the country is embroiled in bloody civil wars and tribal conflict. All this according to UN Reports is due to mismanagement by an incompetent and corrupt government.

Sudan, our geography teachers used to tell us at school in the 1960s was so rich in fertile land and animal wealth that it would feed the entire Arab world. Sadly it had become a basket case relying on foreign aid and on charitable organizations. Sudan is by any yard-stick is classified as a “failed state”.

You will be forgiven for thinking that the Government of Sudan should be working hard to solve the problems of poverty, illiteracy and conflict, but instead the failed regime has chosen to pursue a woman for wearing trousers and managed through its stupidity to get its fingers burnt.



Nehad ismail
Writer/broadcaster London.