/ 1 March 1999

BASHIR ENTRENCHES HIMSELF

SUDANESE President Omar al Beshir has signed amendments in the armed forces law, including a new provision that allows a military supreme commander to be a member of a political party.All military individuals have until now been prohibited by law from any political party affiliation, but this provision has now been modified to exempt a military supreme commander from this ban, thus allowing General Beshir to continue as chairman of the National Congress Party.