SIGNIFICANCE OF THE SUDANESE ELECTIONS

• Document Type: CREST
• Collection: General CIA Records
• Document Number (FOIA) /ESDN (CREST): CIA-RDP79R00890A000200020013-9
• Release Decision: RIPPUB
• Original Classification: S
• Document Page Count: 13
• Document Creation Date: December 19, 2016
• Document Release Date: April 13, 2005
• Sequence Number: 13
• Publication Date: December 3, 1953
• Content Type: SUMMARY

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SIGNIFICANCE OF THE SUDANESE ELECTIONS
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SUDAN - CHRONOLOGY AND AGREEMENT FOR SELF-GOVERNMENT
1899 - Anglo-Egyptian Condominium Agreement on joint
sovereignty over Sudan following reoccupation of
country by British and Egyptian forces.
1924 - As result of murder of General Lee Stack in Cairo,
Egyptian participation in administration of Sudan
severely restricted. This status maintained up to
present.
1951 - In October 1951 nationalist Wafd-dominated Egyptian
parliament "abrogated"' 1899 Sudan Condominium Agree-
ment and amended Egyptian constitution to provide
for unity of Sudan with Egypt under Egyptian crown.
Nov 1952- - Arduous Anglo-Egyptian negotiations to provide for
Feb 1953
Sudanese self-government and eventual self-
determination. Terms of agreement signed 12 Febru-
ary 1953 provide for:
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 SECRE
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1. A five-man commission (composed of 2 Sudanese, 1
Britisher, 1 Egyptian, and a Pakistani chairman) to advise
governor general of Sudan, traditionally a British official.
Governor general retains certain "reserve powers" for internal
security matters and is responsible to Britain and Egypt for
foreign affairs.
2. Agreement called for "early" elections to provide a
97-seat house of representatives and to elect 30 members of 50-
member senate. Remaining 20 members being appointed by governor
general.
3. Elections were to be carried out under supervision of
an international Election Commission composed of 3 Sudanese, 1
Britisher, 1 Egyptian, 1 American and an Indian chairman.
4. Following establishment of Sudanese parliament, country
will enter a "transitional period" of self-government -- not to
exceed three years. "Transitional period" will be ended by
Sudanese parliament passing a resolution calling for "self-
determination." Elections will then be held for a Constituent
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 CRET
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Assembly which will decide future of Sudan -- union with Egypt
or independence -- and will draft a constitution for Sudan.
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NATIONAL UNIONIST PARTY
1. Formed in Cairo on 31 October 1952 by merger of five
Sudanese pro-union political parties.
2. Party largely financed by Egyptian funds.
3. Aim--union of Sudan and Egypt.
4. Popular support drawn principally from KHATMIA, Moslem
religious sect. Leader of Khatmia, All MIRGHANI - life-long
opponent of Mahdi, who is leader of rival ANSAR sect and its
political counterpart, Umma Party.
5. Mirghani may have about two million followers. Mahdi
has about four million.
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SIGNIFICANCE OF THE SUDANESE ELECTIONS
BACKGROUND
1. Political expression of Mahdi's ANSAR,Moslem religious
2. Umma has cooperated with British administration in
past and has stood for Sudanese independence rather than union
with Egypt.
3. Umma's strength depends on individual loyalty to Mahdi
as head of Ansar.
4. Mahdi in past has been suspected of seeking to become
king of Sudan with British backing.
5. Umma has claimed control of 70 percent of South Sudan.
Present elections did not demonstrate this claim.
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SIGNIFICANCE OF THE SUDANESE ELECTIONS
BACKGROUND
STATUS OF THE ANGLO-EGYPTIAN BASE NEGOTIATIONS
Informal consultations in Giro between British and Egyp-
tian spokesmen from late July 1953 until 21 October 1953 have
resulted in the following developments:
1. General Agreement on:
a. evacuation of 70,000 British troops within 15
months after a pact is signed;
b. retention of 4,000 British technicians at the Suez
base after the evacuation; British supervision of the tech-
nicians under an Egyptian base commander; and gradual with-
drawal of the technicians over a period of seven years.
Disagreement on two major issues:
a. future availability of the base to Britain in the
event of war;
b. right of British technicians to wear uniforms on
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On the "'availability of the base?`question, Britain wants
the base to be automatically available (to Britain) if the T
finds there has been aggression anywhere in the world.
however, wishes tolimit the availability of the base
solely to the event of an outside attack against any member of
the Arab League Collective Security Pact; Egypt would be vii
to consult London is the case of an attack on Turkey and Iran.
Negotiations may re-open after the British ambassador
r*turns to Cairo in mid-December, but there is little prospect
of an early agreement.
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4C I1IC .C
SUDA 1166 1 ; fI I
Decisive victory of pro- gyptian National t niaaist 'u;
wo i.ch won 454 out of
but j :IF
phase
strong slap at 1'ritish
n wholehearted endorse
with Egypt. It creates a new problem for Sudan and may :uzpl.i
h Ad
resu i t_s , according
past. as generally oooperaL
only won 222 seats o4 L
d i-ire tk*r'e1ection
national 1*'lectitin ;# misst,in reasonably honest.
pre-election
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sentiment appears to lave en
lac t -ir in surprise vote wn
t::le electorate.
F. ritis h a i.nistra Lir)n in next three yearE
pre pJ ra t i
udanese iudependence faces ad i4AstratAVe
di fieul t les 1B an area where rising tide t op
y estab.iai#ed.
A. Vote, wLic is loudly hailed in Cairo,
o--union but alit l-Lritiab.
=gypt actually created 1atioonal Unity, Party In
October I at of five smaller Sudanese parties. A Ve.
hidden.
1gyp
isaaecial support, latter aspect
leaders frequently visited Budan bet re
elections. General Aagib, half Sudanese, is locally
popular.
Sudanese leaders given_,)
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ypt
be expected to intensify various efforts
Sudan, especially theme of I=ritish colonialism and its-
Egypt, wwever, can offer little to Sudan.
administrators generally bad.
2. Egypt and Sudan
markets of vtorld.
Egyptian use of Sudan as population outlet
would result in strong Sudanese opposition.
Iii. >i svela aats . ntici ated inside Sudan
. Sudan faces complex problems inherent in premature
-governea t
1. Over
cent population illiterate.
division of country between Ara
n- administrative or political experience.
speaking Moslems =is: North and primitive non-doalem
lilac tribes of Sooutla.
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i:. Par lia utarpr ble
be tween, All . iirgnaui, top figure in
urnisbing needed 1.eaderstiip.
2. Intraparty quarrels and breakup distinct
t3,.
Deep-seated political and religious anta,81sl:
eal Unionist
Party, likely to
create serio..is :ricLion and ilaare-up in public disorder.
elected par l is nen t. certain
25X6
d coalition gives no prosise ok:
ldi, :lead
act n Suez Dispute
reaction
daily in past weeks Eden twit
t with interierrin, in elections.
as yet
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Yptias Position
. Egypt, under Nagib's inspiration
puYlicly
s ready to proceed tii Suez settlement.
.t Unyi ldiug British attitude will quickly result
in tough Egyptian reaction bolstered by sense of
victory in Sudan
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