Members of the Governance and Outcomes Committee of Sudan’s ongoing National Dialogue have carried out a heated debate on land issues and also agreed on the need to conduct a new population census, multiple sources told the Khartoum-based Al Jareeda newspaper.

The committee members agreed to establish a Lands Commission which derives its mandate from the 2005 Interim Constitution to address issues pertaining to land and a separate commission for statistics.

The sources further said the committee members were sharply divided on the Sudanese Land Act and a new population census during their meeting yesterday.

They noted that some members argued that Sudan’s Land Act of 1925 gives privileges to residents who live near the riverside and also allocates lands to tribes without registration.

Meanwhile, other members see that the Land Act of 1970 as having abolished those privileges and gives the state the right of land ownership, whereas others stressed the need to restore the role of native administration in terms of land.

The same sources explained that a number of committee members pointed out that the previous population census was politically motivated, while others said a new census cannot be conducted without political stability in the country.

But others demanded the conduct of population census after a new government is formed when the ongoing national dialogue is completed.

The committee eventually resolved to conduct a new population census based on international standards provided that an enabling environment is created to ensure that displaced persons and refugees return to their respective areas.

The same sources confirmed that the committee members agreed to establish a Lands Commission that derives its mandate from the 2005 Transitional Constitution to address issues pertaining to land by taking into account the historical rights of citizens.

The committee also resolved to establish a Statistics Commission to ensure the return of displaced persons and refugees to their deserted lands.