less important than the extent to which citizens took part in public affairs and were eligible to compete for all offices of the State, including the highest. Noting that government employees could be dismissed by the Revolutionary Command Council for National Salvation and lose their benefits, members also asked how tenure and pension rights were protected. 505. With requested Government a federal reference to article 21 of the Covenant, members of the Committee information on the composition of Sudanese society and on how the intended to arrange for the coexistence of different groups within system. 506. Responding to questions raised and comments made by members of the Committee, the representative stated that his Government was willing to recogniee shortcomings and take the necessary measures to respect the obligations contained in international instruments. However, human rights was a field in which there was a risk of partiality or double standards, particularly with regard to the treatment of a number of third world countries. Countries should be allowed freely to choose their legal system based on their convictions, traditions and customs. In the light of the renewed and increased emphasis being given in recent years by Islamic countries to the application of the Shariah, it would be desirable to submit the rights contained in international human rights instruments, which were adopted at an earlier stage, to a review. noted that the Code 507. Concerning the new Penal Code, the representative contained 132 crimes, of which eight could be classified as political crimes and nine were related to State security. The three southern states in the Sudan with a predominantly non-Muslim population were exempted from the application of Islamic law in penal matters. All laws adopted prior to the suspension in 1969 of the provisional Constitution of 1985 would remain in force until other laws had been adopted. The Covenant, by virtue of its formed an integral part of domestic legislation and could be ratif ication, invoked before all tribunals in the Sudan. The envisaged system of participator*r democracy would have a pyramidal structure, with villages or town-districts at the bases, and providing also for participation by professional organisations. 508. With reference to article 4 of the Covenant, the representative stated that the state of emergency would not be lifted as long as the parties to the conflict in the south of the Sudan had not decided on a peaceful settlement, At present there were two points of contention: the choice of the nation’s political structure (multi-party, federalism or participatory democracy) and the convening of a conference charged with drawing up a new constitution. 509. In reply to questions raised in connection with article 6 of the Covenant, the representative said that three civilians had been executed for illegal trafficking in drugs and currencies. The latter crime was considered to be extremely serious in the light of the current economic situation in the Sudan. The Revolutionary CommandCouncil for National Salvation was charged with approving or overturning death sentences. There was no practice of extrajudicial execution in the Sudan. -126-