Sudan's President Promises Islamic Constitution, Defends Sharia Punishments

Reuters today reports that Sudan's president, Omar Hassan al-Bashir, at a rally today told supporters that if Southern Sudan votes to secede in January's referendum, the rest of Sudan will adopt an Islamic constitution.  An interim constitution adopted in 2005 limited shariah law to the north and recognized "the cultural and social diversity of the Sudanese people." Bashir says that the recognition of that diversity will disappear in his new constitution. Bashir also defended a YouTube video of police lashing a woman, saying: "If she is lashed according to sharia law there is no investigation. Why are some people ashamed? This is sharia."