PART ONE THE STATE, THE CONSTITUTION AND GUIDING PRINCIPLES CHAPTER I THE STATE AND THE CONSTITUTION Nature of the State 1 (1) The Republic of the Sudan is an independent, sovereign State. It is a democratic, decentralized, multi-cultural, multi­ lingual, multi-racial, multi-ethnic, and multi-religious country where such diversities co-exist. (2) The State is committed to the respect and promotion of human dignity; and is founded on justice, equality and the advancement of human rights and fundamental freedoms and assures multi-partism. (3) The Sudan is an all embracing homeland where religions and cultures are sources of strength, harmony and inspiration. Sovereignty 2 Sovereignty is vested in the people and shall be exercised by the State in accordance with the provisions of this Constitution and the law, without prejudice to the autonomy of Southern Sudan and the states. Supremacy of the Interim National Constitution 3 The Interim National Constitution shall be the supreme law of the land. The Interim Constitution of Southern Sudan, state constitutions and all laws shall comply with it. Fundamental Bases of the Constitution 4 This Constitution is predicated upon and guided by the following principles:(a) the unity of the Sudan is based on the free will of its people, supremacy of the rule of law, decentralized democratic governance, accountability, equality, respect and justice, 3