Sudanese soldiers carried Jaafar Nimeiri's flag-draped body from the presidential palace in Khartoum to a cemetery in Omdurman, the capital's sister city across the Nile river.

VOA: standard.2009.05.31

During the debate, parliamentary speaker Mustapha Ben Jaafar referred to Mr Khedhri's self-immolation.

BBC: Rescuers help Adel Khedhri on Tuesday

The military-led government of President Jaafar Numeiri agreed to autonomy for the south in 1972, but fighting broke out again in 1983.

BBC: Sudan profile