تقرير الخارجية البرطانية عن حقوق الانسان في السودان The human rights situation in Sudan deteriorated between July and September 2013. The worsening of tribal conflict and lawlessness in Darfur, and violent demonstrations in Khartoum and several other cities at the end of September, were significant causes for concern. Fighting has continued between the government of Sudan and the Sudan Revolutionary Front (SRF), with the UN Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs (OCHA) reporting new fighting in North and South Kordofan between 23 and 28 July. The intensity of fighting has reduced since then with the onset of the rainy season. A one-month unilateral ceasefire was declared by the Sudan People’s Liberation Movement–North (a banned militant organisation) from 1 September. However, in the states of South Kordofan and Blue Nile there were further credible reports of aerial bombardment of rebel-held areas by the Sudanese Armed Forces, with civilian casualties. There were also reports of at least 12 civilian deaths due to unexploded ordinance in South Kordofan. Human rights groups have reported that the government of Sudan continues to detain without charge civilians suspected to be members of the Sudan People’s Liberation Movement-North in the government-held areas in South Kordofan and Blue Nile. Most are still under detention, but several detainees have now been charged and convicted, and 18 female detainees were released on 20 July. OCHA assess that the number of those affected or displaced by conflict in the two border states is over one million, although it is impossible to verify these figures without independent access to the areas. OCHA figures state that 225,000 Sudanese have taken refuge in South Sudan and Ethiopia after fleeing the conflict in South Kordofan and Blue Nile. OCHA also report that out of 63,000 people displaced by attacks by the SRF in late April, 21,000 had returned to their homes by the end of July. The government of Sudan and the SRF have yet to agree on technical preparations to administer polio vaccines to 165,000 children under five in rebel-held areas, which would include the need for a two-week ceasefire to allow vaccination to take place. The security situation in Darfur continues to deteriorate, with reports of looting and armed robbery affecting both aid workers and Darfur residents. Seven UNAMID (African Union – United Nations Mission in Darfur) peacekeepers were killed in an ambush in South Darfur on 13 July. Armed men attacked and robbed the offices of the American Refugee Committee on 24 August and the International Committee of the Red Cross on 26 August. Inter-tribal fighting has also increased, with over 100 people from the Salamat and Misseriya tribes killed in fighting in Central Darfur on 22-25 July, and nearly three hundred from the Misseriya, Ma’aliya and Reizegat tribes killed in East Darfur on 10-12 August. OCHA reports 134,000 people were newly displaced as a result of this fighting, and remain unreachable due to government restrictions on humanitarian access to many areas in Darfur. Political freedom deteriorated significantly towards the end of the period. Following the lifting of fuel subsidies at the end of September, there were a number of protests in Khartoum, Wad Medani and other cities around Sudan. There were credible reports that over 100 protesters and police were killed, and hundreds more injured, with live ammunition being used by security forces on protesters. Over 600 political activists and protestors were detained by the authorities. Newspapers continued to be subject to censorship: around ten editions of newspapers were confiscated for publishing material the authorities disapproved of between July and mid-September. During the protests in late September, security services issued a directive against negative articles on the lifting of subsidies. Up to three Sudanese newspapers were banned from publishing for indefinite periods. The Khartoum bureaux of Sky News and Al Arabiya were closed down by the authorities. Up to 400 journalists are reported to have gone on strike as a result of the directives. Up to four newspapers have chosen not to publish. On 2 July, the Sudanese Parliament adopted an amendment to the Armed Forces Act that could allow civilians to be tried in military courts. In August, President Bashir announced that International NGOs would not be allowed to work on human rights. The effects of both acts remain to be seen. A Christian international aid worker was forced to leave Sudan in August after security forces alleged he was engaged in proselytisation work. A positive development was the 8 September release of a political prisoner from the Popular Congress Party, after almost 12 years in prison. There were several cases of concern in the courts in this period. A police officer from Darfur who wrote a report on corruption was sentenced to four years in prison on 23 August on charges of discrediting the police and creating false information. A woman from Khartoum is being tried for public indecency after refusing to cover her head in a government office in Jebel Aulia, and could face flogging. Sudanese lawyers also report continued harassment of Darfuri students by the police and security forces, including beatings, arbitrary arrest, and mistreatment while in detention. 6
Posted on: Wed, 06 Nov 2013 20:50:15 +0000