African Centre for Justice and Peace Studies ACJPS | المركز الافريقي لدراسات العدالة و السلام
Human Rights Council – 36th session
Item 10 – Interactive Dialogue with the Independent Expert on Sudan
27th September 2017
FIDH and its member organisation, the African Centre for Justice and Peace Studies (ACJPS) share the Independent Expert’s concerns about serious human rights challenges still not addressed by Sudan.
Serious and persistent challenges include the climate of total impunity for human rights violators. This includes the failure, four years on, to hold anyone to account for the killing, by security forces, of at least 185 people during protests in September 2013.
We have raised consistent concerns about the excessive and deadly use of force by security forces against protestors and during other public gatherings. We express particular concern about the killings and injuries sustained just four days ago when Sudanese forces opened live ammunition on a crowd of protestors at Kalma camp for internally displaced persons (IDPs) in Darfur, on 22 September.
Despite a ceasefire in place, we note that human rights organizations continue to document indiscriminate attacks on civilians, extrajudicial killings, abductions and acts of sexual violence, including in the conflict areas of Darfur, South Kordofan and Blue Nile. Lack of access to these areas continues to block the provision of humanitarian aid.
The freedoms of expression, association and assembly continue to be severely curtailed.
Mr. President,
We urge the Council to acknowledge and respond appropriately to the protracted and dire human rights situation in Sudan. The climate of repression that blocks independent monitoring and reporting on the ground necessitates the appointment by this Council of a robust mandate to monitor and regularly report on violations of international human rights and humanitarian law throughout the country.
Thank you.
