Sudan Human Rights Monitor Issue 7

(August-September 2010) The African Centre for Justice and Peace Studies is dedicating this issue of the Sudan Human Rights Monitor to our dear friend and colleague, Abdelsalam Hassan Abdelsalam, who was tragically killed in London on 13 March 2010. A memorial celebrating Abdelsalam’s life was hosted by Redress Trust, where he worked as Sudan Legal Advisor, and Abdelsalam’s family and friends in London on 16 October. Over 200 people attended and expressed admiration for Abdelsalam’s work and love for his character. The memorial featured speeches by Abdelsalam’s family, friends, and colleagues, and poetry, music, and video of him speaking in conferences and public symposia. Copies of his publications and booklets of tribute messages written to him after his untimely death on Redress’ website and Sudanese Online were distributed.

Although he had lived in London for many years, Abdelsalam grew up and was educated in Wadi Halfa, Sudan and dedicated his life to the cause of human rights in his motherland. He worked as a private attorney from 1982 to 1989 in Khartoum, playing an active role in defending human rights, democracy, and the rule of law under the auspices of the Sudan Bar Association, and spent a few years imprisoned in the mid-80’s due to his work. Following the 1989 coup, Abdelsalam left with his wife and daughter for the United Kingdom, where he obtained refugee status. In 1991, he worked to reestablish the Sudan Human Rights Network in exile. Later, he worked with Human Rights Watch and Justice Africa. He predicted the end of the civil war years ahead of his time and the need to establish grounds for social integration, peace, justice, and human rights. He was an organiser of the groundbreaking 1999 Kampala conference which brought together Northerners and Southerners. In 2001, he co-authored the book Phoenix State: Civil Society, and the Future of Sudan.

Download full issue here.

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