In a Statement before the African Commission on Human and People’s Rights: CIHRS urges the Commission, the African Union and its member states to strengthen efforts to put an end to the grave and widespread human rights abuses that continue to occur

The Cairo Institute for Human Rights Studies (CIHRS) attended the NGO Forum and the African Commission on Human and Peoples&#146 Rights (ACHPR) from the 11th until the 19th of May, 2007.

Between 12-15th of June, CIHRS participated in the yearly ACHPR preparatory NGO Forum organized by the African Center for Democracy and Human Rights Studies. During this Forum CIHRS gave a presentation on the human rights situation in North Africa, and was a member of the drafting committees for NGO Resolutions on “Impunity in Africa” and the situation in Darfur, both of which were adopted by all participating NGOs and submitted to the ACHPR for consideration of adoption.

CIHRS then attended the ACHPR from the 16th through the 19th of May. An oral statement was delivered by CIHRS and distributed to participants by the ACHPRs&#146 Secretariat calling on the Commission, the AU and its member states to do everything in their power to support and facilitate three key international initiatives designed to ensure peace, justice and protection for the Darfurian people including: (1) to apply all political, diplomatic and economic pressure on the government of Sudan to respect the commitments it has made to ensure the full and unhindered access of international humanitarian aid organizations to Internally Displaced Peoples (IDPs) in Darfur; (2) the adoption of a resolution by the Commission that urges the AU to work toward the implementation of its agreement with the UN to deploy a hybrid AU-UN peacekeeping force in Darfur with all due haste, and to endow such a force with a strong civilian protection mandate; (3) for the AU and the Commission to support and facilitate the work of the International Criminal Court concerning its current and any future cases brought against individuals suspected of committing War Crimes in Darfur.

Furthermore, CIHRS also used its statement to point out the highly negative role played by North African states, and almost all members of the League of Arab states, concerning the situation in Darfur. In particular, CIHRS highlighted and condemned the unconditional diplomatic and political support provided by these states for the government of Sudan. Such unconditional support constitutes a political shield which is designed to block all international efforts to pressure the Sudanese government to begin to provide protection and justice for the people of Darfur.