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CIHRS Oral Intervention before HRC 9th Session ِAbout Reports of Special Rapp. On Sudan

In United Nations Human Rights Council by CIHRS

Human Rights Council-  Session 9
Agenda Item 4- Reports of Special Rapp. On Sudan
Cairo Institute for Human Rights Studies
Oral Intervention
16 September, 2008

Delivered by Moataz El Fegiery.

Thank you Mr. President.

Both reports by the Special Rapporteur on Sudan submitted at this Session identify official immunity and impunity in all of its forms, and a sever lack of respect for international norms of civilian protection by all parties to the conflict as two of the most  fundamental obstacles in attaining peace and security within Darfur, and the entire country of Sudan.    As the Special Rapporteur points out in her report, no on-the-ground improvements have been made in either of these areas by the government of Sudan.

As a result, the Special Rapporteur has concluded that the situation has not improved, and have actually worsened in terms of human rights protection for civilians in either Darfur or Sudan as a whole.   In order to address this lack of improvement renewed efforts to ensure accountability, justice and civilian protection in Sudan, particularly in Darfur, must be continued and reinforced by this Council.

The recent efforts by the League of Arab States to become involved in the international process of addressing the humanitarian situation and ongoing conflict in Sudan are welcomed by CIHRS.  However, the League of Arab States Solution Package submitted to the Security Council lacks sufficient guarantees that the Sudanese government will begin to genuinely create balanced and universal accountability mechanisms for crimes committed in Darfur.

The progressive implementation of the Recommendations created by the Human Rights Council Expert Group on Darfur, especially those related to combating impunity and increasing civilian protection, remain the most extensive and promising means of beginning a sustainable peace process in Darfur and all of Sudan.

As such, these recommendations, and the mainstreaming of human rights enforcement,  should be included in any Solution Package presented by or initiated by  the League of Arab States.

Thank you Mr. President

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