The African Commission on Human and Peoples’ Rights meeting at its 17th Ordinary Session, 13 - 22 March, Lomé, Togo:
Recalling that Sudan is legally bound to comply with international human rights and international humanitarian law treaties it has ratified, including the African Charter on Human and Peoples’ Rights, the International Covenant on Civil and Political Rights, the International Covenant on Economic, Social and Cultural Rights, the Slavery Convention, the Supplementary Convention on the Abolition on Slavery, the Slave Trade and Institutions and Practices Similar to Slavery, the Convention on the Rights of the Child and the four Geneva Conventions of 1949,
Considering the consistent reports from United Nations experts, non-governmental organisations and others of continuing gross violations of human rights committed by the Government of Sudan,
Further considering that such reports also document gross abuses committed by factions of the Sudan Peoples’ Liberation Army (SPLA) and the South Sudan Independence Army (SSIA),
Mindful that the need for large scale humanitarian aid in parts of Sudan is principally a result of the continuing war and gross human rights abuses,
Alarmed by the large number of internally displaced persons and the continuing exodus of refugees, mainly from southern Sudan and the Nuba Mountain region:
1. Expressed deep concern at the continuing human rights abuses in Sudan;
2. Calls on the government to take immediate steps to respect all human rights, including bringing law and practice into line with international human rights standards, carrying out prompt, impartial and independent investigations into reports of human rights violation and bringing to justice those responsible;
3. Further calls on the Government of Sudan to give all detainees prompt and regular access to their family, lawyers and doctors;
4. Calls on all parties to the armed conflict immediately to cease using military force to interfere with the delivery of humanitarian assistance to the civilian population and to allow such assistance to be delivered unhindered;
5. Further calls on all factions of the SPLA and the SSIA to respect international humanitarian law, particularly Article 3 common to the four Geneva Conventions of 1949, including ending deliberate and arbitrary killings and the torture of detainees;
6. Appeals to the Government of the Sudan to support negotiations for a settlement to the conflict and ensure that any agreement includes strong guarantees for the protection of human rights;
7. Calls for human rights monitors to be placed in Sudan and other locations to facilitate the monitoring and assessment of the human rights situation throughout the country.
