2 Sudanese political parties seek UN intervention

Oct 22, 2005 (KHARTOUM) — Two opposition Sudanese parties Saturday urged UN intervention to press the government to end human rights violations in the country.

Al-Ummah and the Popular Congress parties made their call in separate meetings with Samar Sima, the UN special rapporteur on human rights in Sudan, currently on a visit to the country for talks with government and opposition officials.

Bashir Adam Rahmah of the Popular Congress Party (PCP) said his group handed Sima a list of 44 names from his party that were still in detention and 48 others who were tried, adding he demanded an international investigation into allegations that some of his party members had died under torture in government prisons.

The Sudanese authorities have arrested dozens of PCP members, including its leader, Hassan Turabi, who spent four years in prison after he split from the ruling National Congress Party, which he had led.

The Ummah Party chief, Sadek al-Mahdi, said he told Sima his party will submit a memorandum to the UN on “the need to turn the peace agreement (between the government and southern rebels) to a more comprehensive peace accord” to include all disputes in the African Arab country.

Al-Mahdi said that during the meeting with the UN envoy, he criticized the human rights conditions in the country, calling for a UN role in securing respect for rights, achieving peace, development and democratic change in Sudan.

(UPI)