British charity criticises Labour over Darfur ad ban
September 25, 2007 (BOURNEMOUTH, England) — A charity complained Tuesday that a graphic advert urging a halt to the removal of failed Darfuri asylum seekers from Britain to Sudan had been barred from the governing Labour Party’s conference.
The Aegis Trust commissioned a 45-second television advertisement to be shown at the conference showing scars borne by Sadiq Adam Osman which it says were inflicted when he was tortured by Sudanese security services after being sent back from Britain.
“What we were told by an official who was involved in the decision-making process was that they had rejected it as unacceptable,” said David Brown, a spokesman for the Aegis Trust, which campaigns against genocide.
“They said they believed it was very hostile to the government.”
Labour did not immediately respond to a request for comment. The party is holding its annual conference, which runs to Thursday, in Bournemouth on the southern English coast.
The advertisement was commissioned after the Court of Appeal in London blocked Home Office plans to send three Darfuri asylum seekers back to Sudan in April, saying refugee camp conditions would be “unduly harsh.”
The Home Office is appealing the decision and the case is to be heard by the House of Lords, Britain’s highest court, next month.
A Home Office spokeswoman said it believes that non-Arab Darfuris can live safely in Khartoum and that it examines each case individually.
According to United Nations estimates, more than 200,000 people have died and some two million have been displaced in Darfur as a result of the combined effect of war and famine since the conflict erupted more than four years ago.
Crunch talks are due to take place on October 27 between Sudan and Darfur rebels in Tripoli.
Since becoming prime minister in June, Gordon Brown has called on the international commuity to “redouble our efforts” to tackle the crisis in Darfur.
“We will not rest until there is an end to the aerial bombings, a ceasefire, a lasting political settlement and justice for the women and children of Darfur,” Brown told delegates Monday.
The Labour conference was addressed Tuesday by Ikhlass Mohammed Ibrahim, who fled the brutal conflict who said British support was crucial to securing a ceasefire and lasting peace in the region.
“I want to see the Labour Party supporting a fair distribution of power and resources for the people of Darfur. I want to see a political solution and ceasefire,” she said.
“I thank Gordon Brown for making Darfur a priority and urge the Labour Party to make sure no more Darfurians go through what we have been through.”
(AFP)