Commissioner calls for dissemination of human rights in southern Sudan

By Isaac Vuni

December 10, 2008 (JUBA) — The acting Chairperson of Southern Sudan Human Rights Commission (SSHRC) Thomas Dut said that no one should be deprived of one’s life because the Government of Southern Sudan (GOSS) has the obligation to protect its people as stipulated in its interim constitution.

Addressing journalists on the global sixtieth anniversary of Human Rights Day at the Southern Sudan Assembly building Wednesday, he called on all Sudanese to seriously observe and disseminate human rights practices that should start from their family then to others.

When asked how many cases are addressed by SSHRC, Dut pointed to abduction, rape and murder cases in Warrap state and Eastern Equatoria state where civilians were arrested by military, and Central Equatoria state where fighting against foreigners has been addressed.

He also reiterated President Salva Kiir’s appeal not to harass foreigners, especially neighbours who have come to help in reconstruction and development of Southern Sudan.

So far, he said, SSHRC has trained executive secretaries, legal officers, victim protection officers, internal auditors and clerks for three weeks after 6th November, who are now ready to be dispatched to various states of Southern Sudan.

Meanwhile the representative of a civil society organisation called Southern Sudan Law Society, Justice Dong Samuel, said prisoners in Juba are kept in inhuman and degrading conditions with 800 deliberately crowded in cells meant for only 300 prisoners.

Justice Dong accused some government officials, without mentioning their names, of deliberately inflicting torture on prisoners, creating alarming concerns that their liberty had been deprived either by police or the attorney general who might have wrongly sentenced them simply to appease the ruling government.

He added that the military rule and laws imposed on Sudanese is demonizing, especially in Darfur, and must be condemned by all peace-loving Sudanese and friends.

Justice Dong further noted that GOSS is working very hard to absorb civil society but civil society such as teachers would like to continue advocating for rights of marginalized Sudanese.

Similarly the UN Development Programme (UNDP) representative Nelson Umbu said human rights violations are committed by state actors but he was quick to elucidate that UNDP provides support to police and prisons only in order to reduce human rights abuses in southern Sudan. He said that UNDP encourages the government to do their work independently.

Meanwhile the chairperson of specialized committee on Human Rights and Humanitarian affairs of Southern Sudan Legislative Assembly (SSLA) Margaret Abudi Peter assured that they will soon pass the human rights bill to enable Sudanese individuals to take responsibility for human rights violation.

Earlier, Commissioner Anei Adik Arop and Executive Secretary Victor Lado said the official celebration of the SSHC will be celebrated in Jonglei state on 19th December. However commissioner Arop further said the delay in passing the commission bill is causing concern to all.

(ST)