E.U. to toughen human right draft resolution on Sudan

KHARTOUM, May 10, 2004 (Sudan Tribune) — In a unexpected development, the European Union (E.U.) has amended its human rights draft resolution on Sudan from article 19, related to technical assistance, to article 9, related to countries violating human rights .

The E.U. submitted for approval the new amendment to the U.N. Commission on Human Rights, the Khartoum based newspaper Al-Ayam reported.

The passing and sanctioning of the new plan by the U.N. Commission in Geneva on Thursday 13 May will spell censure for Sudan, making it susceptible to sanctions.

It will also entail appointing a special U.N. rapporteur on the situation in Sudan who will be requested to write periodical field reports to submit to the Commission on Human Rights.

The reason for the amendment of the E.U. draft resolution was due to the situation in western Sudan. The source said: “The EU draft on Sudan will be voted on Thursday 13 May.”

A high-ranking government delegation headed by the minister of justice and the minister of state at the Ministry of External Relations would leave for Geneva this evening to prevent the amendment of the draft resolution.

Sudan Saturday blamed the United States (U.S.) and the E.U. for the deteriorating conditions in Darfur due to their sanctions on the country.

Sudanese Minister of State for Foreign Affairs Najib al-Khair said the U. S. and the E.U. “bear a lot of responsibility for the declining humanitarian conditions in Darfur because of their unwise decision to impose economic sanctions on Sudan.”