UN official urges human rights probe in Abyei, South Kordofan
June 27, 2011 (KHARTOUM) – A senior UN official has called for thorough investigations into human rights abuses in Sudan’s flashpoint regions of Abyei and South Korodfan, currently the scene of occupation and clashes between forces of North and South Sudan.
The already-tense relations further plummeted after SAF clashes with elements aligned with the South Sudan army in the South Kordofan, which lies on the Northern side of the North-South border. The fighting escalated into heavy artillery and aerial bombardment by the SAF amid reports of widespread abuses and ethnically-targeted attacks. The UN says more than 70,000 people were displaced by the fighting.
In a press conference held in Khartoum on June 27, the UN Deputy High Commissioner for Human Rights, Kyung-wha Kang, highlighted several human rights concerns in both North and South Sudan.
Kang, who concluded a week-long visit to Sudan during which she visited South Sudan, the border-areas and the war-battered region of Darfur, said it was “necessary” to launch a thorough human rights investigation in Abyei and South Kordofan “as soon as possible.”
She expressed regret over the devastation she saw during her brief stay in Abyei. According to Kang, “looters still roamed among the ruins in the presence of Sudan Armed Forces.”
The UN official reiterated calls on the government to facilitate access for humanitarian actors to assist the people affected by the fighting in these areas.
On Darfur, Kang urged the government of Sudan to create a human rights environment in the region, saying that little had changed in Darfur since her last visit eight years ago.
In order to create this environment, she said the government must lift the state of emergency in the region and guarantee freedom of expression, freedom from arbitrary arrest and freedom of association.
Kang leveled criticism at the the country’s National Intelligence and Security Services (NISS), saying that the wide powers granted to its members to detain and arrest people for long periods “must be brought in line with the international conventions that Sudan has ratified.”
Sudan’s western region of Darfur degenerated into a state of armed conflicts when rebels took up arms against the central government in 2003, accusing it of neglecting the region.
A counterinsurgency campaign waged by Khartoum army and its allied militias is blamed for creating a humanitarian catastrophe, where more than 300,000 people died and millions displaced, according to UN estimates. Khartoum says that around 10,000 have been killed.
(ST)
Abyei Soil
UN official urges human rights probe in Abyei, South Kordofan
Sudan’s National Intelligence Security Services [NISS] is serving the interest of arabs race in Sudan. They don’t mind about any other human being who share the country with them. So, if hands are there for the United Nation [UN] which can equalize the human diginty across the globe, then this is the time you can make a difference in Sudan. We suffered quite along time under foreigners treating the indigenous people in the way snakes are being treated.
I welcome thorough investigation of the incident in Abyei and South Kordofan by Sudan Armed Forces [SAF] and hoping justice to look into what should be the remedy to the damage caused to us. We need those responsible for the killing innocent people, women, children, elderly people, looting and burning down the whole villages causing massive displacement in both region as our people are now in Turalei under serious health conditions very risky in rainy reason. You see, I really sided UN to bring those people to justice.
Emmanuel Ajang Solomon
UN official urges human rights probe in Abyei, South Kordofan
UN,UN.
Sudan Government is thinking like you are not serious, because most of the time they don’t care of what you said and it continue to do so they way they want.
Now they want to deceived the Nubians to give in their Guns so that they can easily get them one by one, I think people of Darfur, Nubians Engasina and all the margenilized people need to have one voice to talk of their problems otherwise Khartoum will get them soon.
Khartoum will not agree to bring his people to books as they will say we were acting on orders, from the above, who is President Bashir.