Sudan sees “victory” in UN Human Rights Council’s resolution

September 28, 2012 (KHARTOUM) – The Sudanese government has hailed as “victory” the resolution of the UN Human Rights Council (UNHRC) to keep the country under the agenda item 10 of technical assistance for another year despite what an official described as attempts by some parties to move Sudan back to agenda item 4 of monitoring.

UNHRC decided, at the conclusion of its 22nd session late on Friday, to renew for a period of one year the mandate of independent expert on the human rights situation in Sudan, Mashood Baderin, under agenda item 10 of providing technical assistance in the field of human rights.

The Geneva-based council also “noted with concern” the humanitarian situation in Sudan’s southern states of South Kordofan and Blue Nile, where an armed conflict between the government and rebels is said to have generated dire humanitarian conditions.

But Sudan is apparently happy with the decision although that the mandate of the independent expert was not terminated as it expected.

According to the country’s justice minister, Mohammed Bushara Dosa, the UNHRC resolution is “a victory by all standards”

Speaking to reporters in the capital Khartoum on Friday, Dosa explained that keeping Sudan under agenda item 10 came despite accusations by some European countries that Khartoum is committing human rights violation in South Kordofan and Blue Nile as well as attempts by others to relegate Sudan to agenda item 4 of monitoring.

Dosa noted that the UNHRC asked the government to allow the independent expert Mashood Baderin to visit the two regions in the coming period.

Baderin complained, during his first visit to Sudan in June this year, that the government did not allow him to visit the western region of Darfur and investigate the human rights situation there.

The rapporteur of Sudan’s Human Rights Advisory Council, Mu’az Tango, also told reporters on Friday that many countries realize that Sudan does not need to be moved back to agenda item 4 of monitoring.

He claimed that the retention of Sudan under agenda item 10 was strongly adopted by the non-alignment group and even some European countries including Switzerland.

In August this year, Sudan withdrew its candidacy for a seat on the UNHRC following an outcry by rights groups. Khartoum later said it withdrew the bid due to “diplomatic considerations”

(ST)