US diplomat calls for political freedoms in Sudan
February 26, 2015 (KHARTOUM) – The visiting United States deputy assistant secretary of state for democracy and human rights, said he appealed the Sudanese government officials to release political detainees, to stop confiscation of news papers and restriction on freedom of expression.
Steven Feldstein was speaking to the media in a press conference held in Khartoum at the end of his five-day visit to the Sudanese capital Khartoum and Blue Nile state.
His visit comes after a series of talks on bilateral relations held by the Sudanese presidential assistant Ibrahim Ghandour in Washington with the American officials at the White House and the State Department earlier this month .
I called on the Sudanese government to release political prisoners, and touched on the issues of confiscation of newspapers and freedom for journalists who face harassment, arrests or confiscation, said Feldstein, stressing that his talks focused on the situation of human rights and freedoms in Sudan.
He further expressed hope that the recent American decision to allow export of personal communications hardware and software will promote freedom of expression and help to reach understandings between the two governments and end Sudan’s internal crises.
Washington links the lift of sanctions and normalisation of bilateral relations to the resolution of armed conflicts in the Two Area and Darfur.
Feldstein said that Washington’s position on Darfur conflict did not change, adding he was not able to visit the western Sudan region due to bad weather.
He said he visited Ed Damazin, capital of Blue Nile state where he saw people exhausted of war and suffering from the lack of health care.
The US diplomat called to stop war in Darfur and the Two Areas, pointing that it is important to reach a cease-fire between the warring parties.
He added that such truce will contribute to the delivery of assistance and relief to the affected displaced people and to protect them. He stressed his country condemns the targeting of civilians and denial of humanitarian access.
A group of Sudanese children handed a call for the lift of US sanctions on Sudan to the visiting diplomat at the American embassy.
The letter denounced the negative impact of the sanctions on the ordinary people who are directly affected by these economic measures which” deprive them of the enjoyment of rights, guaranteed by divine law and international conventions”.
Their memorandum pointed to the lack of medications and medical tools as direct result of the long time sanctions.
Also, different civil society groups say they are directly hit by the sanctions as they can no longer receive any support from international foundations.
(ST)