| SUDAN Republic of Sudan Jumhuriyat as-Sudan Joined United Nations: 12 November 1956 Human Rights as assured by their constitution Click here Updated 07/28/10 |
| CAPITAL |
| POPULATION |
| CHIEF OF STATE |
| SELECTION PROCESS |
Khartoum
41,980,182 (July 2010 est.)
Umar Hassan Ahmad al-Bashir
President since 16 October 1993
President since 16 October 1993
Al-Bashir assumed power as chairman of Sudan's Revolutionary
Command Council for National Salvation (RCC) in June 1989 and
served concurrently as chief of state, chairman of the RCC, prime
minister, and minister of defense until mid-October 1993 when he
was appointed president by the RCC; he was elected president by
popular vote for the first time in March 1996; election last held
11-15 April 2010; next to be held in 2015
Command Council for National Salvation (RCC) in June 1989 and
served concurrently as chief of state, chairman of the RCC, prime
minister, and minister of defense until mid-October 1993 when he
was appointed president by the RCC; he was elected president by
popular vote for the first time in March 1996; election last held
11-15 April 2010; next to be held in 2015
HEAD OF GOVERNMENT
Ali Osman Taha
Vice President since 20 September 2005
Vice President since 20 September 2005
According to the Sudanese Constitution the President is both the
Chief of State and Head of Government
Chief of State and Head of Government
| DECLARATION OF HUMAN RIGHTS |
| ETHNIC GROUPS |
Black 52%, Arab 39%, Beja 6%, foreigners 2%, other 1%
| RELIGIONS |
Sunni Muslim 70% (in north), Christian 5% (mostly in south and Khartoum), indigenous beliefs 25%
| GOVERNMENT STRUCTURE |
Government of National Unity (GNU) - the National Congress Party (NCP) and Sudan People's Liberation Movement
(SPLM) formed a power-sharing government under the 2005 Comprehensive Peace Agreement (CPA); the NCP,
which came to power by military coup in 1989, is the majority partner; the agreement stipulates national elections for
the 2008 - 2009 timeframe; 25 states (wilayat, singular - wilayah); Legal system based on English common law and Islamic
law; as of 20 January 1991, the now defunct Revolutionary Command Council imposed Islamic law in the northern states;
Islamic law applies to all residents of the northern states regardless of their religion; however, the CPA establishes some
protections for non-Muslims in Khartoum; some separate religious courts; accepts compulsory ICJ jurisdiction, with
reservations; the southern legal system is still developing under the CPA following the civil war; Islamic law will not apply to
the southern states
Executive: President elected by popular vote for a four year term though last election was in December 2000 in what
was widely believe to be a rigged election. First Vice President is the President of the autonomous Government of
Southern Sudan as part of the power sharing arrangement in the Comprehensive Peace Agreement. Election last held
on 11-15 April 2010; next to be held in 2015
Legislative: Bicameral National Legislature consists of a Council of States (50 seats; members indirectly elected by
state legislatures to serve six-year terms) and a National Assembly (450 seats; 60% from geographic constituencies,
25% from a women's list, and 15% from party lists; members to serve six-year terms)
elections: last held on 11-15 April 2010 (next to be held in 2016)
Judicial: Constitutional Court of nine justices; National Supreme Court; National Courts of Appeal; other national
courts; National Judicial Service Commission will undertake overall management of the National Judiciary
(SPLM) formed a power-sharing government under the 2005 Comprehensive Peace Agreement (CPA); the NCP,
which came to power by military coup in 1989, is the majority partner; the agreement stipulates national elections for
the 2008 - 2009 timeframe; 25 states (wilayat, singular - wilayah); Legal system based on English common law and Islamic
law; as of 20 January 1991, the now defunct Revolutionary Command Council imposed Islamic law in the northern states;
Islamic law applies to all residents of the northern states regardless of their religion; however, the CPA establishes some
protections for non-Muslims in Khartoum; some separate religious courts; accepts compulsory ICJ jurisdiction, with
reservations; the southern legal system is still developing under the CPA following the civil war; Islamic law will not apply to
the southern states
Executive: President elected by popular vote for a four year term though last election was in December 2000 in what
was widely believe to be a rigged election. First Vice President is the President of the autonomous Government of
Southern Sudan as part of the power sharing arrangement in the Comprehensive Peace Agreement. Election last held
on 11-15 April 2010; next to be held in 2015
Legislative: Bicameral National Legislature consists of a Council of States (50 seats; members indirectly elected by
state legislatures to serve six-year terms) and a National Assembly (450 seats; 60% from geographic constituencies,
25% from a women's list, and 15% from party lists; members to serve six-year terms)
elections: last held on 11-15 April 2010 (next to be held in 2016)
Judicial: Constitutional Court of nine justices; National Supreme Court; National Courts of Appeal; other national
courts; National Judicial Service Commission will undertake overall management of the National Judiciary
| LANGUAGES |
Arabic (official), Nubian, Ta Bedawie, diverse dialects of Nilotic, Nilo-Hamitic, Sudanic languages, English
note: program of "Arabization" in process
note: program of "Arabization" in process
| BRIEF HISTORY |
Archaeological excavation of archaeological sites on the Nile above Aswan has confirmed human habitation in the river
valley during the Paleolithic period that spanned more than 60,000 years of Sudanese history. A prehistoric burial
discovered in northern Sudan reveals what is believed to be the world's earliest indication of warfare, dating to the 12th
millennium BC. By the eighth millennium B.C., people of a Neolithic culture had settled into a sedentary way of life there
in fortified mud-brick villages, where they supplemented hunting and fishing on the Nile with grain gathering and cattle
herding. Anthropological and archaeological research indicate that during the pre-dynastic period Nubia and Nagadan
Upper Egypt were ethnically, and culturally nearly identical, and thus, simultaneously evolved systems of pharaonic
kingship by 3300 BC. But during the close of the Nagada III period, Nagada, in its bid to conquer and unify the whole
Nile valley, seems to have conquered their southern neighbors and thus, "egyptianized" them. The result appears to have
been the depopulation of the entire Lower Nubian area, either by the genocidal efforts of the First Dynasty Egyptian
kings, or by the migration (forced or voluntary) of the Nubians to areas north and south. Northern Sudan's earliest
historical record comes from Egyptian sources, which described the land upstream from the First Cataract, called Kush,
as "wretched." For more than 2,000 years after the Old Kingdom (ca. 2700-2180 B.C.), Egyptian political and economic
activities determined the course of the central Nile region's history. Even during intermediate periods when Egyptian
political power in Kush waned, Egypt exerted a profound cultural and religious influence on the Kushite people. Around
1720 B.C., Asian nomads called Hyksos invaded Egypt, ended the Middle Kingdom, severed links with Kush, and
destroyed the forts along the Nile River. By the sixth century, three states had emerged as the political and cultural heirs of
the Meroitic kingdom. Nobatia in the north, had its capital at Faras, in what is now Egypt; the central kingdom, Muqurra,
was centered at Dunqulah, the old city on the Nile about 150 kilometers south of modern Dunqulah; and Alwa, in the
heartland of old Meroe in the south, had its capital at Sawba. In all three kingdoms, warrior aristocracies ruled Meroitic
populations from royal courts where functionaries bore Greek titles in emulation of the Byzantine court. Islam came to
Egypt in the 640s, and pressed southward; around 651 the governor of Egypt raided as far south as Dongola. The
Muslims or the Arabs met with stiff resistance and found little wealth worth capturing. They thus ceased their offensive and
a treaty known as the baqt was signed between the Arabs and Makuria. This treaty held for some seven hundred years.
Far less is known about the history of southern Sudan. It seems as though it was home to a variety of semi-nomadic
tribes. In the 16th century one of these tribes, known as the Funj, moved north and united Nubia forming the Kingdom of
Sennar. The Funj sultans quickly converted to Islam and that religion steadily became more entrenched. At the same time,
the Darfur Sultanate arose in the west. Between them, the Taqali established a state in the Nuba Hills. The economy of
Sudan was feudally based, with a large number of slaves supporting the ruling Jellaba class. The Jellaba were Arab
merchants who had come to Sudan with Islam. They traded across the region, but did not build up much industrial or
productive capability in Sudan. Through the centuries millions of slaves were captured and sold in Sudan, many being
exported to the Middle East. The slave trade made southern blacks hostile toward Islam, preventing its spread in those
areas. In 1820–21, an Egyptian-Ottoman force conquered and unified the northern portion of the country. The new
government was known as the Turkiyah or Turkish regime. They were looking to open new markets and sources of
natural resources. Historically, the pestilential swamps of the Sudd discouraged expansion into the deeper south of the
country. Although Egypt claimed all of the present Sudan during most of the 19th century, and established a province
Equatoria in southern Sudan to further this aim, it was unable to establish effective control over the area, which remained
an area of fragmented tribes subject to frequent attacks by slave raiders. In the later years of the Turkiyah, the British
missionaries traveled from what is now modern day Kenya in to the Sudd to convert the local tribes to Christianity. During
the 1870s European initiatives against the slave trade caused an economic crisis in southern Sudan, precipitating the rise of
Mahdist forces. An Anglo-Egyptian force under Lord Kitchener in 1898sent to Sudan. Sudan was proclaimed a
condominium in 1899 under British-Egyptian administration. The Governor-General of the Sudan, for example, was
appointed by 'Khedival Decree', rather than simply by the British Crown, but while maintaining the appearance of joint
administration, the British Empire formulated policies, and supplied most of the top administrators. In 1892 a Belgian
expedition claimed portions of southern Sudan that became known as the Lado Enclave. The Lado Enclave was officially
part of the Belgian Congo. An 1896 agreement between the United Kingdom and Belgium saw the enclave turned over to
the British after the death of King Léopold II in 1910. At the same time the French claimed several areas: Bahr el Ghazal,
and the Western Upper Nile up to Fashoda. By 1896 they had a firm administrative hold on these areas and they planned
on annexing them to French West Africa. An international conflict known as the Fashoda incident developed between
France and the United Kingdom over these areas. In 1899 France agreed to cede the area to the UK. Then in 1946 the
British colonial authority reversed its policy and decided to integrate north and south Sudan under one government. South
Sudanese authorities were informed at the Juba Conference of 1947 that they would now be governed by a common
administrative authority with the north. From 1948, 13 delegates, picked by the British authorities represented the south
on the Sudan Legislative Assembly. Many southerners felt betrayed by the British because they were largely excluded
from the new government. The language of the new government was Arabic, but the bureaucrats and politicians from
southern Sudan had, for the most part, been trained in English. Of the 800 new governmental positions vacated by the
British in 1953, only 4 were given to southerners. Also, the political structure in the south was not as organized in the
north, so political groupings and parties from the south were not represented at the various conferences and talks that
established the modern state of Sudan. As a result, many southerners do not consider Sudan to be a legitimate state.
Sudan achieved independence on 1 January 1956, under a provisional constitution. The United States was among the first
foreign powers to recognize the new state. However, the Arab-led Khartoum government reneged on promises to
southerners to create a federal system, which led to a mutiny by southern army officers that sparked 17 years of civil war
(1955-1972). In 1983 the civil war was reignited following the government's Islamicization policy which would have
instituted Islamic law, among other things. After several years of fighting, the government compromised with southern
groups. In 1989 it appeared the war would end, but a coup brought a military junta into power which was not interested
in compromise. Since that time the war raged across Sudan. A final peace treaty was signed on 9 January 2005 in
Nairobi. A new rebellion in the western region of Darfur began in early 2003. The rebels accuse the central government of
neglecting the Darfur region, although there is uncertainty regarding the objectives of the rebels and whether they merely
seek an improved position for Darfur within Sudan or outright secession. Both the government and the rebels have been
accused of atrocities in this war, although most of the blame has fallen on Arab militias (Janjaweed) allied with the
government. The Chadian-Sudanese conflict officially started on December 23, 2005, when the government of Chad
declared a state of war with Sudan.
Source: Wikipedia History of Sudan
valley during the Paleolithic period that spanned more than 60,000 years of Sudanese history. A prehistoric burial
discovered in northern Sudan reveals what is believed to be the world's earliest indication of warfare, dating to the 12th
millennium BC. By the eighth millennium B.C., people of a Neolithic culture had settled into a sedentary way of life there
in fortified mud-brick villages, where they supplemented hunting and fishing on the Nile with grain gathering and cattle
herding. Anthropological and archaeological research indicate that during the pre-dynastic period Nubia and Nagadan
Upper Egypt were ethnically, and culturally nearly identical, and thus, simultaneously evolved systems of pharaonic
kingship by 3300 BC. But during the close of the Nagada III period, Nagada, in its bid to conquer and unify the whole
Nile valley, seems to have conquered their southern neighbors and thus, "egyptianized" them. The result appears to have
been the depopulation of the entire Lower Nubian area, either by the genocidal efforts of the First Dynasty Egyptian
kings, or by the migration (forced or voluntary) of the Nubians to areas north and south. Northern Sudan's earliest
historical record comes from Egyptian sources, which described the land upstream from the First Cataract, called Kush,
as "wretched." For more than 2,000 years after the Old Kingdom (ca. 2700-2180 B.C.), Egyptian political and economic
activities determined the course of the central Nile region's history. Even during intermediate periods when Egyptian
political power in Kush waned, Egypt exerted a profound cultural and religious influence on the Kushite people. Around
1720 B.C., Asian nomads called Hyksos invaded Egypt, ended the Middle Kingdom, severed links with Kush, and
destroyed the forts along the Nile River. By the sixth century, three states had emerged as the political and cultural heirs of
the Meroitic kingdom. Nobatia in the north, had its capital at Faras, in what is now Egypt; the central kingdom, Muqurra,
was centered at Dunqulah, the old city on the Nile about 150 kilometers south of modern Dunqulah; and Alwa, in the
heartland of old Meroe in the south, had its capital at Sawba. In all three kingdoms, warrior aristocracies ruled Meroitic
populations from royal courts where functionaries bore Greek titles in emulation of the Byzantine court. Islam came to
Egypt in the 640s, and pressed southward; around 651 the governor of Egypt raided as far south as Dongola. The
Muslims or the Arabs met with stiff resistance and found little wealth worth capturing. They thus ceased their offensive and
a treaty known as the baqt was signed between the Arabs and Makuria. This treaty held for some seven hundred years.
Far less is known about the history of southern Sudan. It seems as though it was home to a variety of semi-nomadic
tribes. In the 16th century one of these tribes, known as the Funj, moved north and united Nubia forming the Kingdom of
Sennar. The Funj sultans quickly converted to Islam and that religion steadily became more entrenched. At the same time,
the Darfur Sultanate arose in the west. Between them, the Taqali established a state in the Nuba Hills. The economy of
Sudan was feudally based, with a large number of slaves supporting the ruling Jellaba class. The Jellaba were Arab
merchants who had come to Sudan with Islam. They traded across the region, but did not build up much industrial or
productive capability in Sudan. Through the centuries millions of slaves were captured and sold in Sudan, many being
exported to the Middle East. The slave trade made southern blacks hostile toward Islam, preventing its spread in those
areas. In 1820–21, an Egyptian-Ottoman force conquered and unified the northern portion of the country. The new
government was known as the Turkiyah or Turkish regime. They were looking to open new markets and sources of
natural resources. Historically, the pestilential swamps of the Sudd discouraged expansion into the deeper south of the
country. Although Egypt claimed all of the present Sudan during most of the 19th century, and established a province
Equatoria in southern Sudan to further this aim, it was unable to establish effective control over the area, which remained
an area of fragmented tribes subject to frequent attacks by slave raiders. In the later years of the Turkiyah, the British
missionaries traveled from what is now modern day Kenya in to the Sudd to convert the local tribes to Christianity. During
the 1870s European initiatives against the slave trade caused an economic crisis in southern Sudan, precipitating the rise of
Mahdist forces. An Anglo-Egyptian force under Lord Kitchener in 1898sent to Sudan. Sudan was proclaimed a
condominium in 1899 under British-Egyptian administration. The Governor-General of the Sudan, for example, was
appointed by 'Khedival Decree', rather than simply by the British Crown, but while maintaining the appearance of joint
administration, the British Empire formulated policies, and supplied most of the top administrators. In 1892 a Belgian
expedition claimed portions of southern Sudan that became known as the Lado Enclave. The Lado Enclave was officially
part of the Belgian Congo. An 1896 agreement between the United Kingdom and Belgium saw the enclave turned over to
the British after the death of King Léopold II in 1910. At the same time the French claimed several areas: Bahr el Ghazal,
and the Western Upper Nile up to Fashoda. By 1896 they had a firm administrative hold on these areas and they planned
on annexing them to French West Africa. An international conflict known as the Fashoda incident developed between
France and the United Kingdom over these areas. In 1899 France agreed to cede the area to the UK. Then in 1946 the
British colonial authority reversed its policy and decided to integrate north and south Sudan under one government. South
Sudanese authorities were informed at the Juba Conference of 1947 that they would now be governed by a common
administrative authority with the north. From 1948, 13 delegates, picked by the British authorities represented the south
on the Sudan Legislative Assembly. Many southerners felt betrayed by the British because they were largely excluded
from the new government. The language of the new government was Arabic, but the bureaucrats and politicians from
southern Sudan had, for the most part, been trained in English. Of the 800 new governmental positions vacated by the
British in 1953, only 4 were given to southerners. Also, the political structure in the south was not as organized in the
north, so political groupings and parties from the south were not represented at the various conferences and talks that
established the modern state of Sudan. As a result, many southerners do not consider Sudan to be a legitimate state.
Sudan achieved independence on 1 January 1956, under a provisional constitution. The United States was among the first
foreign powers to recognize the new state. However, the Arab-led Khartoum government reneged on promises to
southerners to create a federal system, which led to a mutiny by southern army officers that sparked 17 years of civil war
(1955-1972). In 1983 the civil war was reignited following the government's Islamicization policy which would have
instituted Islamic law, among other things. After several years of fighting, the government compromised with southern
groups. In 1989 it appeared the war would end, but a coup brought a military junta into power which was not interested
in compromise. Since that time the war raged across Sudan. A final peace treaty was signed on 9 January 2005 in
Nairobi. A new rebellion in the western region of Darfur began in early 2003. The rebels accuse the central government of
neglecting the Darfur region, although there is uncertainty regarding the objectives of the rebels and whether they merely
seek an improved position for Darfur within Sudan or outright secession. Both the government and the rebels have been
accused of atrocities in this war, although most of the blame has fallen on Arab militias (Janjaweed) allied with the
government. The Chadian-Sudanese conflict officially started on December 23, 2005, when the government of Chad
declared a state of war with Sudan.
Source: Wikipedia History of Sudan
| ECONOMIC OVERVIEW |
Until the second half of 2008, Sudan's economy boomed on the back of increases in oil production, high oil prices, and
large inflows of foreign direct investment. GDP growth registered more than 10% per year in 2006 and 2007. From
1997 to date, Sudan has been working with the IMF to implement macroeconomic reforms including a managed float
of the exchange rate. Sudan began exporting crude oil in the last quarter of 1999. Agricultural production remains
important because it employs 80% of the work force and contributes a third of GDP. The Darfur conflict, the aftermath
of two decades of civil war in the south, the lack of basic infrastructure in large areas, and a reliance by much of the
population on subsistence agriculture ensure much of the population will remain at or below the poverty line for years
despite rapid rises in average per capita income. In January 2007, the government introduced a new currency, the
Sudanese Pound, at an initial exchange rate of $1.00 equals 2 Sudanese Pounds.
Source: CIA World Factbook (select Sudan)
large inflows of foreign direct investment. GDP growth registered more than 10% per year in 2006 and 2007. From
1997 to date, Sudan has been working with the IMF to implement macroeconomic reforms including a managed float
of the exchange rate. Sudan began exporting crude oil in the last quarter of 1999. Agricultural production remains
important because it employs 80% of the work force and contributes a third of GDP. The Darfur conflict, the aftermath
of two decades of civil war in the south, the lack of basic infrastructure in large areas, and a reliance by much of the
population on subsistence agriculture ensure much of the population will remain at or below the poverty line for years
despite rapid rises in average per capita income. In January 2007, the government introduced a new currency, the
Sudanese Pound, at an initial exchange rate of $1.00 equals 2 Sudanese Pounds.
Source: CIA World Factbook (select Sudan)
| POLITICAL CLIMATE |
The peace agreement with the rebel group Sudan People's Liberation Army (SPLA) in 2005 granted Southern Sudan
autonomy for six years, to be followed by a referendum about independence. A Government of National Unity was
installed in Sudan in accordance with the Interim Constitution whereby a co-Vice President position representing the
south was created in addition to the northern Sudanese Vice President. This allowed the north and south to split oil
deposits equally, but also left both the north's and south's armies in place. Following the Darfur Peace Agreement, the
office of senior Presidential advisor was allocated to Minni Minnawi, a Zaghawa of the Sudanese Liberation Army
(SLA), and this thus became the fourth highest constitutional post. Executive posts are divided between the National
Congress Party (NCP), the Sudan People's Liberation Army, Eastern Front and factions of the Umma Party and
Democratic Unionist Party (DUP). The National Legislature of Sudan is the Sudanese parliament, and is also divided
between the these parties, with two chambers: the National Assembly and the Council of States. The parliament
consists of 500 appointed members altogether, where all members serve six-year terms.
Despite his international arrest warrant, Omar al-Bashir won the 2010 Sudanese presidential election, the first
democratic election with multiple political parties participating in nine years. His political rival was Vice President Salva
Kiir Mayardit, current leader of the SPLA.
Source: Wikipedia Politics of Sudan
autonomy for six years, to be followed by a referendum about independence. A Government of National Unity was
installed in Sudan in accordance with the Interim Constitution whereby a co-Vice President position representing the
south was created in addition to the northern Sudanese Vice President. This allowed the north and south to split oil
deposits equally, but also left both the north's and south's armies in place. Following the Darfur Peace Agreement, the
office of senior Presidential advisor was allocated to Minni Minnawi, a Zaghawa of the Sudanese Liberation Army
(SLA), and this thus became the fourth highest constitutional post. Executive posts are divided between the National
Congress Party (NCP), the Sudan People's Liberation Army, Eastern Front and factions of the Umma Party and
Democratic Unionist Party (DUP). The National Legislature of Sudan is the Sudanese parliament, and is also divided
between the these parties, with two chambers: the National Assembly and the Council of States. The parliament
consists of 500 appointed members altogether, where all members serve six-year terms.
Despite his international arrest warrant, Omar al-Bashir won the 2010 Sudanese presidential election, the first
democratic election with multiple political parties participating in nine years. His political rival was Vice President Salva
Kiir Mayardit, current leader of the SPLA.
Source: Wikipedia Politics of Sudan
| INTERNATIONAL DISPUTES |
The effects of Sudan's almost constant ethnic and rebel militia fighting since the mid-20th century have penetrated all of
the neighboring states; as of 2006, Chad, Ethiopia, Kenya, Central African Republic, Democratic Republic of the
Congo, and Uganda provided shelter for over half a million Sudanese refugees, which includes 240,000 Darfur
residents driven from their homes by Janjawid armed militia and the Sudanese military forces; Sudan, in turn, hosted
about 116,000 Eritreans, 20,000 Chadians, and smaller numbers of Ethiopians, Ugandans, Central Africans, and
Congolese as refugees; in February 2006, Sudan and DROC signed an agreement to repatriate 13,300 Sudanese and
6,800 Congolese; Sudan accuses Eritrea of supporting Sudanese rebel groups; efforts to demarcate the porous
boundary with Ethiopia proceed slowly due to civil and ethnic fighting in eastern Sudan; the boundary that separates
Kenya and Sudan's sovereignty is unclear in the "Ilemi Triangle," which Kenya has administered since colonial times;
Sudan claims but Egypt de facto administers security and economic development of Halaib region north of the 22nd
parallel boundary; periodic violent skirmishes with Sudanese residents over water and grazing rights persist among
related pastoral populations along the border with the Central African Republic
the neighboring states; as of 2006, Chad, Ethiopia, Kenya, Central African Republic, Democratic Republic of the
Congo, and Uganda provided shelter for over half a million Sudanese refugees, which includes 240,000 Darfur
residents driven from their homes by Janjawid armed militia and the Sudanese military forces; Sudan, in turn, hosted
about 116,000 Eritreans, 20,000 Chadians, and smaller numbers of Ethiopians, Ugandans, Central Africans, and
Congolese as refugees; in February 2006, Sudan and DROC signed an agreement to repatriate 13,300 Sudanese and
6,800 Congolese; Sudan accuses Eritrea of supporting Sudanese rebel groups; efforts to demarcate the porous
boundary with Ethiopia proceed slowly due to civil and ethnic fighting in eastern Sudan; the boundary that separates
Kenya and Sudan's sovereignty is unclear in the "Ilemi Triangle," which Kenya has administered since colonial times;
Sudan claims but Egypt de facto administers security and economic development of Halaib region north of the 22nd
parallel boundary; periodic violent skirmishes with Sudanese residents over water and grazing rights persist among
related pastoral populations along the border with the Central African Republic
| REFUGEES AND INTERNALLY DISPLACED PERSONS (IDP) |
Refugees (country of origin): 157,220 (Eritrea); 25,023 (Chad); 11,009 (Ethiopia); 7,895 (Uganda); 5,023 (Central
African Republic)
IDPs: 5.3 - 6.2 million (civil war 1983-2005; ongoing conflict in Darfur region) (2007)
African Republic)
IDPs: 5.3 - 6.2 million (civil war 1983-2005; ongoing conflict in Darfur region) (2007)
| ILLICIT DRUGS |
None reported.
| HUMAN RIGHTS STATEMENTS, ANALYSIS AND CRITIQUES |
2009 Human Rights Report: Sudan
Bureau of Democracy, Human Rights, and Labor
2009 Country Reports on Human Rights Practices
March 11, 2010
Sudan, a republic with an estimated population of 40 million, is governed according to a power-sharing arrangement established by
the 2005 Comprehensive Peace Agreement (CPA), which ended the 22-year civil war between the north and south and established
an interim Government of National Unity (GNU). The CPA calls for national elections to be held in 2009; however, elections did not
occur during the year. The GNU is composed of the National Congress Party (NCP), dominated by Islamists from the north and
ruled by authoritarian President Omar Hassan al-Bashir and his inner circle, and the Sudan People's Liberation Movement (SPLM),
the political wing of the Sudan People's Liberation Army (SPLA) led predominantly by Christians and practitioners of traditional
indigenous religions from the south. The most recent national elections were held in 2000; Bashir was reelected, and his political
party won 340 out of 360 seats in the parliament in deeply flawed elections boycotted by all major opposition parties. The SPLM is
the ruling party of the semiautonomous Government of Southern Sudan (GOSS), established in 2005. The GOSS ratified a separate
constitution in 2005. A referendum to determine whether the south will become an independent entity is scheduled for 2011. The
country experienced several violent conflicts during the year. While civilian authorities in the north generally maintained effective
control of the security forces and government-aligned militia outside of Darfur, there were frequent instances in which elements of
the security forces and government-aligned militia acted independently in Darfur. In the south, civilian authorities generally
maintained effective control of security forces, but there were frequent instances in which elements of the security forces acted
independently.
Conflict and human rights abuses in Darfur continued despite the 2006 Darfur Peace Agreement (DPA) between the government
and Minni Minawi's faction of the Sudan Liberation Movement/Army. Civilians in Darfur continued to suffer from the
consequences of genocide. Government forces and government-aligned militia continued to kill civilians; the government continued
to bomb civilian areas. Women and girls experienced continued gender-based violence. The government supported Chadian rebel
groups. Darfur rebel groups committed serious abuses. According to the UN nearly 2.7 million civilians have been internally
displaced, and over 250,000 refugees have fled to neighboring Chad since the conflict in Darfur began in 2003. The UN estimated
in 2006 that 200,000 persons had died as a result of the conflict, and that by 2008 up to 100,000 more may have died.
On March 4, the International Criminal Court (ICC) issued an arrest warrant for President Bashir as an indirect perpetrator or as an
indirect coperpetrator of five counts of crimes against humanity--murder, extermination, forcible transfer, torture, and rape--and
two counts of war crimes--intentionally directing attacks against a civilian population as such or against individual civilians not
taking part in hostilities, and pillaging in Darfur between March 2003 and July 2008. Following the announcement, the government
expelled 13 humanitarian nongovernmental organizations (NGOs) from the country. The government also shut down three
Sudanese NGOs in March. The expulsions and closures decreased the provision of humanitarian and development assistance,
particularly in Darfur and the Three Areas (Abyei, Blue Nile, and Southern Kordofan).
Interethnic fighting and attacks by the Lord's Resistance Army (LRA) resulted in an estimated 2,500 deaths and the displacement of
359,000 persons during the year in the south. Tensions over CPA implementation persisted between the north and the south.
Fighting between Sudanese Armed Forces (SAF) and SPLA members in Malakal resulted in civilian deaths.
The following human rights abuses occurred: abridgement of citizens' right to change their government; extrajudicial and other
unlawful killings by government forces and other government-aligned groups throughout the country; torture, beatings, rape, and
other cruel, inhumane treatment or punishment by security forces; harsh prison conditions; arbitrary arrest and detention,
incommunicado detention of suspected government opponents, and prolonged pretrial detention; executive interference with the
judiciary and denial of due process; obstruction of the delivery of humanitarian assistance and the expulsion of humanitarian NGOs;
restrictions on privacy; restrictions on freedom of speech; restrictions on the press, including direct censorship; restrictions on
freedoms of assembly, association, religion, and movement; harassment of IDPs; harassment and closure of human rights
organizations; violence and discrimination against women, including female genital mutilation (FGM); child abuse, including sexual
violence and recruitment of child soldiers, particularly in Darfur; preventing international human rights observers from traveling
to/within Sudan; trafficking in persons; discrimination and violence against ethnic minorities; denial of workers' rights; and forced
and child labor.
In Darfur government-aligned militias killed and injured civilians, including during attacks on villages; raped women and children;
destroyed and looted civilian property; and used child soldiers.
Rebel factions and bandits in Darfur killed and abducted civilians, humanitarian workers, and United Nations – African Union
Mission in Darfur (UNAMID) personnel; beat and raped civilians; and recruited and used child soldiers.
In Southern Sudan, serious human rights abuses were reported during the year, including extrajudicial killings, physical abuse, and
rape of persons by the SPLA; poor prison and detention center conditions; arbitrary arrest; lengthy pretrial detention; use of child
soldiers; abduction of women and children; restrictions on media freedom; forced evictions without due process; and child labor.
Interethnic violence was a severe problem.
The Lord's Resistance Army (LRA) attacked villages and killed and abducted civilians in the south.
Click here to read more »
Bureau of Democracy, Human Rights, and Labor
2009 Country Reports on Human Rights Practices
March 11, 2010
Sudan, a republic with an estimated population of 40 million, is governed according to a power-sharing arrangement established by
the 2005 Comprehensive Peace Agreement (CPA), which ended the 22-year civil war between the north and south and established
an interim Government of National Unity (GNU). The CPA calls for national elections to be held in 2009; however, elections did not
occur during the year. The GNU is composed of the National Congress Party (NCP), dominated by Islamists from the north and
ruled by authoritarian President Omar Hassan al-Bashir and his inner circle, and the Sudan People's Liberation Movement (SPLM),
the political wing of the Sudan People's Liberation Army (SPLA) led predominantly by Christians and practitioners of traditional
indigenous religions from the south. The most recent national elections were held in 2000; Bashir was reelected, and his political
party won 340 out of 360 seats in the parliament in deeply flawed elections boycotted by all major opposition parties. The SPLM is
the ruling party of the semiautonomous Government of Southern Sudan (GOSS), established in 2005. The GOSS ratified a separate
constitution in 2005. A referendum to determine whether the south will become an independent entity is scheduled for 2011. The
country experienced several violent conflicts during the year. While civilian authorities in the north generally maintained effective
control of the security forces and government-aligned militia outside of Darfur, there were frequent instances in which elements of
the security forces and government-aligned militia acted independently in Darfur. In the south, civilian authorities generally
maintained effective control of security forces, but there were frequent instances in which elements of the security forces acted
independently.
Conflict and human rights abuses in Darfur continued despite the 2006 Darfur Peace Agreement (DPA) between the government
and Minni Minawi's faction of the Sudan Liberation Movement/Army. Civilians in Darfur continued to suffer from the
consequences of genocide. Government forces and government-aligned militia continued to kill civilians; the government continued
to bomb civilian areas. Women and girls experienced continued gender-based violence. The government supported Chadian rebel
groups. Darfur rebel groups committed serious abuses. According to the UN nearly 2.7 million civilians have been internally
displaced, and over 250,000 refugees have fled to neighboring Chad since the conflict in Darfur began in 2003. The UN estimated
in 2006 that 200,000 persons had died as a result of the conflict, and that by 2008 up to 100,000 more may have died.
On March 4, the International Criminal Court (ICC) issued an arrest warrant for President Bashir as an indirect perpetrator or as an
indirect coperpetrator of five counts of crimes against humanity--murder, extermination, forcible transfer, torture, and rape--and
two counts of war crimes--intentionally directing attacks against a civilian population as such or against individual civilians not
taking part in hostilities, and pillaging in Darfur between March 2003 and July 2008. Following the announcement, the government
expelled 13 humanitarian nongovernmental organizations (NGOs) from the country. The government also shut down three
Sudanese NGOs in March. The expulsions and closures decreased the provision of humanitarian and development assistance,
particularly in Darfur and the Three Areas (Abyei, Blue Nile, and Southern Kordofan).
Interethnic fighting and attacks by the Lord's Resistance Army (LRA) resulted in an estimated 2,500 deaths and the displacement of
359,000 persons during the year in the south. Tensions over CPA implementation persisted between the north and the south.
Fighting between Sudanese Armed Forces (SAF) and SPLA members in Malakal resulted in civilian deaths.
The following human rights abuses occurred: abridgement of citizens' right to change their government; extrajudicial and other
unlawful killings by government forces and other government-aligned groups throughout the country; torture, beatings, rape, and
other cruel, inhumane treatment or punishment by security forces; harsh prison conditions; arbitrary arrest and detention,
incommunicado detention of suspected government opponents, and prolonged pretrial detention; executive interference with the
judiciary and denial of due process; obstruction of the delivery of humanitarian assistance and the expulsion of humanitarian NGOs;
restrictions on privacy; restrictions on freedom of speech; restrictions on the press, including direct censorship; restrictions on
freedoms of assembly, association, religion, and movement; harassment of IDPs; harassment and closure of human rights
organizations; violence and discrimination against women, including female genital mutilation (FGM); child abuse, including sexual
violence and recruitment of child soldiers, particularly in Darfur; preventing international human rights observers from traveling
to/within Sudan; trafficking in persons; discrimination and violence against ethnic minorities; denial of workers' rights; and forced
and child labor.
In Darfur government-aligned militias killed and injured civilians, including during attacks on villages; raped women and children;
destroyed and looted civilian property; and used child soldiers.
Rebel factions and bandits in Darfur killed and abducted civilians, humanitarian workers, and United Nations – African Union
Mission in Darfur (UNAMID) personnel; beat and raped civilians; and recruited and used child soldiers.
In Southern Sudan, serious human rights abuses were reported during the year, including extrajudicial killings, physical abuse, and
rape of persons by the SPLA; poor prison and detention center conditions; arbitrary arrest; lengthy pretrial detention; use of child
soldiers; abduction of women and children; restrictions on media freedom; forced evictions without due process; and child labor.
Interethnic violence was a severe problem.
The Lord's Resistance Army (LRA) attacked villages and killed and abducted civilians in the south.
Click here to read more »
23 June 2010
Human Rights Council
Fourteenth session
Agenda item 4
Human rights situations that require the Council’s attention
Decision adopted by the Human Rights Council* 14/117
The independent expert on the situation of human rights in the Sudan
At its 24th meeting, on 10 June 2010, the Human Rights Council decided to adopt the following text:
“The Human Rights Council,
Taking note of the fact that the independent expert on the situation of human rights in the Sudan was unable, for medical reasons,
to present his report (A/HRC/14/41) to the Council at its fourteenth session, as originally scheduled,
1. Decides, given the exceptional nature of the circumstances and without setting a precedent, to proceed with a technical
extension of the mandate of the independent expert on the situation of human rights in the Sudan until the end of the fifteenth
session of the Council to allow an interactive dialogue to be held with him. This is without prejudice to the relevant provisions of
Council resolution 5/1 of 18 June 2007;
2. It is understood that the independent expert will continue his work until the end of the fifteenth session and will be in a position
to complement his report thereupon, if he so decides, at that session. It is also understood that the issue of the extension of the
mandate will be discussed at that session.”
24th meeting
10 June 2010
[Adopted without a vote.]
Click here to read more »
Human Rights Council
Fourteenth session
Agenda item 4
Human rights situations that require the Council’s attention
Decision adopted by the Human Rights Council* 14/117
The independent expert on the situation of human rights in the Sudan
At its 24th meeting, on 10 June 2010, the Human Rights Council decided to adopt the following text:
“The Human Rights Council,
Taking note of the fact that the independent expert on the situation of human rights in the Sudan was unable, for medical reasons,
to present his report (A/HRC/14/41) to the Council at its fourteenth session, as originally scheduled,
1. Decides, given the exceptional nature of the circumstances and without setting a precedent, to proceed with a technical
extension of the mandate of the independent expert on the situation of human rights in the Sudan until the end of the fifteenth
session of the Council to allow an interactive dialogue to be held with him. This is without prejudice to the relevant provisions of
Council resolution 5/1 of 18 June 2007;
2. It is understood that the independent expert will continue his work until the end of the fifteenth session and will be in a position
to complement his report thereupon, if he so decides, at that session. It is also understood that the issue of the extension of the
mandate will be discussed at that session.”
24th meeting
10 June 2010
[Adopted without a vote.]
Click here to read more »
FREEDOM IN THE WORLD 2010 REPORT
Political Rights Score: 7
Civil Liberties Score: 7
Status: Not Free
Overview
The International Criminal Court issued an arrest warrant for President Omar al-Bashir in March 2009, citing evidence of crimes
against humanity and war crimes in Darfur, but the government rejected the move. Fighting in Darfur continued at a lower level,
but violence surged in Southern Sudan, where at least 2,500 people were killed in ethnic clashes. North-South tensions continued to
undermine the 2005 Comprehensive Peace Agreement between al-Bashir’s National Congress Party and the main Southern political
force, the Sudan People’s Liberation Movement. National elections scheduled for mid-2009 were consequently postponed until
April 2010. The two sides also haggled over how the 2011 referendum on Southern secession would be organized and who would
get to vote. Meanwhile, an international arbitration panel determined the boundaries of the oil-rich territory of Abyei, placing its
main oil field in the North.
Violence continued in Darfur during 2009, albeit at a lower level. The first three months of the year saw the worst violence, with
more than 400 people killed. The international community worked to revive the peace process and persuade the fragmented rebel
groups to adopt a common position, but peace talks scheduled to resume in Qatar in October were delayed.
To some extent, events in Darfur in 2009 were overshadowed by those in Southern Sudan, where more than 2,500 people died in
inter- and intraethnic violence and a quarter of a million others were displaced. In the worst incident, 185 people died when armed
youth from the Murle ethnic group attacked Lou Nuer civilians in Jonglei State in August. The GoSS noted the use of heavy
weapons in the attacks and accused the NCP of arming proxy forces to destabilize the South and create an excuse to postpone the
2011 referendum, though the NCP denied involvement.
In July, an international tribunal in The Hague ruled that the main oil field in the disputed Abyei region lay in Northern territory. Al-
Bashir in 2007 had refused to recognize a special panel’s initial decision to place the Abyei region within Southern Sudan; fighting
between the SPLM and Arab Misseriya militias, which the government was suspected of backing, had erupted in Abyei late that
year, leaving scores of people dead.
Another area of contention centered on the CPA provision that national elections should take place before the independence
referendum. Scheduled for 2009, they were postponed until April 2010, partly because of disputes over the census upon which the
electoral roll was to be based. The GoSS rejected the census, claiming it undercounted the population of Southern Sudan. Voter
registration proceeded at the end of the year in spite of the row, but participation was low in Darfur, North and South Kordofan,
and much of southern Sudan. Meanwhile, after difficult negotiations on the terms of the referendum, both sides eventually decided
that a vote in favor of secession would be invalid unless it was approved by a simple majority of the Southern electorate, with 60
percent voter turnout. The referendum bill also resolved the issue of who could vote in 2011 and laid out the registration
requirements necessary to do so. Less progress was made on other issues. The SPLM boycotted the GoNU in October to protest
delays in security-sector reform. A new national security law passed in December contained no mechanism for holding the security
services accountable.
Sudan’s economy continues to rely on oil exports and is therefore vulnerable to price fluctuations on the international market. Oil
revenue makes up 98 percent of Southern Sudan’s budget and approximately 60 percent of the North’s. While most of Sudan’s oil
is located in the South, the oil infrastructure and banking facilities are in the North. For this reason, the CPA provision for sharing
Sudan’s oil wealth is a source of rancor between the two sides. The SPLM expressed frustration after a report in September 2009
suggested that Khartoum was underreporting oil production to deprive the South of its share of the revenue. This friction was
compounded by a budget crisis in Southern Sudan that raised serious questions about the GOSS’s ability to provide its people with
essential goods and services and develop the institutions necessary for an independent state.
Sudan’s relations with Chad remained tense in 2009. The two neighbors signed a reconciliation pact in May, but just two days later,
Chad accused Sudan of violating the deal by backing a Chadian rebel attack. Khartoum denied the allegations.
Click here to read more »
Political Rights Score: 7
Civil Liberties Score: 7
Status: Not Free
Overview
The International Criminal Court issued an arrest warrant for President Omar al-Bashir in March 2009, citing evidence of crimes
against humanity and war crimes in Darfur, but the government rejected the move. Fighting in Darfur continued at a lower level,
but violence surged in Southern Sudan, where at least 2,500 people were killed in ethnic clashes. North-South tensions continued to
undermine the 2005 Comprehensive Peace Agreement between al-Bashir’s National Congress Party and the main Southern political
force, the Sudan People’s Liberation Movement. National elections scheduled for mid-2009 were consequently postponed until
April 2010. The two sides also haggled over how the 2011 referendum on Southern secession would be organized and who would
get to vote. Meanwhile, an international arbitration panel determined the boundaries of the oil-rich territory of Abyei, placing its
main oil field in the North.
Violence continued in Darfur during 2009, albeit at a lower level. The first three months of the year saw the worst violence, with
more than 400 people killed. The international community worked to revive the peace process and persuade the fragmented rebel
groups to adopt a common position, but peace talks scheduled to resume in Qatar in October were delayed.
To some extent, events in Darfur in 2009 were overshadowed by those in Southern Sudan, where more than 2,500 people died in
inter- and intraethnic violence and a quarter of a million others were displaced. In the worst incident, 185 people died when armed
youth from the Murle ethnic group attacked Lou Nuer civilians in Jonglei State in August. The GoSS noted the use of heavy
weapons in the attacks and accused the NCP of arming proxy forces to destabilize the South and create an excuse to postpone the
2011 referendum, though the NCP denied involvement.
In July, an international tribunal in The Hague ruled that the main oil field in the disputed Abyei region lay in Northern territory. Al-
Bashir in 2007 had refused to recognize a special panel’s initial decision to place the Abyei region within Southern Sudan; fighting
between the SPLM and Arab Misseriya militias, which the government was suspected of backing, had erupted in Abyei late that
year, leaving scores of people dead.
Another area of contention centered on the CPA provision that national elections should take place before the independence
referendum. Scheduled for 2009, they were postponed until April 2010, partly because of disputes over the census upon which the
electoral roll was to be based. The GoSS rejected the census, claiming it undercounted the population of Southern Sudan. Voter
registration proceeded at the end of the year in spite of the row, but participation was low in Darfur, North and South Kordofan,
and much of southern Sudan. Meanwhile, after difficult negotiations on the terms of the referendum, both sides eventually decided
that a vote in favor of secession would be invalid unless it was approved by a simple majority of the Southern electorate, with 60
percent voter turnout. The referendum bill also resolved the issue of who could vote in 2011 and laid out the registration
requirements necessary to do so. Less progress was made on other issues. The SPLM boycotted the GoNU in October to protest
delays in security-sector reform. A new national security law passed in December contained no mechanism for holding the security
services accountable.
Sudan’s economy continues to rely on oil exports and is therefore vulnerable to price fluctuations on the international market. Oil
revenue makes up 98 percent of Southern Sudan’s budget and approximately 60 percent of the North’s. While most of Sudan’s oil
is located in the South, the oil infrastructure and banking facilities are in the North. For this reason, the CPA provision for sharing
Sudan’s oil wealth is a source of rancor between the two sides. The SPLM expressed frustration after a report in September 2009
suggested that Khartoum was underreporting oil production to deprive the South of its share of the revenue. This friction was
compounded by a budget crisis in Southern Sudan that raised serious questions about the GOSS’s ability to provide its people with
essential goods and services and develop the institutions necessary for an independent state.
Sudan’s relations with Chad remained tense in 2009. The two neighbors signed a reconciliation pact in May, but just two days later,
Chad accused Sudan of violating the deal by backing a Chadian rebel attack. Khartoum denied the allegations.
Click here to read more »
AGENTS OF FEAR
THE NATIONAL SECURITY SERVICE IN SUDAN
19 July 2010
1. INTRODUCTION
“The letter is an attempt to inform people in this country about my experience and to make them listen to the sounds of the torture
and terror that I suffered at the hands of your thugs, stained with shame and blood. I want them to hear the message that you were
trying to send through my body, a message of terror and threat to the real life-blood that maintains the heart of this country, the
civil society organizations, the democrats and enlightened forces— although you will not succeed in your intended effect”.
Abdel Monim El Gak, An open letter to Salah Gosh1: regarding my arrest, torture and the International Criminal Court2
“Several hundred prisoners of conscience were detained without charge or trial following a military coup in June. Some were
subsequently released but at least 200 were still detained at the end of the year… the security forces were empowered to arrest
people without warrants and to detain them indefinitely without charge or trial”.
The above passage is from Amnesty International’s 1990 Annual Report on Sudan, covering the human rights situation in 1989.
Lieutenant-General Omar Hassan Al Bashir, President of Sudan had just taken power following a military coup in June 1989. The
legacy of the human rights violations and impunity brought about by his government continue today. The country is still ruled by
the National Congress Party (NCP), created in 1993, and the National Intelligence and Security Service (NISS) retains the core
functions it had in the first few years following the 1989 coup. More than 20 years later, the NISS still dominates many areas of
life in Sudan and benefits from extensive powers of arrest and detention under the National Security Acts of 1999 and 2010. Any
changes have been purely cosmetic – the NISS still holds the power of life and death over Sudan’s citizens.
Over the years, the ruling party created various tools of repression ranging from the disestablishment of trade unions to the
introduction of repressive legislation. Torture and other forms of ill-treatment, enforced disappearances, extrajudicial executions
and other grave human rights violations were used to silence dissent and maintain the government in power.
In the last two years Amnesty International has documented large numbers of cases of arbitrary arrest and detention, torture and
other forms of ill-treatment, as well as enforced disappearances and deaths in detention at the hands of the NISS. NISS agents have
targeted members of the opposition, students, human rights defenders, civil society activists and staff of national and international
NGOs and UN agencies, as well as ordinary civilians. Torture and other forms of ill-treatment have been systematic.
The NISS has attempted to silence all voices critical of the NCP and the government. The legitimate exercise of the rights to
freedom of expression and association has been repressed by a clampdown on human rights defenders, journalists and any
dissident voice. The spoken and written word have been equally controlled, journalists harassed, summoned or arrested by the
NISS. The written press has been heavily censored and books have also been banned and their authors summoned if they cover
subjects deemed sensitive by the NISS.
Click here to read more »
THE NATIONAL SECURITY SERVICE IN SUDAN
19 July 2010
1. INTRODUCTION
“The letter is an attempt to inform people in this country about my experience and to make them listen to the sounds of the torture
and terror that I suffered at the hands of your thugs, stained with shame and blood. I want them to hear the message that you were
trying to send through my body, a message of terror and threat to the real life-blood that maintains the heart of this country, the
civil society organizations, the democrats and enlightened forces— although you will not succeed in your intended effect”.
Abdel Monim El Gak, An open letter to Salah Gosh1: regarding my arrest, torture and the International Criminal Court2
“Several hundred prisoners of conscience were detained without charge or trial following a military coup in June. Some were
subsequently released but at least 200 were still detained at the end of the year… the security forces were empowered to arrest
people without warrants and to detain them indefinitely without charge or trial”.
The above passage is from Amnesty International’s 1990 Annual Report on Sudan, covering the human rights situation in 1989.
Lieutenant-General Omar Hassan Al Bashir, President of Sudan had just taken power following a military coup in June 1989. The
legacy of the human rights violations and impunity brought about by his government continue today. The country is still ruled by
the National Congress Party (NCP), created in 1993, and the National Intelligence and Security Service (NISS) retains the core
functions it had in the first few years following the 1989 coup. More than 20 years later, the NISS still dominates many areas of
life in Sudan and benefits from extensive powers of arrest and detention under the National Security Acts of 1999 and 2010. Any
changes have been purely cosmetic – the NISS still holds the power of life and death over Sudan’s citizens.
Over the years, the ruling party created various tools of repression ranging from the disestablishment of trade unions to the
introduction of repressive legislation. Torture and other forms of ill-treatment, enforced disappearances, extrajudicial executions
and other grave human rights violations were used to silence dissent and maintain the government in power.
In the last two years Amnesty International has documented large numbers of cases of arbitrary arrest and detention, torture and
other forms of ill-treatment, as well as enforced disappearances and deaths in detention at the hands of the NISS. NISS agents have
targeted members of the opposition, students, human rights defenders, civil society activists and staff of national and international
NGOs and UN agencies, as well as ordinary civilians. Torture and other forms of ill-treatment have been systematic.
The NISS has attempted to silence all voices critical of the NCP and the government. The legitimate exercise of the rights to
freedom of expression and association has been repressed by a clampdown on human rights defenders, journalists and any
dissident voice. The spoken and written word have been equally controlled, journalists harassed, summoned or arrested by the
NISS. The written press has been heavily censored and books have also been banned and their authors summoned if they cover
subjects deemed sensitive by the NISS.
Click here to read more »
Sudan: Widespread Abuses Bode Ill for Referendum
Hold Security Forces Accountable for Violations in April 2010 Elections
June 30, 2010
(Nairobi) - Both national and southern Sudanese authorities should investigate human rights abuses connected to its April 2010
elections and bring to justice those responsible, Human Rights Watch said in a new report released today. Addressing the abuses is
especially important as the country prepares for a referendum on self-determination in Southern Sudan, Human Rights Watch said.
The 32-page report, "Democracy on Hold: Rights Violations in the April 2010 Elections," documents numerous rights violations
across Sudan by both northern and southern authorities in the period leading up to, during, and following the April elections. These
abuses include restrictions on freedom of speech and assembly, particularly in northern Sudan, and widespread intimidation,
arbitrary arrests, and physical violence against monitors and opponents of the incumbent parties by Sudanese security forces
across the country. The report is based on research carried out between November 2009 and April 2010 in Khartoum and Southern
Sudan.
"The national elections were an important milestone of the 2005 peace agreement, which was meant to pave the way forward for
Sudan," said Rona Peligal, Africa director at Human Rights Watch. "But pushing the elections-related abuses under the rug would
not bode well for the referendum coming up in January."
The 2005 Comprehensive Peace Agreement, which ended 22 years of civil war between northern and southern forces, called for
Sudan to hold national elections and a referendum on southern self-determination. Southern Sudanese, including more than 1.5
million southerners living in Khartoum and northern states, will decide in the January 2011 vote whether to secede from the north.
Human Rights Watch called on the national unity government to enact genuine reforms called for in the peace agreement, including
improvements to the national security apparatus. The national security law currently grants broad powers of search, seizure, and
arrest, and allows for detention without judicial review for up to four and a half months, in violation of international law.
Human Rights Watch found that in the months leading up to the April elections the ruling National Congress Party suppressed
peaceful assembly by opposition party members in the north and prevented free association and speech. During election week,
there were fewer cases of such restrictions, but several cases of harassment, intimidation, and arrest of opposition members and
elections observers.
Click here to read more »
Hold Security Forces Accountable for Violations in April 2010 Elections
June 30, 2010
(Nairobi) - Both national and southern Sudanese authorities should investigate human rights abuses connected to its April 2010
elections and bring to justice those responsible, Human Rights Watch said in a new report released today. Addressing the abuses is
especially important as the country prepares for a referendum on self-determination in Southern Sudan, Human Rights Watch said.
The 32-page report, "Democracy on Hold: Rights Violations in the April 2010 Elections," documents numerous rights violations
across Sudan by both northern and southern authorities in the period leading up to, during, and following the April elections. These
abuses include restrictions on freedom of speech and assembly, particularly in northern Sudan, and widespread intimidation,
arbitrary arrests, and physical violence against monitors and opponents of the incumbent parties by Sudanese security forces
across the country. The report is based on research carried out between November 2009 and April 2010 in Khartoum and Southern
Sudan.
"The national elections were an important milestone of the 2005 peace agreement, which was meant to pave the way forward for
Sudan," said Rona Peligal, Africa director at Human Rights Watch. "But pushing the elections-related abuses under the rug would
not bode well for the referendum coming up in January."
The 2005 Comprehensive Peace Agreement, which ended 22 years of civil war between northern and southern forces, called for
Sudan to hold national elections and a referendum on southern self-determination. Southern Sudanese, including more than 1.5
million southerners living in Khartoum and northern states, will decide in the January 2011 vote whether to secede from the north.
Human Rights Watch called on the national unity government to enact genuine reforms called for in the peace agreement, including
improvements to the national security apparatus. The national security law currently grants broad powers of search, seizure, and
arrest, and allows for detention without judicial review for up to four and a half months, in violation of international law.
Human Rights Watch found that in the months leading up to the April elections the ruling National Congress Party suppressed
peaceful assembly by opposition party members in the north and prevented free association and speech. During election week,
there were fewer cases of such restrictions, but several cases of harassment, intimidation, and arrest of opposition members and
elections observers.
Click here to read more »
Sudanese president vows ‘objective dialogue’ with West
Friday 28 May 2010.
In his inauguration address Al-Bashir said that the foreign policy of the new government “emanates from the divine teaching that
call for tolerance and contact and cooperation with others”.
"I will personally strive to build up a dialogue, an objective dialogue with Western states aimed at clearing the atmosphere," he said.
He further said that Sudan is keen on attracting the international community’s support without conceding the free will of the nation.
Sudan’s relations with the West has deteriorated rapidly since Bashir took power in 1989 in a bloodless coup over harboring Islamic
extremists groups, civil wars political oppression and human right violations.
The Darfur crisis that raged in 2003 has further strained the relations despite a landmark North-South peace accord in 205 that
ended Africa’s longest civil war.
The Sudanese president said that his country wants to open a new page in its international relations “based on refraining from
violence and adherence to tolerance, mutual respect and international cooperation”
Bashir also stressed that Sudan wants to maintain “its internationally recognized records in combating terrorism, crimes and drugs”.
On the South Sudan 2011 referendum, Bashir assured that it will be held on time in a "free atmosphere" and would be monitored by
local and international observers and that its outcome will be respected.
"I stress that we are committed... to holding the referendum in the south on its scheduled date, it is a commitment we will not
renege on. We made a vow and we will adhere to it," Bashir said.
"We will accept, in good faith, the choice of the south, whatever the choice may be," he said, but stressed he would work for unity.
"Our position is a belief in unity. We call for it, we will plan for it and we will work for it," Bashir said vowing no return to war.
The southern vote on independence is set for Jan. 9, 2011 and is a key focus of the international community, which wants to avoid
a return to bloodshed and is keen for the former foes to agree on issues like the north-south border, along which much of Sudan’s
oil wealth lies.
He also vowed to work "to achieve security and stability in Darfur," where the seven-year-old conflict has cost the lives of 300,000
people, according to the United Nations; 10,000, according to Khartoum.
Click here to read more »
Friday 28 May 2010.
In his inauguration address Al-Bashir said that the foreign policy of the new government “emanates from the divine teaching that
call for tolerance and contact and cooperation with others”.
"I will personally strive to build up a dialogue, an objective dialogue with Western states aimed at clearing the atmosphere," he said.
He further said that Sudan is keen on attracting the international community’s support without conceding the free will of the nation.
Sudan’s relations with the West has deteriorated rapidly since Bashir took power in 1989 in a bloodless coup over harboring Islamic
extremists groups, civil wars political oppression and human right violations.
The Darfur crisis that raged in 2003 has further strained the relations despite a landmark North-South peace accord in 205 that
ended Africa’s longest civil war.
The Sudanese president said that his country wants to open a new page in its international relations “based on refraining from
violence and adherence to tolerance, mutual respect and international cooperation”
Bashir also stressed that Sudan wants to maintain “its internationally recognized records in combating terrorism, crimes and drugs”.
On the South Sudan 2011 referendum, Bashir assured that it will be held on time in a "free atmosphere" and would be monitored by
local and international observers and that its outcome will be respected.
"I stress that we are committed... to holding the referendum in the south on its scheduled date, it is a commitment we will not
renege on. We made a vow and we will adhere to it," Bashir said.
"We will accept, in good faith, the choice of the south, whatever the choice may be," he said, but stressed he would work for unity.
"Our position is a belief in unity. We call for it, we will plan for it and we will work for it," Bashir said vowing no return to war.
The southern vote on independence is set for Jan. 9, 2011 and is a key focus of the international community, which wants to avoid
a return to bloodshed and is keen for the former foes to agree on issues like the north-south border, along which much of Sudan’s
oil wealth lies.
He also vowed to work "to achieve security and stability in Darfur," where the seven-year-old conflict has cost the lives of 300,000
people, according to the United Nations; 10,000, according to Khartoum.
Click here to read more »
THE SUDAN HUMAN RIGHTS ORGANIZATION – CAIRO
June 6, 2010
Worst start of post-election rule: Ultra violence and unrestricted tortures
The Sudan Human Rights Organization – Cairo watched with deep concerns the continuous adoption of violence by the elected
Government of Sudan, which allowed the security and police forces to exercise unrestricted repression and tortures, in addition to
anti-constitutional curtailment of the public rights and freedoms - thus making the worst start of the post-elections’ rule.
Recently, the government detained Hassan al-Turabi for unidentifiable period, arrested Farouq Abu Eissa for hours, and prevented
Mariam al-Sadiq and others from legal travel abroad. The authorities launched a campaign to persecute other opponents and
journalists, including the torture of Aba Zer al-Amin. Lawless actions were frequently passed by security and police officers over
Darfuri students, including tortures and family harassment.
Most recently, the security and police forces used increased violence, arbitrary arrest, torture, and unlawful detention to suppress a
peaceful rally publicly organized by the Sudan Doctors’ Union. Although raising professional claims to reform the deteriorating
health of the country, the rally was abruptly ended by grave casualties, besides the arrest of Dr. al-Hadi Bakheit and Dr. Ahmed al-
Abwabi. Serious intimidation was conducted against the union’s secretary, Dr. Nahid Mohamed al-Hassan, that compelled her to
seek refuge at the United Nations Office in Khartoum for her life safety.
* The Organization condemns in the strongest terms possible the persecution policies and practices Government has been pursuing
against the constitutional rights of people;
* We ask the competent authorities to restrain the security and police forces from authority abuses;
* We call on the immediate release of all detainees, provision of medical attention by the security and police departments to the
injured parties, and judicial compensation for the injuries;
* We ask the government to put to trial the officials who issued orders or implemented them to suppress the peaceful rally by
violent arrests and tortures; and
* We urge the Government of Sudan to negotiate peacefully with the doctors’ union by international labor norms to allow all
striking doctors to resume medical services in agreement with medical administrations.
Click here to read more »
June 6, 2010
Worst start of post-election rule: Ultra violence and unrestricted tortures
The Sudan Human Rights Organization – Cairo watched with deep concerns the continuous adoption of violence by the elected
Government of Sudan, which allowed the security and police forces to exercise unrestricted repression and tortures, in addition to
anti-constitutional curtailment of the public rights and freedoms - thus making the worst start of the post-elections’ rule.
Recently, the government detained Hassan al-Turabi for unidentifiable period, arrested Farouq Abu Eissa for hours, and prevented
Mariam al-Sadiq and others from legal travel abroad. The authorities launched a campaign to persecute other opponents and
journalists, including the torture of Aba Zer al-Amin. Lawless actions were frequently passed by security and police officers over
Darfuri students, including tortures and family harassment.
Most recently, the security and police forces used increased violence, arbitrary arrest, torture, and unlawful detention to suppress a
peaceful rally publicly organized by the Sudan Doctors’ Union. Although raising professional claims to reform the deteriorating
health of the country, the rally was abruptly ended by grave casualties, besides the arrest of Dr. al-Hadi Bakheit and Dr. Ahmed al-
Abwabi. Serious intimidation was conducted against the union’s secretary, Dr. Nahid Mohamed al-Hassan, that compelled her to
seek refuge at the United Nations Office in Khartoum for her life safety.
* The Organization condemns in the strongest terms possible the persecution policies and practices Government has been pursuing
against the constitutional rights of people;
* We ask the competent authorities to restrain the security and police forces from authority abuses;
* We call on the immediate release of all detainees, provision of medical attention by the security and police departments to the
injured parties, and judicial compensation for the injuries;
* We ask the government to put to trial the officials who issued orders or implemented them to suppress the peaceful rally by
violent arrests and tortures; and
* We urge the Government of Sudan to negotiate peacefully with the doctors’ union by international labor norms to allow all
striking doctors to resume medical services in agreement with medical administrations.
Click here to read more »
Limiting Aid and Access: A New Tactic to Target Civilians
July 26th, 2010 by Shannon Orcutt
Resource shortages have erupted throughout Darfur and critically affected camps for internally displaced persons (IDPs), major
cities, and villages in each of the three states. Erosion created by the heavy rainy season has left many roads difficult to travel upon
if not impassible. This constraint, combined with the Government of Sudan limiting access for humanitarian operations – including
the AU/UN joint peacekeeping taskforce (UNAMID) – has left many Darfuri civilians in dire need as food, fuel, shelter, medical
supplies, and water scarcity prevails.
While resource shortages are not a new phenomenon to Darfuri civilians, the scope of the problem has rapidly increased in June
and July as weather-worn roads have prevented aid convoys from reaching many parts of the region and the Khartoum government
has restricted flights as well as other humanitarian entry throughout Darfur. Humanitarian organizations and UNAMID heavily rely
upon these flights, especially during the rainy season, to reach displaced civilians and those in need and also to assess the security
situations throughout the area. While flights have been continuously obstructed by the Sudanese government obtaining permission
to fly has become increasingly difficult and according to UNAMID, flight cancellations due to Sudanese government restrictions
have “risen from 21 per cent in May to 77 per cent in June 2010.” UNAMID patrols are essential to provide security for the
Internally Displaced Person (IDP) camps and also to determine the situation on the ground. When convoys are restricted, civilian
protection cannot occur, and in conflict-prone regions such as Jebel Moon and Jebel Marra, very little is known about the current
conditions civilians face. Humanitarian organizations cannot be expected to operate effectively in these conditions – without the use
of helicopters and planes to transport materials and aid personnel, organizations have very limited options due to security risks and
the poor conditions of the roads. The ability to fly would place humanitarian workers at less risk, especially considering a recent
surge in kidnappings; however, due to the recent restrictions it is becoming increasingly difficult for aid organizations to function,
leaving the Darfuri civilians who depend upon them for survival in immensely difficult situation.
In another disturbing twist, described in the recent report by the UN Secretary General on the UNAMID mission, flights that could
have provided emergency evacuation for UNAMID soldiers who tragically bled to death were not permitted by the Sudanese
Government. The lack of permission for air support also prevented the soldiers from following the perpetrators responsible for the
attacks. In response to international criticism on restrictions to aid and access, a leading member in the dominant National
Congress Party (NCP) stated that the Sudanese government has “full sovereignty to take any measures that fall in the interest of the
Sudanese people.” Evidently saving the lives of peacekeepers or bringing justice to their attackers is not in the interest of the
Sudanese people, or at least the Sudanese government.
Click here to read more>>
July 26th, 2010 by Shannon Orcutt
Resource shortages have erupted throughout Darfur and critically affected camps for internally displaced persons (IDPs), major
cities, and villages in each of the three states. Erosion created by the heavy rainy season has left many roads difficult to travel upon
if not impassible. This constraint, combined with the Government of Sudan limiting access for humanitarian operations – including
the AU/UN joint peacekeeping taskforce (UNAMID) – has left many Darfuri civilians in dire need as food, fuel, shelter, medical
supplies, and water scarcity prevails.
While resource shortages are not a new phenomenon to Darfuri civilians, the scope of the problem has rapidly increased in June
and July as weather-worn roads have prevented aid convoys from reaching many parts of the region and the Khartoum government
has restricted flights as well as other humanitarian entry throughout Darfur. Humanitarian organizations and UNAMID heavily rely
upon these flights, especially during the rainy season, to reach displaced civilians and those in need and also to assess the security
situations throughout the area. While flights have been continuously obstructed by the Sudanese government obtaining permission
to fly has become increasingly difficult and according to UNAMID, flight cancellations due to Sudanese government restrictions
have “risen from 21 per cent in May to 77 per cent in June 2010.” UNAMID patrols are essential to provide security for the
Internally Displaced Person (IDP) camps and also to determine the situation on the ground. When convoys are restricted, civilian
protection cannot occur, and in conflict-prone regions such as Jebel Moon and Jebel Marra, very little is known about the current
conditions civilians face. Humanitarian organizations cannot be expected to operate effectively in these conditions – without the use
of helicopters and planes to transport materials and aid personnel, organizations have very limited options due to security risks and
the poor conditions of the roads. The ability to fly would place humanitarian workers at less risk, especially considering a recent
surge in kidnappings; however, due to the recent restrictions it is becoming increasingly difficult for aid organizations to function,
leaving the Darfuri civilians who depend upon them for survival in immensely difficult situation.
In another disturbing twist, described in the recent report by the UN Secretary General on the UNAMID mission, flights that could
have provided emergency evacuation for UNAMID soldiers who tragically bled to death were not permitted by the Sudanese
Government. The lack of permission for air support also prevented the soldiers from following the perpetrators responsible for the
attacks. In response to international criticism on restrictions to aid and access, a leading member in the dominant National
Congress Party (NCP) stated that the Sudanese government has “full sovereignty to take any measures that fall in the interest of the
Sudanese people.” Evidently saving the lives of peacekeepers or bringing justice to their attackers is not in the interest of the
Sudanese people, or at least the Sudanese government.
Click here to read more>>
Salva Kiir
First Vice President of Sudan and President
of the Government of Southern Sudan
since 4 August 2005
First Vice President of Sudan and President
of the Government of Southern Sudan
since 4 August 2005
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| Click flag for Country Report |
| TRAFFICKING IN PERSONS |
Current situation: Sudan is a source country for men, women, and children trafficked internally for the purposes of
forced labor and sexual exploitation; Sudan is also a transit and destination country for Ethiopian women trafficked
abroad for domestic servitude; Sudanese women and girls are trafficked within the country, as well as possibly to
Middle Eastern countries for domestic servitude; the terrorist rebel organization, Lord's Resistance Army, continues to
harbor small numbers of Sudanese and Ugandan children in the southern part of the country for use as cooks, porters,
and combatants; some of these children are also trafficked across borders into Uganda or the Democratic Republic of
the Congo; militia groups in Darfur, some of which are linked to the government, abduct women for short periods of
forced labor and to perpetrate sexual violence; during the two decades-long north-south civil war, thousands of Dinka
women and children were abducted and subsequently enslaved by members of the Missiriya and Rezeigat tribes; while
there have been no known new abductions of Dinka by members of Baggara tribes in the last few years, inter-tribal
abductions continue in southern Sudan
Tier rating: Tier 3 - Sudan does not fully comply with the minimum standards for the elimination of trafficking and is
not making significant efforts to do so; combating human trafficking through law enforcement or prevention measures
was not a priority for the government in 2007 (2008)
forced labor and sexual exploitation; Sudan is also a transit and destination country for Ethiopian women trafficked
abroad for domestic servitude; Sudanese women and girls are trafficked within the country, as well as possibly to
Middle Eastern countries for domestic servitude; the terrorist rebel organization, Lord's Resistance Army, continues to
harbor small numbers of Sudanese and Ugandan children in the southern part of the country for use as cooks, porters,
and combatants; some of these children are also trafficked across borders into Uganda or the Democratic Republic of
the Congo; militia groups in Darfur, some of which are linked to the government, abduct women for short periods of
forced labor and to perpetrate sexual violence; during the two decades-long north-south civil war, thousands of Dinka
women and children were abducted and subsequently enslaved by members of the Missiriya and Rezeigat tribes; while
there have been no known new abductions of Dinka by members of Baggara tribes in the last few years, inter-tribal
abductions continue in southern Sudan
Tier rating: Tier 3 - Sudan does not fully comply with the minimum standards for the elimination of trafficking and is
not making significant efforts to do so; combating human trafficking through law enforcement or prevention measures
was not a priority for the government in 2007 (2008)