Human Rights in Sudan

Amnesty International USA monitors the state of human rights in more than 150 countries. Its research teams, based in London, conduct investigative missions throughout the world and publish an Annual Report summarizing its work. 

During 2006, some of the world's most powerful governments were successfully challenged, their hypocrisy exposed by the media, their arguments rejected by courts of law, their repressive tactics resisted by human rights activists.

In Sudan, many people are believed to have lost their lives since the Darfur conflict erupted in February 2003.

Systematic human rights abuses have occurred, by all parties involved in the conflict. Civilians are increasingly at risk because of inter-rebel fighting due to deep divisions among the rebel groups concerning the Darfur Peace Agreement, DPA.

Over 2 million civilians have been internally displaced by the conflict and more than 215,000 have sought refuge in neighboring Chad. Food is reportedly scarce and sanitary conditions poor. Refugees are continued targets of rebel group activities in both Darfur and Eastern Chad. The fear of violence in Chad has become such that people are fleeing across the border into Darfur.

Darfur villager in a Chadian refugee camp says:

"About 400 armed people cordoned the village...At least 82 people were killed during the first attack. Some were shot and others, such as children and the elderly, were burnt alive in their houses".

On 05 July 2008 the UN Human Rights Special rapporteur on Sudan Dr. Sima Samar visited Wau town of the western Bahr El Ghazal state to assess the human rights situation in the area.

On 11 July 2008 she visited Khartoum and in a press conference she said that the humanitarian situation of the displaced people in the camps in Darfur is deteriorating due to the recent escalations of violence.  

On June 29, Dr. Sima Samar, arrived in Khartoum, her 2nd visit to Sudan in 2008 and the 5th since assuming office in 2005. Ms. Samar met with a number of government officials and discussed situations of human rights in Sudan before she submits a report to the Human Rights Council in December 2008.