Darfur Consortium: Action: Statements

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International Federation for Human Rights (FIDH)
Sudan Organisation Against Torture (SOAT)

PRESS RELEASE

Human Rights Council puts an end to a special mechanism
on Darfur and overburdens the mandate on Sudan.

Geneva, Khartoum, London, Paris – 14 December - The International Federation for Human Rights (FIDH) and its member organisation the Sudan Organisation Against Torture (SOAT) while welcoming the renewal of the mandate of the Special Rapporteur on Sudan, deeply regret the decision of the UN Human rights Council not to renew its special mechanism on Darfur, while violations continue in the field and remain unpunished.

Under the pressure of Egypt, on behalf of the African Group, the Council decided to transpose the follow up of the work of the eight experts into the mandate of the Special Rapporteur on Sudan. This will weaken the mandate of the Special Rapporteur, who already monitors, with limited resources, an extremely complex pattern of human rights violations throughout the whole of Sudan.

“We remain deeply concerned that the Council decided today not to renew the Group of Experts on Darfur,” said Mr. Hashim Ahmed, Acting Director of SOAT, “this sends a disappointing message to the victims of Darfur and risks downplaying the still critical human rights situation in the region”.

“I deeply regret the Council's decision”, said Souhayr Belhassen, President of the FIDH, “in light of the persistence of crimes and their impunity, the Council gives Sudan a pat on the back, a dangerous political signal”.

The Group of Experts was put in place on the occasion of a Special session of the HRC in December 2006. In its final report, the group documented the absence of significant improvements and implementation of UN recommendations addressed to the parties of the conflict, and in particular to the Government of Sudan.

1 TOGO SANS ETHNIES

Action Professionals Association for the People

Aegis Trust Rwanda

African Centre for Democracy and Human Rights Studies

African Center for Development

African Center for Justice and Peace Studies

Africa Internally Displaced Persons Voice (Africa IDP Voice)

African Security Dialogue and Research (ASDR)

African Women's Development and Communications Network (FEMNET)

The Ahueni Foundation

Alliances for Africa

Amman Centre for Human Rights Studies

Andalus Institute for Tolerance

Anti-Slavery International

Arab Coalition for Darfur

Arab Program for Human Rights Activists

Association Africaine de Defense des Droits de l'Homme (ASADHO)

Cairo Institute for Human Rights Studies

Centre for Minority Rights Development (CEMIRIDE)

Centre for Research Education and Development of Freedom of Expression and Associated Rights (CREDO)

Citizens for Global Solutions

Conscience International

Conseil National Pour les Libertés en Tunisie

Darfur Alert Coalition (DAC)

Darfur Centre for Human Rights and Development

Darfur Leaders Network (DLN)

Darfur Reconciliation and Development Organization (DRDO)

Darfur Relief and Documentation Centre

East Africa Law Society

Egyptian Organization for Human Rights

Femmes Africa Solidarité

La Fédération Internationale des Droits de l'Homme (FIDH)

Forum of African Affairs (FOAA)

Human Rights First

Human Rights Institute of South Africa (HURISA)

Institute for Human Rights and Development in Africa

Institute for Security Studies

Inter-African Union for Human Rights (UIDH)

Interights

International Commission of Jurists (ICJ Kenya)

International Refugee Rights Initiative

Justice Africa

Justice and Peace Commission

Lawyers for Human Rights

Lebanese Association for Democratic Elections

Legal Resources Consortium-Nigeria

Ligue Tunisienne des Droits de l'Homme

Makumira University College, Tumaini University

Media Foundation for West Africa (MFWA)

Minority Rights Group

National Association of Seadogs

Never Again International

Open Society Justice Initiative

Pan-African Movement

Rencontre Africaine Pour la Defense des Droits de l'Homme (RADDHO)

Sierra Leone STAND Chapter

Sisters' Arabic Forum for Human Rights (SAF)

Socio-Economic Rights and Accountability Project (SERAP)

Sudan Organization Against Torture (SOAT)

Syrian Organization for Human Rights

Unitarian Universalist Service Committee (UUSC)

Universal Human Rights Network

WARIPNET

Women Initiative Nigeria (WIN)