A/HRC/33/65
Commissioner of the Humanitarian Aid Commission and his team, members of the
Khartoum Bar Association, the Chair and members of the Union of Sudanese Journalists,
the Sudanese Independent Journalists Network and the Chancellor and senior professors of
the University of Khartoum, who shared with him their views on the situation of human
rights in the Sudan. The Independent Expert also attended a forum on the impact of
unilateral coercive measures on the enjoyment of human rights and met with
representatives of civil society organizations, human rights defenders and victims of human
rights violations, some of whom shared their personal experiences with him. He also met
with members of the diplomatic community, including the African Union and the African
Development Bank, and representatives of opposition political parties, from whom he
received valuable information on the human rights situation in the country. He also visited
the Omdurman prisons for men and women, where he was briefed on detention conditions.
8.
In Northern Darfur, the Independent Expert met with the Executive Chair of the
Darfur Regional Authority, the Deputy Governor of Northern Darfur State, the Special
Prosecutor for Crimes in Darfur, the head of the Humanitarian Aid Commission in
Northern Darfur and his team, the representative of the National Commission for Human
Rights and officials of UNAMID and United Nations agencies in Northern Darfur. He also
visited the Zam Zam camp for internally displaced persons, where he received information
on living conditions of the residents, and the model village in Thabit.
9.
In Eastern Darfur, the Independent Expert held meetings with the Governor of
Eastern Darfur State and his team, as well as with officials of UNAMID and representatives
of civil society organizations. He also visited the Khor Omer camp, which hosts South
Sudanese refugees.
10.
In Southern Kordofan, the Independent Expert met with state authorities, including
the Governor of Southern Kordofan State and his team, parliamentarians, judicial
authorities and community leaders. The Independent Expert also visited El-Gezira State,
where he was briefed on the impact of unilateral coercive measures on the agricultural and
health sectors in the region.
11.
Lastly, during a mission to France in June 2016, the Independent Expert met with
representatives of armed opposition movements, including the Justice and Equality
Movement, the Sudan Liberation Army-Minni Minawi and the Sudan Liberation
Movement-Abdul Wahid, who shared their views about the peace process and the situation
of human rights in Darfur.
III. Recent developments
12.
The national dialogue continued to be the main political development in the Sudan
during the reporting period. The internal national dialogue conference was inaugurated by
President Al-Bashir on 10 October 2015, amid a boycott from a large segment of the main
opposition parties, including the National Umma Party, the Communist Party of the Sudan
and the Reform Now Party, as well as the major Sudanese armed movements, including the
Justice and Equality Movement, Sudan Liberation Army-Minni Minawi and Sudan
Liberation Movement-Abdul Wahid.
13.
During the Independent Expert’s mission to the Sudan in April 2016, senior
government officials stressed that the national dialogue would be effectively pursued by the
Government as a means of improving the political, social and human rights situation in the
country. The six subcommittees of the national dialogue conference completed their
debates and submitted their recommendations on 28 February 2016. Participants reached
consensus on several issues, including Sudanese identity and guidelines for the transitional
review process. Nonetheless, the opposition group was of the view that a meaningful
4
Select target paragraph3
Connect to a paragraph
Connect to an entity
Disable highlights
Add to table of contents