This report challenges the Sudanese government’s assertion that the human rights situation in their country is being misrepresented. It questions why it has banned critical human rights observers, including the UN Special Rapporteur, from visiting the country, thereby undermining its claim that it has nothing to hide. Although the government released some political prisoners in August 1995 there were reports of new arrests within days. Both the Sudan People’s Liberation Army (SPLA) and South Sudan Independence Army (SSIA) have made positive statements about human rights but serious abuses by their soldiers continue, with little sign of decisive action being taken to prevent or investigate incidents. Resolutions passed by the UN Commission on Human Rights and UN General Asssembly have expressed the deep international concern felt at the situation of human rights in Sudan but have not made demands for action to enable measurement of whether the Sudanese government, the SPLA and the SSIA are taking steps to improve the situation. AI calls for the establishment of an impartial and independent civilian human rights monitoring team with full access to all parts of Sudan to enable the international community with a means of ensuring the improved visibility of both human rights abuses and the measures the authorities are taking to combat them.
