Amnesty International says it fears the signing of a peace deal in Sudan may not necessarily ensure human rights or an end to injustice in the country.
A London-based spokesperson for the Amnesty, Benedicte Goderiaux, says at the moment, the human rights guarantees promulgated in the Power Sharing Protocol of May 2004 have not been respected. She also told English to Africa’s William Eagle that within six weeks of the signing of the Comprehensive Peace Agreement, a National Constitutional Review Commission is due to draft an interim constitution for Sudan. However, Amnesty is concerned that there will not be adequate provision for the participation of civil society, including women, and of independent human rights experts in all parts of the country.
Also, the human rights group says an interim national legislature appointed by the signatories of the peace accord will review laws to ensure they conform with international human rights law. Amnesty will urge the new body to abolish the state of emergency recently renewed in the country, and laws allowing detention without charge and immunity to human rights violations by security forces. Amnesty wants violations by all sides of Sudan’s conflict investigated, and those responsible punished.
