GENEVA, Sept 26 (Reuters) - The United States, Canada and
the European Union urged Sudan on Wednesday to stop clamping
down on newspapers and protesters and allow a U.N. investigator
to look into allegations of brutality against civilians in
restive areas.
Mashood Baderin, an independent human rights expert, told
the U.N. Human Rights Council that when he made his first
mission to Sudan in June he was not allowed to leave Khartoum,
despite disturbing reports of violations in Darfur, South
Kordofan and Blue Nile.
The Sudanese government is battling an alliance of rebels in
the western region of Darfur and the southern states of South
Kordofan and Blue Nile, which border South Sudan.
"We have witnessed terrible human rights violations over the
last year. Your (Baderin's) future mandate must allow you
unfettered access to the country so that you can assess, verify
and report on human rights violations," U.S. ambassador Eileen
Chamberlain Donahoe told the Council, calling for renewal of
Baderin's mandate.
On Darfur, Southern Kordofan and Blue Nile, she said, "The
brutal violence against civilians in these areas should cause
deep concern for all those who take human rights seriously."
Sudan's delegation to the Council said the government was
doing everything it could to end the conflict in the Blue Nile
and that the rebel movements needed to be put to an end.
A commission of inquiry has been established to look into
killings during demonstrations in June and July, it added.
The leaders of Sudan and South Sudan, which came close to
war in April, are now seeking a border security deal, which
could revive oil production and end hostilities.
ALLEGATIONS OF BOMBING, RAPE
Human Rights Watch said it had documented serious violations
including indiscriminate bombings of civilian areas by
government forces in Southern Kordofan and Blue Nile, and rapes.
"Such attacks may amount to war crimes and crimes against
humanity," Philippe Dam of the New York-based group said.
EU envoy to the Council, Mariangela Zappia, voiced concerns
at "the use of excessive force by security forces against
protesters, increased restrictions on public meetings and
assembly, restrictions on press and impunity currently
prevailing for these abuses".
Baderin, who is from Nigeria, told the 47-member Council
that aid workers cannot reach people uprooted by violence in the
three states.
"Another issue relates to using national security laws in
clamping down on newspapers and also using force against
demonstrators ... Arbitrary closings of newspapers should be
stopped henceforth," he said.
Senegal has submitted a resolution on behalf of African
countries to renew Baderin's mandate, and it called for the
government to cooperate with him.
"The Sudanese (diplomatic) mission has given me assurances
that should my mandate be renewed, they will grant access to all
these places," Baderin said.
Sudanese President Omar Hassan al-Bashir was indicted in
2009 by the International Criminal Court on charges he
masterminded genocide and other atrocities during the Darfur
conflict.
(Reporting by Stephanie Nebehay; editing by Jane Baird)
