Darfur: Human Rights

(asked on 12th June 2019) - View Source

Question to the Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office:

To ask Her Majesty's Government what assessment they have made of reports by Amnesty International stating that forces of the government of Sudan, including the Rapid Support Forces and allied militias, have continued to commit war crimes and other serious human rights violations in Darfur, including (1) the destruction of villages, (2) unlawful killings, and (3) sexual violence, in the last year.


Answered by
 Portrait
Lord Ahmad of Wimbledon
Minister of State (Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office)
This question was answered on 20th June 2019

We continue to support efforts to deliver long-term peace for the people in Darfur, including through development and humanitarian assistance. We condemn the recent looting of the UN mission's West Darfur Headquarters and call for all to respect humanitarian principles. We have been consistent in public and in private that there must be accountability for the crimes committed by members of the former regime. The UK strongly supports the mission of the International Criminal Court; due legal process must be followed.

On 6 June, the Minister of State for Africa summoned the Sudanese Ambassador to the Foreign and Commonwealth Office to express our grave concerns at the use of all forms of violence, including sexual violence against civilians by the Sudanese authorities. The UK has called for the human rights of all Sudanese people to be respected, the resumption of the political process leading to an agreed peaceful transfer of power to a civilian-led government, as demanded by the Sudanese people.

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