§ Mr. WorthingtonTo ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what action Her Majesty's Government is proposing following the Biro report on human rights issues in Sudan.
§ Mr. Douglas HoggDr. Biro is finalising his report, which he will submit shortly to the United Nations Commission on Human Rights. We will work to secure the continuation of his mandate. We will continue to press the Government of Sudan both bilaterally and in international forums over its human rights performance.
§ Mr. WorthingtonTo ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what is his Department's latest estimate of the state of the SPLA factions in the southern Sudan.
§ Mr. Douglas HoggDiscussions involving the leaders of the SPLA "mainstream" and "united" factions are continuing under the auspices of the IGADD initiative. On 6 January, the faction leaders signed a joint declaration outlining their position on an agenda for peace talks. Together with our European Union partners, we will continue to urge the faction leaders to settle their differences by peaceful means, and to respond constructively to the IGADD initiative.
§ Mr. WorthingtonTo ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what is the latest information available to the United Kingdom Government about what has happened to the people in the Nuba mountains area of Sudan.
§ Mr. Douglas HoggOur information is limited, given the restrictions on access to the area. We remain profoundly concerned, however. We note the assessment in the interim report of the UN special rapporteur on the human rights situation in Sudan that the 607W
violations committed by the Sudanese Army and the paramilitary forces under its control … seem to be of such a grave nature that the fate of the Nuba communities in the area may be questioned".We strongly support the rapporteur's recommendation that the Sudanese Government give human rights organisations free access to the Nuba mountains.