Sudan (Hansard, 17 May 2004)

§ Mr. Drew
To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs if he will mount an independent investigation with the UN and EU into the role of, and support for, the Janjaweed militias operating in the Darfur region of the Sudan, with specific reference to human rights abuses. [173488]

§ Mr. Mullin
The Government of Sudan has announced the creation of a national independent human rights committee to investigate alleged human rights abuses in Darfur, with particular focus on the activities of the Janjaweed armed militias. The UK's Special Representative for Sudan is currently in Sudan where he will meet with the head of this committee and senior Government officials to discuss the situation in Darfur.
We are in close contact with the UN Office of the High Commissioner for Human Rights (OHCHR) about Darfur. We are considering the best way to take forward recommendations made following their recent mission to Sudan. We are also working to ensure that the Independent Expert, mandated by 23 April UN Commission on Human Rights decision on Sudan, is appointed as soon as possible. We and our EU partners have made clear that alleged abuses should be thoroughly investigated, and we will continue both to monitor the situation closely and to press the OHCHR to follow up effectively.

§ Mr. Drew
To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what discussions he has had with representatives of(a) the Sudanese Liberation Army and (b) the Justice and Equality Movement about bringing peace to Darfur, Sudan. [173784]

§ Mr. Mullin
Through our embassy in Khartoum we have been in regular contact with both the Sudanese Liberation Army and the Justice and Equality Movement in the run up to the ceasefire talks in Chad, during the talks, and subsequently. We are urging both groups, and the Sudanese Government, to fully implement the ceasefire agreement, and to ensure unhindered humanitarian access and the protection of civilians, in order to find a sustainable solution to the problems in Darfur in the long-term.