Press Release

March 15, 2007

Time is now for a National Conference on peace and human rights

The Sudan Human Rights organization Cairo Office is deeply concerned for the continuous elusiveness of the state managers of the Government of National Unity (GONU) over the international resolutions that aim to end the crisis in Darfur, strengthen implementation of the Comprehensive Peace Agreement (CPA), and carry out the country's transition to democratic rule in accordance with CPA provisions.

SHRO-Cairo urges the GONU, chief of all other parties to the conflict, to "... cooperate in the convening of a national conference on peace, human rights and a common vision for the Sudan, with the participation of political parties, women’s groups, human rights defenders, community representatives, tribal leaders, and a broad cross-section of civil society from across the country. The national conference should be supported and facilitated by the United Nations and the African Union," as clearly recommended in paragraph (g) of the report by the High-Level Mission on the situation of human rights in Darfur pursuant to Human Rights Council decision S-4/101.

The Organization has been calling on the Government of Sudan for years to cooperate with all Sudanese non-governmental parties and civil society groups, as well as the United Nations, African Union, Arab League, the Government of the United States and European Union, to end the Sudan's Crisis by a peaceful solution that should straighten out persistent defaults of the peace process and the serious failures of transitional rule.

SHRO-Cairo supports in the strongest terms possible the High-Level Mission appeal to the international community to "... call for, support and facilitate the convening of a national conference on peace, human rights and a common vision for the Sudan, as proposed in subparagraph g, above."

The Organization supports equally the High-Level Mission's appeal to the international community to "...organize a regional conference, under the auspices of the UN and the AU, with the participation of all neighbouring and other concerned States, on the safeguarding and promotion of peace and human rights in the region."

The Sudan Human Rights Organization takes this opportunity to urge the Legislative Bodies of the Government of National Unity and the Government of South Sudan to take appropriate decisions to ensure full compliance of GONU state managers to comply with the political will of the People of Sudan and the legitimacy of the International Community to end the crisis.