30 December , 2001
The Sudan Human Rights organization Cairo Branch has gravely received
an urgent appeal to the UNHCR to stop deportation of displaced Southern
Sudanese from Syria.
The Organization
notes with great concern that the Sudanese Embassy collaborated in a
very inappropriate way with the host authorities to dispossess our Sudanese
citizens from the legitimate right to retain passports and to seek refuge
in Syria in accordance with internationally recognized norms.
This shameful attitude
of the diplomatic mission of Sudan in Damascus replicates similar stands
by the Sudanese Embassy in Beirut months ago, as the two embassies worked
against the interests of Sudanese refugees in both countries.
These embassies
have thus violated the very essence of their existence as official missions
stationed abroad to provide protection and care for the Sudanese citizens,
regardless of political stand or ideological commitment.
The Sudan Human
Rights Organization denounces the shameful position of the Sudanese
Embassy in Syria for the recklessness, aggression, and security-minded
discriminatory attitude they have unashamedly shown towards our respectful
citizens in the receiving country.
The Organization
is deeply concerned for the dehumanizing tracking of the rights of our
citizens, especially the women and the children, as is documented in
the attached appeal. We urge the Syrian authorities that have shown
understanding to the situation of our citizens as victims of the civil
war of Sudan, to return the passports and other necessary documents
to the Sudanese concerned.
We ask the authorities
to free from detention all the Sudanese refugees whose names are mentioned
in the attached list.
We further appeal
to the authorities to allow these Sudanese nationals to stay as all
citizens of the region are granted free residence without discrimination.
We are hopeful
the Syrian authorities would further provide necessary help to process
refugee status to the applicants, according to international law.
We appeal to the
Syrian authorities to extend the legal status of our citizens until
they would be granted legal status by the UNHRC.
Related to this,
we strongly add our voice to the Sudanese citizens who signed the attached
appeal to the UNHCR.
SHRO-Cairo asks
the United Nations personnel to handle the refugee interests of our
citizens in Syria with full regard to their human dignity, as is emphasized
by the United Nations conventions and international agreements.
Addressed to:
The People of Sudan
at Home and Abroad
National
Democratic Alliance (Sudan)
Sudan Government
(Khartoum)
His Excellency
Dr. Bashar Al-Asad, President of the Arab Republic of Syria
Syrian Ambassador,
USA
Ms. Mary
Robinson, UN High Commissioner for Human Rights
Dr. Amin
Mekki Medani, Regional Adviser, UNHCHR
Human Rights
Watch (Africa)
Amnesty International
The International
Watch
Endowment
for Democracy
All human
rights groups
