The year 2004 had been overshadowed by the dramatic escalation of the conflict in Sudan's Darfur region, which had uprooted close to two million persons, among them some 1.7 million IDPs since the beginning of the conflict. The Government of the Sudan should give serious consideration to the report of the previous Representative on this, and his recommendations, to implement the norms contained in the Guiding Principles, cooperate with the international community in addressing the plight of the displaced, and end the climate of impunity in Darfur as well as cooperate with the international community in bringing those responsible for arbitrary displacement to justice. There was also concern for the more than one million persons displaced by the earthquake and tsunami in South Asia. A visit, while not an official country mission, was held shortly after to the region. Now, the main recommendation was that in the reconstruction and recovery phase, it was essential to take a human rights-based approach to the response so as to prevent future possible problems or violations.

The report before the Commission outlined ways in which the specific needs of those displaced could be addressed, and how the protection of the human rights of IDPs could be improved. Mainstreaming of human rights of the internally displaced into all relevant parts of the United Nations system was also a crucial element. States had the primary responsibility to provide protection and assistance to IDPs. Country missions would therefore be a central part of the activities of the Special Rapporteur in the future, and he would visit Nepal very shortly, and intended to visit Serbia and Montenegro, Croatia, and Bosnia and Herzegovina over the course of the year.

Response by Concerned Country

HASABU M. ABDULRAHMAN (Sudan), speaking as a concerned country, said Sudan had studied the report of the former Representative of the Secretary-General on the human rights of internally displaced persons, Francis Deng, and appreciated the positive aspects of the report. The complex situation, including drought and other calamities, had added to the worsening conditions of the displaced persons. The Government had dispatched trained people to take care of the displaced persons in Sudan. The African Union had also been involved in the situation in Darfur. The Government had continued to demonstrate positive attitudes to international organizations and the African Union. Some of the recommendations had been for the disarmament of the militia. There was no discrimination against the people of African origin. The report had said that Arabism and Islamism had been the main causes of the problem in the region, which was not true. A national commission of inquiry had been set up by the Government to investigate the violations committed in the region and a number of people had been assigned to protect displaced persons in their camps. It was not true that the problem in Darfur was an ethnic issue. The Government had signed an agreement with UNHCR with regard to returnees.

The Government had a framework policy concerning refugees and displaced persons. Those peoples enjoyed all rights upon their return to their places of origin. They were well received upon their return without any discrimination. The international community should help the Government of Sudan in its efforts to resolve the problem and carry out a process of reconciliation.

Source: Reliefweb