Sudan/Egypt: Information on the mandate of the Sudan Human Rights Organization (SHRO), the secretary-general of its Cairo branch, whether the Cairo branch issues letters confirming that individuals have been victims of human rights abuses in Sudan, and how the Cairo branch verifies individual claims of human rights abuse in Sudan

According to Human Rights Watch World Report 1997, accessible on the UNHCR's database REFWORLD, there are two organizations by the name of the Sudan Human Rights Organization (SHRO). The SHRO was banned in Sudan after the 1989 coup, and it now operates in exile. After the banning of the original SHRO, a group of government supporters in Sudan established another organization called SHRO, which supports the Sudanese government. According to the Lawyers Committee Human Rights Critique 1994, also accessible on REFWORLD, the pro-government SHRO was established in 1991.

The following information was provided to the Research Directorate in a 15 December 1997 telephone interview with a representative of the SHRO in the organization's London office. The mandate of the SHRO is to advocate the respect of human rights and fundamental freedoms for all citizens and residents of Sudan in accordance with the Universal Declaration of Human Rights, the International Covenant on Civil and Political Rights, the International Covenant on Economic, Social and Cultural Rights, and the African Charter on People's Rights, and to defend all individuals who are victims of human rights violations in Sudan according to the terms of those international instruments.

The following information was provided to the Research Directorate in a 15 December 1997 telephone interview with a representative of Cairo office of the SHRO. The secretary-general of the Cairo office is Dr. Hamouda Fath al-Rahman. The Cairo office of the SHRO issues letters to individuals confirming that they have been victims of human rights abuses in Sudan. The process for obtaining such a letter is as follows: the applicant for a letter is interviewed by a representative of SHRO about the applicant's experience in Sudan. The representative who conducted the interview then reports to a committee, which makes a recommendation. The Executive Bureau then reviews the recommendation of the committee before a decision is made as to whether or not a letter will be issued. The SHRO may contact representatives of Sudanese political parties and SHRO members who have been detained in Sudan in order to corroborate the accounts of applicants for letters.

Hamouda (Hammuda) Fath al-Rahman is quoted in a 13 November 1997 Agence France Presse (AFP) dispatch about the arrest of two opposition leaders in Sudan. He is referred to in the dispatch as the secretary-general of SHRO in Cairo.

On 15 December 1997 the Research Directorate accessed  a "Sudan Action Alert" on the Internet. The undated document, dealing with the arrest of 31 people in Sudan, appears at the following Internet address: < http://www.prairienet.org:80/acas/sudalert.html >, under the name of the Sudan Human Rights Organization, at the following E-mail address: < [email protected] >. Please see the attached text of the document for details.

This Response was prepared after researching publicly accessible information currently available to the Research Directorate within time constraints. This Response is not, and does not purport to be, conclusive as to the merit of any particular claim to refugee status or asylum.

References

Agence France Presse (AFP). 13 November 1997. "Two Opposition Leaders Arrested in Khartoum: Human Rights Group." (NEXIS)

Sudan Human Rights Organization (SHRO). Cairo. 15 December 1997. Telephone interview with a representative.

_____. London. Telephone interview with a representative.

_____. n.d. "Sudan Action Alert." [Internet] < http://www.prairienet.org:80/acas/sudalert.html > [Accessed on 15 Dec. 1997]

Attachment

_____. n.d. "Sudan Action Alert." [Internet] < http://www.prairienet.org:80/acas/sudalert.html > [Accessed on 15 Dec. 1997]