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30 April 2019
April has been a historic month for the people of Sudan, whose protests have forced long-awaited change in their country. On April 10, anti-government demonstrators were successful in removing Omar al-Bashir after members of security and police forced rebelled against his government. Read below for a series of written questions submitted by Baroness Cox.
April 3, 2019
Baroness Cox, Crossbench:
- To ask Her Majesty’s Government what is their policy on civil servants, business people, or British visitors to Sudan meeting Omar al-Bashir following his indictment by the International Criminal Court for genocide and crimes against humanity; and whether the UK–Sudan Strategic Dialogue due to take place in spring 2019 will be cancelled.
Lord Ahmad of Wimbledon, Minister of State:
In line with long established policy British Government officials and Ministers avoid all non-essential contact with all those indicted by the International Criminal Court (ICC). It is for private individuals to make their own decisions about whether to hold meetings with ICC indictees. No date is confirmed for the next Strategic Dialogue. We continue to monitor the situation and keep this under review.
April 16, 2019
Baroness Cox, Crossbench:
- To ask Her Majesty’s Government what assessment they have made of reports that the Sudanese Armed and Air Forces have increased their military presence in South Kordofan since January.
- To ask Her Majesty’s Government what assessment they have made of reports that the Sudanese Rapid Support Forces have been deployed to the Nuba Mountains; and what steps they have taken, if any, to ensure citizens of the Nuba Mountains are protected from violent conflict and human rights abuses.
Lord Ahmad of Wimbledon, Minister of State:
We are aware of reports of the Sudanese Armed Forces being redeployed outside of the Safe Demilitarised Buffer zone in the border area of Sudan and South Sudan since October 2018 and are monitoring the situation. We continue to press all sides involved in the longstanding conflict in the Nuba Mountains – both government and rebel groups – to engage positively to reach an agreement for a lasting peace. We raised this frequently with the Sudanese authorities and will continue to do so. Human rights and conflict resolution remain key priorities for our engagement in Sudan.
Click here to watch Baroness Cox question how the British Government will repair its reputation over the UK’s history of ‘strategic dialogue’ with Sudan, following the ousting of President Omar al-Bashir on April 10.