GENEVA / SUDAN HUMAN RIGHTS

The UN today called for a thorough investigation into violations of international law committed in Sudan's Southern Kordofan state in June which it said could, if substantiated, amount to crimes against humanity or war crimes. OHCHR

• Categories: News & Features / News Stories / Unifeed
• Video Length: 00:02:16
• Production Date: 15 August 2011
• Asset Language: Original
• Corporate Name: OFFICE OF THE UNITED NATIONS HIGH COMMISSIONER FOR HUMAN RIGHTS - OHCHR
• Subject Topical: POLITICAL AFFAIRS; LAW; INTERNATIONAL LAW; POLITICAL CONDITIONS; POLITICAL CONDITIONS; POLITICAL MOVEMENTS; INTERNATIONAL RELATIONS; PEACE AND SECURITY
• Geographic Subject: SUDAN
• MAMS Id: U110815b

Description

STORY: GENEVA / SUDAN HUMAN RIGHTS
TRT: 2:16
SOURCE: OHCHR / UNAMID
RESTRICTIONS: NONE
LANGUAGES: ENGLISH / NATS

DATELINE: 15 AUGUST 2011, GENEVA / FILE

Shotlist

RECENT 2011, PALAIS DES NATIONS, GENEVA, SWITZERLAND

1. Wide shot, Palais de Nations

15 AUGUST 2011, GENEVA

2. SOUNDBITE (English) Kyung-wha Kang Deputy High Commissioner for human rights:
“The main findings of the report are violations, serious violations of human rights in terms of indiscriminate attacks, extra judicial killings, arbitrary arrests, illegal detentions and looting of property. And even though we were working with very limited time, due to access limitations there are clearly serious violations have taken place that need to be further investigated.”

FILE / UNAMID / 24 JUNE 2011, EL-FASHER, SUDAN

3. Various shots, Kyung-wha Kang, United Nations Deputy High Commissioner for Human Rights arrives to Zam Zam camp

15 AUGUST 2011, GENEVA

4. SOUNDBITE (English) Kyung-wha Kang Deputy High Commissioner for human rights:
“We have cases that would point to, if substantiated with other patterns that point to crimes against humanity, in terms of serious violations of human rights law. And also violations of international humanitarian law i.e. war crimes but need to be further substantiated.”

FILE / UNAMID / 24 JUNE 2011, EL-FASHER, SUDAN

5. Various shots, Kyung-wha Kang, United Nations Deputy High Commissioner for Human Rights with refugees

15 AUGUST 2011, GENEVA

6. SOUNDBITE (English) Kyung-wha Kang Deputy High Commissioner for human rights:
“There are certainly concrete instances, eye witness accounts of Nuba people being targeted and summarily killed in public. One at a hospital and one a UNMIS contractor in fact who was pulled off a vehicle or taken by the Sudanese armed forces and then gun shots heard soon thereafter and the body found after that.

FILE / UNAMID / 24 JUNE 2011, EL-FASHER, SUDAN

7. Various shots, Kyung-wha Kang, United Nations Deputy High Commissioner for Human Rights listening to refugee stories

15 AUGUST 2011, GENEVA

8. SOUNDBITE (English) Kyung-wha Kang Deputy High Commissioner for human rights:
“We need the access to be able to go in and look at the situation, to investigate certainly; but also more longer term presence for the promotion and protection of human rights of the community.”

FILE / UNAMID / 24 JUNE 2011, EL-FASHER, SUDAN

7. Various shots, Kyung-wha Kang, United Nations Deputy High Commissioner for Human Rights listening with refugees

Storyline

A new United Nations (UN) Human Rights report, says violations in Sudan’s Southern Kordofan State in June this year if substantiated “could amount to crimes against humanity or war crimes.”

Deputy High Commissioner for Human Rights Kyung-Wha Kang said that if substantiated there are cases that would point to crimes against humanity, in terms of serious violations of human rights law and also violations of international humanitarian law.

The 12-page report, covering the period between 5-30 June 2011, describes a wide range of alleged violations of international law in the town of Kadugli, as well as in the surrounding Nuba mountains, after fighting broke out in Kadugli on 5 June between the Sudanese Armed Forces (SAF) and the Sudan People’s Liberation Army North (SPLA-N).

Kyung-Wha Kang said the main findings of the report involved serious violations of human rights in terms of indiscriminate attacks, extra judicial killings, arbitrary arrests, illegal detentions and looting of property.

The UN deputy High Commissioner for Human Rights travelled through Sudan during a one week visit last June, when she visited South Sudan, the Transitional Areas (Abyei, Turalei) and Darfur, but she was not granted access to travel to Southern Kordofan.

She stressed the need for access to be able to go in and look at the situation, to investigate certainly.

Southern Kordofan lies in Sudan but borders the newly independent South Sudan. The mandate of UNMIS came to an end after South Sudan became its own nation on 9 July.

The Security Council created the UN Mission in the Republic of South Sudan (UNMISS), but the new mission does not have a mandate to operate in Sudan.