Arab Group Defends Sudan, Denies Darfur Atrocities

At the U.N. Human Rights Council today, NGOs and Western States criticized Sudan‘s human rights record, with Sweden and the U.S. calling for the extension of the UN mandate in Sudan. Sudan itself, Libya, and the United Arab Emirates on behalf of the Arab Group came to Sudan’s defense, saying (respectively), “the security situation has improved so we believe that the appeal for the renewal of this mandate is a request that is flagrantly political in nature and we cannot possibly agree to that,” “Sudan has cooperated with the Human Rights Council and all resolutions and facilitated the voluntary return of displaced persons,” and “we welcome efforts by the Sudanese government to improve the human rights and humanitarian situation in all parts of the country, including Darfur.”