The United States, Britain and France on Monday criticized Sudanese President Omar al-Bashir for imposing a state of emergency as the UN Security Council weighed next steps in the drawdown of a peace mission in Darfur.
Bashir imposed the sweeping security measures on Friday in a bid to end more than two months of anti-government protests, but the demonstrations have continued.
US Acting Ambassador Jonathan Cohen urged Khartoum to "respect the rights of all individuals in Sudan" and "bring an immediate end to the violent repression of peaceful protests."
The council met to take stock of the situation in Darfur, where the United Nations is preparing to pull out peacekeepers serving in the joint UNAMID mission with the African Union.
UN official Bintou Keita told the council that the emergency measures, in particular Bashir's decision to replace all governors, "will have a bearing on the process and some rebel groups have demonstrated a stiffening of their position" in Darfur.
Two Darfur rebel groups pulled out of talks with the government in January and the Jebel Marra region "is still a conflict zone," said Keita, the UN assistant secretary-general for Africa.
The Darfur peace process "has come to a standstill -- once again -- in the context of the ongoing demonstrations against the economic and political conditions in Sudan," she said.
- UN exit from Darfur? -
Under a UN plan, peacekeepers in Darfur are to hand over to security forces if the Khartoum government shows that it has made progress on respect for human rights and the rule of law.
Sudan's security forces have been accused of brutally suppressing the protests, that were sparked by a hike in the price of bread but have since escalated into widespread opposition to Bashir's rule.
Bashir's emergency measures and the conduct of the security forces "call into question the government's commitment to delivering progress on human rights, the rule of law and security sector reform," said British diplomat Stephen Hickey.
France called for restraint and urged Sudanese authorities to respect the right to freedom of association and of speech, while stressing that the withdrawal of UNAMID must take place "in a prudent fashion."
Russia hit back at the Western criticism, arguing that the government's response to the protests had nothing to do with the situation in Darfur and insisting that the peace mission must shut down by the end of 2020.
Darfur has been torn by violence since 2003 when ethnic minority rebels took up arms against Khartoum, accusing it of economic and political marginalization.
Bashir has been charged by the Hague-based International Criminal Court (ICC) with genocide and war crimes committed in Darfur.
The United States, Britain and France on Monday criticized Sudanese President Omar al-Bashir for imposing a state of emergency as the UN Security Council weighed next steps in the drawdown of a peace mission in Darfur.
Bashir imposed the sweeping security measures on Friday in a bid to end more than two months of anti-government protests, but the demonstrations have continued.
US Acting Ambassador Jonathan Cohen urged Khartoum to “respect the rights of all individuals in Sudan” and “bring an immediate end to the violent repression of peaceful protests.”
The council met to take stock of the situation in Darfur, where the United Nations is preparing to pull out peacekeepers serving in the joint UNAMID mission with the African Union.
UN official Bintou Keita told the council that the emergency measures, in particular Bashir’s decision to replace all governors, “will have a bearing on the process and some rebel groups have demonstrated a stiffening of their position” in Darfur.
Two Darfur rebel groups pulled out of talks with the government in January and the Jebel Marra region “is still a conflict zone,” said Keita, the UN assistant secretary-general for Africa.
The Darfur peace process “has come to a standstill — once again — in the context of the ongoing demonstrations against the economic and political conditions in Sudan,” she said.
– UN exit from Darfur? –
Under a UN plan, peacekeepers in Darfur are to hand over to security forces if the Khartoum government shows that it has made progress on respect for human rights and the rule of law.
Sudan’s security forces have been accused of brutally suppressing the protests, that were sparked by a hike in the price of bread but have since escalated into widespread opposition to Bashir’s rule.
Bashir’s emergency measures and the conduct of the security forces “call into question the government’s commitment to delivering progress on human rights, the rule of law and security sector reform,” said British diplomat Stephen Hickey.
France called for restraint and urged Sudanese authorities to respect the right to freedom of association and of speech, while stressing that the withdrawal of UNAMID must take place “in a prudent fashion.”
Russia hit back at the Western criticism, arguing that the government’s response to the protests had nothing to do with the situation in Darfur and insisting that the peace mission must shut down by the end of 2020.
Darfur has been torn by violence since 2003 when ethnic minority rebels took up arms against Khartoum, accusing it of economic and political marginalization.
Bashir has been charged by the Hague-based International Criminal Court (ICC) with genocide and war crimes committed in Darfur.
