HRW calls on US not to lift Sudan sanctions

The United States should delay any final decision and take more time to insist on tangible improvements on human rights before lifting sanctions against Sudan, the New York-based Human Rights Watch (HRW) said yesterday.

In a statement, the deputy Africa director for the international human rights group, Leslie Lefkow, called for the delay in easing sanctions.

“Sudan has a long record of demonstrating disregard for the most basic human rights,” Lefkow said.

Read: Sanctions against Sudan should be intensified

The rights group, which has documented grave violations both in human rights and international humanitarian law in Sudan and elsewhere, said the agreement to lift sanctions does not include progress on longstanding patterns of human rights violations.

HRW’s statement follows a separate call by opposition groups to extend the sanctions for another six months.

HRW said that a six-month period would not be enough to evaluate the improvement in the five areas that include a cessation of hostilities in Darfur, improving humanitarian access, ending alleged negative interference in South Sudan, “enhancing cooperation on counterterrorism,” and ending the threat of the Lord’s Resistance Army.

Read: ‘Sanctions will be lifted as Sudan takes part in US-Africa military group’

On 13 January, the Obama administration eased the sanctions on Sudan subject to a six month review. The US Treasury asserts that the Sudanese government has shown “sustained progress…on several fronts including a marked reduction in offensive military activity, a pledge to maintain a cessation of hostilities in conflict areas in Sudan, [and] steps toward improving humanitarian access throughout Sudan.”

The final decision on whether sanctions will be completely lifted on Sudan is expected next month.