OMCT Oral Statement- Follow-up of the Human Rights Council decisions

Statement by the World Organisation Against Torture (OMCT)

Mr. President,

The World Organisation Against Torture (OMCT) welcomes the clear-cut report and recommendations of the High-Level Mission (HLM) on the situation of human rights in Darfur. However, OMCT wishes to express its concerns about the lack of cooperation of the Government of Sudan to the HLM field trip to Darfur, and the current challenging of the report and recommendations thereon.

OMCT, who has been following since four years with great concerns the increased difficulties encountered to end the human rights violations denounced, would like to remind that this report merely confirms what is well documented by other previous missions into the human rights situation in Darfur. OMCT wishes to recall to the Human Rights Council that, according to General Assembly Resolution 60/251 on Human Rights Council, it shall promote the full implementation of human rights obligations undertaken by States, and respond promptly to human rights emergencies. The report provides with concrete recommendations to the different stakeholders and the Human Rights Council should fully endorse it.

In this regard, OMCT would like to know if the HLM will provide with more specific information on the size, composition and timeframe of the proposed procedure or mechanism that would monitor and report to the Council on the situation of human rights in Darfur and its collaboration specificities with the Special Rapporteur on the situation of human rights in the Sudan.

OMCT would also like to express its concern over the lack of cooperation of the Government of Israel with the High-Level Fact-Finding Mission established under Human Rights Council resolution S-3/1 and the impossibility thereon to fulfil the mission’s mandate.

Thank you Mr. President.