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21 August 2000
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CESCR
23rd session
21 August 2000
Afternoon
The Committee on Economic, Social and Cultural Rights this afternoon continued with its examination of the initial report of Sudan on how that country has implemented the rights and principles contained in the International Covenant on Economic, Social and Cultural Rights.
A Government delegation from Sudan told the Committee experts that the country was enjoying a boom in telephone communication technology. Not too long ago, there were only 8,000 telephones in Sudan, and half of those were dead lines. But six months later, the number of phones increased to 12,000, and six months after that, there were 180,000. It was now projected that there would be 1.5 million lines by the end of this year. The delegation said the experts could not imagine how this had changed life for people in Sudan.
The delegation also said that since the 1980s, basic education and basic health care were rights to be enjoyed by all citizens and any refugees. It pointed out that in many developed countries, citizens could not find free health care and free education. Addressing the right to housing, the delegation said UN officials recently said that the three best countries for public housing without discrimination were Canada, Australia and Sudan. In rural parts and in the biggest cities, housing was affordable and available, they said.
There was a high rate of illiteracy, the delegation said, and the majority of them were women. Programmes had been implemented to combat the problem.
The delegation also said the country was trying to put its civil war behind it. An agreement had been struck to allow the southern part of the country a self-determination referendum after a four-year transitional period. One faction, however, did not sign the peace agreement. Peace was paramount. The discovery of oil in the south gave Sudanese a chance at a good life.
When the Committee reconvenes at 10 a.m. on Tuesday, 22 August, it will continue its consideration of the initial report of Sudan.
Discussion
Responding to questions raised by Committee experts, the delegation said progress had been made, and part of it was because of successes with privatization. Privatization had been carried out carefully, and the benefits were apparent. Not too long ago, there were 8,000 phones in Sudan, and 4,000 of them were dead. In six months, the number of phones increased to 12,000, and six months after that, there were 180,000. Now, by the end of this year, it was expected that there would be 1.5 million phones. It could not be imagined how this changed lives. Communication was now commonplace. The Internet was more accessible.
Asked about torture in Sudan, the Government said it could not say that there were no cases of torture there, but the cases were fully prosecuted.
The death penalty was used sparingly, the delegation said. There was a system of blood money there -- in which if the family of the deceased chose to accept compensation from a perpetrator, his life would be spared. There were about 10 cases in the past five years in which the compensation package was not accepted.
Since the 1980s, basic education and basic health care were rights to be enjoyed by all citizens and any refugees, the delegation said. In many developed countries, citizens could not find free health care and free education. With regard to the right to housing, UN officials had said that the three best countries for public housing without discrimination were Canada, Australia and Sudan. In rural parts and in the biggest cities, housing was affordable and available.
Concerning illiteracy, the delegation said that situation was still not very good, that there was a high rate of illiteracy and the majority of them were women. Programmes had been implemented to combat the problem.
There had been a civil war, the delegation said, but the past was the past, and the country should now focus on going in the right direction. The southerners continued the war until the Government agreed on self-determination in 1997. Seven factions agreed to it, and signed the agreement. But one did not agree, and nobody knew why. The most important thing was that peace come to Sudan. Sudan used to fight for a small cake, but with the discovery of oil, the cake was now large. It would be enough for everybody in Sudan -- northern and southern -- to live a good life. Villages that had been dark for centuries now had light. There were new communications, new health clinics, new schools, and new satellite television. The first amount of oil money was sent to the south for important projects.
Asked about the sale of women and children, the delegation said it was inconceivable that a Member State of the United Nations had a slave trade. Sudan had prohibited such practice through national legislation since the end of the last century. Unfortunately, the accusation was made against the country because of a political battle. In order to put an end to allegations, Sudan invited others to inspect the area and get acquainted with the situation there. In Sudan, everyone was the same colour, so who was selling who? There had been abductions, but they were mainly done by the rebels in the South. The Government had worked hard to return abducted children to their families.
Concerning legal mechanisms about abductions, the delegation said a legal committee had been established to deal with abductions, and it was overseen by the chairman of the Human Rights Advisory Council.
The delegation said there was no discrimination based upon sex, religion or language. It was drafted into the new Constitution, but it had never been legal in the history of Sudan. The problem was not in the law, but there was at times excesses with the police. But those excesses were addressed within the legal system, either via prosecutions or administratively within the police department.
The delegation said there was affirmative discrimination. Since 1961, any southerner who wanted to enter a university was able to as long as he or she had passing marks, while northerners were held to a higher standard. Since the early 1980s, there was affirmative discrimination for women. Twenty-five per cent of the seats at all legislative levels of Government were reserved for women, and they had proved to do an excellent job at all levels.
Speaking about self-determination, the delegation said there would be a referendum four years after the peace agreement, following a transitional period. The delay was to ensure the fighting had stopped. If there was no peace, then the transitional period could be extended. The referendum would be about succession or unity.
Asked about the influence of Islam on the laws of Sudan, the delegation said Islam considered one of the biggest crimes to force the religion on someone else. Different religions had given Sudan diversity, and diversity was one of its strengths. The country had always had different tribes and different religions, and it wanted to take advantage of its differences.
CORRIGENDUM
In press release HR/ESC/00/25 of 14 August, the last paragraph on page 1 should read as follows:
The NGOs addressing the Committee were the Jordan Society for Human Rights, Habitat International Coalition, FIAN International, the Victorian Council of Social Services, the Foundation of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Research Action, the Kingsford Legal Centre, the Australia Social and Economic Rights Project, the Sovereign Union of Aboriginal Peoples of Australia, the Centre on Housing Rights and Evictions, Contextos Latinoamericanos, and Inclusion International.
The second paragraph on page 5 of the same press release should read as follows:
CLANCY KELLY, Australian Social and Economic Right Project (ASERP), said the context of ASERP's concerns was the globalization of free market economic policies during the 1990s, which had resulted in diminished social spending, privatization of many public sector functions and the deregulation of labour markets around the world. In Australia, as in other western democracies, there had been a major reconfiguration of the relationship between the State and the individual. These changes were initiated by the Labour Government of the 1980s and the early 1990s, but the election of the conservative government in March 1996 marked the end of efforts to ameliorate the inequities produced by the inefficiencies of the market state. From a gender perspective, the social transformations won by the women's movement of the 1970s and 1980s had been hollowed out by the redirection of funds and policies that showed little respect for what made life possible for most women. A shadow report prepared by the Women's Rights Action Network Australia expressed concern that the new market-driven regulatory state impacted disproportionately on women's enjoyment of economic and social rights, expanding their responsibilities in the area of unpaid work, reducing their access to social services and increasing their vulnerability to exploitation in the paid workforce.
* *** *
23rd session
21 August 2000
Afternoon
The Committee on Economic, Social and Cultural Rights this afternoon continued with its examination of the initial report of Sudan on how that country has implemented the rights and principles contained in the International Covenant on Economic, Social and Cultural Rights.
A Government delegation from Sudan told the Committee experts that the country was enjoying a boom in telephone communication technology. Not too long ago, there were only 8,000 telephones in Sudan, and half of those were dead lines. But six months later, the number of phones increased to 12,000, and six months after that, there were 180,000. It was now projected that there would be 1.5 million lines by the end of this year. The delegation said the experts could not imagine how this had changed life for people in Sudan.
The delegation also said that since the 1980s, basic education and basic health care were rights to be enjoyed by all citizens and any refugees. It pointed out that in many developed countries, citizens could not find free health care and free education. Addressing the right to housing, the delegation said UN officials recently said that the three best countries for public housing without discrimination were Canada, Australia and Sudan. In rural parts and in the biggest cities, housing was affordable and available, they said.
There was a high rate of illiteracy, the delegation said, and the majority of them were women. Programmes had been implemented to combat the problem.
The delegation also said the country was trying to put its civil war behind it. An agreement had been struck to allow the southern part of the country a self-determination referendum after a four-year transitional period. One faction, however, did not sign the peace agreement. Peace was paramount. The discovery of oil in the south gave Sudanese a chance at a good life.
When the Committee reconvenes at 10 a.m. on Tuesday, 22 August, it will continue its consideration of the initial report of Sudan.
Discussion
Responding to questions raised by Committee experts, the delegation said progress had been made, and part of it was because of successes with privatization. Privatization had been carried out carefully, and the benefits were apparent. Not too long ago, there were 8,000 phones in Sudan, and 4,000 of them were dead. In six months, the number of phones increased to 12,000, and six months after that, there were 180,000. Now, by the end of this year, it was expected that there would be 1.5 million phones. It could not be imagined how this changed lives. Communication was now commonplace. The Internet was more accessible.
Asked about torture in Sudan, the Government said it could not say that there were no cases of torture there, but the cases were fully prosecuted.
The death penalty was used sparingly, the delegation said. There was a system of blood money there -- in which if the family of the deceased chose to accept compensation from a perpetrator, his life would be spared. There were about 10 cases in the past five years in which the compensation package was not accepted.
Since the 1980s, basic education and basic health care were rights to be enjoyed by all citizens and any refugees, the delegation said. In many developed countries, citizens could not find free health care and free education. With regard to the right to housing, UN officials had said that the three best countries for public housing without discrimination were Canada, Australia and Sudan. In rural parts and in the biggest cities, housing was affordable and available.
Concerning illiteracy, the delegation said that situation was still not very good, that there was a high rate of illiteracy and the majority of them were women. Programmes had been implemented to combat the problem.
There had been a civil war, the delegation said, but the past was the past, and the country should now focus on going in the right direction. The southerners continued the war until the Government agreed on self-determination in 1997. Seven factions agreed to it, and signed the agreement. But one did not agree, and nobody knew why. The most important thing was that peace come to Sudan. Sudan used to fight for a small cake, but with the discovery of oil, the cake was now large. It would be enough for everybody in Sudan -- northern and southern -- to live a good life. Villages that had been dark for centuries now had light. There were new communications, new health clinics, new schools, and new satellite television. The first amount of oil money was sent to the south for important projects.
Asked about the sale of women and children, the delegation said it was inconceivable that a Member State of the United Nations had a slave trade. Sudan had prohibited such practice through national legislation since the end of the last century. Unfortunately, the accusation was made against the country because of a political battle. In order to put an end to allegations, Sudan invited others to inspect the area and get acquainted with the situation there. In Sudan, everyone was the same colour, so who was selling who? There had been abductions, but they were mainly done by the rebels in the South. The Government had worked hard to return abducted children to their families.
Concerning legal mechanisms about abductions, the delegation said a legal committee had been established to deal with abductions, and it was overseen by the chairman of the Human Rights Advisory Council.
The delegation said there was no discrimination based upon sex, religion or language. It was drafted into the new Constitution, but it had never been legal in the history of Sudan. The problem was not in the law, but there was at times excesses with the police. But those excesses were addressed within the legal system, either via prosecutions or administratively within the police department.
The delegation said there was affirmative discrimination. Since 1961, any southerner who wanted to enter a university was able to as long as he or she had passing marks, while northerners were held to a higher standard. Since the early 1980s, there was affirmative discrimination for women. Twenty-five per cent of the seats at all legislative levels of Government were reserved for women, and they had proved to do an excellent job at all levels.
Speaking about self-determination, the delegation said there would be a referendum four years after the peace agreement, following a transitional period. The delay was to ensure the fighting had stopped. If there was no peace, then the transitional period could be extended. The referendum would be about succession or unity.
Asked about the influence of Islam on the laws of Sudan, the delegation said Islam considered one of the biggest crimes to force the religion on someone else. Different religions had given Sudan diversity, and diversity was one of its strengths. The country had always had different tribes and different religions, and it wanted to take advantage of its differences.
CORRIGENDUM
In press release HR/ESC/00/25 of 14 August, the last paragraph on page 1 should read as follows:
The NGOs addressing the Committee were the Jordan Society for Human Rights, Habitat International Coalition, FIAN International, the Victorian Council of Social Services, the Foundation of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Research Action, the Kingsford Legal Centre, the Australia Social and Economic Rights Project, the Sovereign Union of Aboriginal Peoples of Australia, the Centre on Housing Rights and Evictions, Contextos Latinoamericanos, and Inclusion International.
The second paragraph on page 5 of the same press release should read as follows:
CLANCY KELLY, Australian Social and Economic Right Project (ASERP), said the context of ASERP's concerns was the globalization of free market economic policies during the 1990s, which had resulted in diminished social spending, privatization of many public sector functions and the deregulation of labour markets around the world. In Australia, as in other western democracies, there had been a major reconfiguration of the relationship between the State and the individual. These changes were initiated by the Labour Government of the 1980s and the early 1990s, but the election of the conservative government in March 1996 marked the end of efforts to ameliorate the inequities produced by the inefficiencies of the market state. From a gender perspective, the social transformations won by the women's movement of the 1970s and 1980s had been hollowed out by the redirection of funds and policies that showed little respect for what made life possible for most women. A shadow report prepared by the Women's Rights Action Network Australia expressed concern that the new market-driven regulatory state impacted disproportionately on women's enjoyment of economic and social rights, expanding their responsibilities in the area of unpaid work, reducing their access to social services and increasing their vulnerability to exploitation in the paid workforce.
* *** *