A/HRC/22/45 Observations 389. The Working Group regrets that no response was received from the Government to its general allegation on 4 May 2011, concerning serious obstacles encountered in the implementation of the Declaration on the Protection of All Persons from Enforced Disappearances in Sri Lanka during the last phase of the war against the Liberation Tigers of Tamil Eelam from 2006 to 2009 (A/HRC/19/58/Rev.1, paras. 495-501), notwithstanding a reminder sent on 13 August 2012. 390. The Working Group is seriously concerned that, during the reporting period, it transmitted four urgent actions, nine standard cases, and two prompt intervention letters. In this respect, the Working Group would like to recall the Declaration, which affirms that States must take steps to ensure that persons involved in investigations of cases of disappearance, including the complainant, counsel, witnesses and those conducting the investigation, are protected against ill-treatment, intimidation or reprisal. The Working Group would also like to recall that, in its resolution 21/4, the Human Rights Council urged Governments to take steps to provide adequate protection to witnesses of enforced or involuntary disappearances, human rights defenders acting against enforced disappearances, and the lawyers and families of disappeared persons against any intimidation, persecution, reprisals or ill-treatment to which they might be subjected, paying special attention to women as relatives of disappeared persons in the context of their struggle to resolve the disappearance of members of their families. 391. Following its request dated 16 October 2006, and reminder letters sent on 20 July 2009, 16 August 2010, 20 July 2011 and 8 November 2012, the Working Group wishes to reiterate its hope that the Government will extend an invitation for a visit to the country. Sudan Number of outstanding cases at the beginning of the period under review 174 l 102 Cases transmitted to the Government during the period under review: 0 Cases clarified during the period under review: 0 Cases sent under Cases sent the urgent action under the procedure standard procedure Government Non-governmental sources Number of outstanding cases at the end of the year under review 0 0 0 173l 0 Number of cases on which the Multiple replies on some cases Government has replied Number of cases of possible clarification by Government (6-month rule) 1 0 No Urgent appeal N/A Government response No General allegation N/A Government response N/A Prompt intervention letter N/A Government response N/A Working Group request for a visit Yes Invitation extended No Following the independence of South Sudan on 9 July 2011 and its admission as a State Member of the United Nations on 14 July 2011, the Working Group has started reviewing the cases recorded under Sudan to determine whether any of these should be transferred to the records of South Sudan in accordance to the Working Group‘s working methods. In accordance with paragraph 15 of its Methods of Work, the Working Group decided at its ninety-seventh session to transfer one case from the statistics of the Sudan to those of South Sudan.