Human Rights our
Collective Responsibility
Communication
402/11
&
420/12:
Civilians
in South
Kordofan and
(represented
Sudan
Democracy
Sudanese
Blue
Nile
First
Group,
REDRESS, Human Rights Watch, INTERIGHTS and
Enough Project) v Sudan
Summary of the Complaint:
1. This Complaint was received separately at the Secretariat of the African
Commission on Human and Peoples' Rights (" the Secretariat") on 21 July 2011 and
23 April 2012, respectively. It was subsequently consolidated during the 12thExtraOrdinary Session of the Commission held in Algiers, Algeria, from 30 July to 4
August 2012.
2. The Complaint was submitted by Sudan Democracy First Group, REDRESS,
Human Rights Watch, INTERIGHTS and Enough Project (the Complainants), on
behalf of Sudanese Civilians in South Kordo£an and Blue Nile (the Victims) against
the Republic of Sudan (the Respondent State).
3. The Respondent State is a State Party to the African Charter on Human and
Peoples' Rights 1981 (African Charter), having ratified the same on 18 February
1986.
4. The Complainants claimed that starting on 5 June 2011, the Sudanese Armed
Forces (SAF) and militia groups, under the control of the Government of the
Republic of Sudan, launched a series of assaults against civilians. in South
Kordofan. On 1 September 2011, a similar pattern of attacks began against civilians
in Blue Nile State.
5. The Complainants stated that more than 31 attacks have been documented since
the assaults began. Among them are the 26 June 2011 bombing of the market in
Kurchi, South Kordofan, which killed 13 civilians and injured more than 20 others,
most of whom were women and children.
6.
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