TO THE ATTENTION OF
the Secretary General of United Nations,
Boutros Boutros-Ghali,
Under Secretary for Humanitarian Affairs,
Yasushi Akashi.
Having considered the grave violations of humanitarian law and human rights
obligations under international laws perpetrated by the Sudanese government and
documented by the Special Rapporteur, G. Biro and other international non-governmental
organizations (African Rights, "Facing genocide: the Nuba of Sudan", London, 1995, two
video documentaries: "The Nuba: Sudan's secret war", BBC, London, July 1995; "I Nuba del
Sudan", Comunità Nuova and Amani, Milan, April 1996) special attention must be drawn to
the situation of human suffering of the Nuba Mountains populations;
deeply concerned about the Sudanese Government's policy of dismemberment of
the civilian Nuba people with discrimination, forced displacement of persons, intimidation and
torture, summary executions, rape of women and grave violence against children, with the
aim of destroying the ethnic identity of the Nuba;
deeply alarmed that access by Nuba civilian populations to humanitarian assistance
has been impeded, although the joint statement of 15 Sept. 1992 between the U.N. and
Sudanese government affirms "...the critical importance of access to all people in need of
humanitarian assistance wherever they may be " (G. A., res.48/147);
recalling the ongoing efforts of the United Nations and its special programme
Operation Lifeline Sudan (OLS) and the efforts of other humanitarian organizations including
the International Committee of the Red Cross to provide humanitarian relief to the Sudanese
in war affected areas and recalling the persistent refusal of the Sudanese government to
authorize the extension of OLS relief programmes also to rebel held areas of the Nuba
Mountains.
THE HUMANITARIAN NON-GOVERNMENTAL ORGANIZATIONS:
Campagna italiana per la pace ed il rispetto dei diritti umani in Sudan promossa da: Pax
Christi, ACLI, ARCI, Amani, Caritas Italiana, Comunità Nuova, Cuore Amico, Mani Tese,
Nigrizia, Osservatorio diritti dei Popoli, Solidarietà Italo Sudanese - Milan, Italy; Sudanese
Catholic Information Office, Koinonia Community - Nairobi, Kenya; African Rights - London,
U.K.; Africa Faith & Justice Network - Washington, U.S.A.; Missio - Aachen, Germany;
Southern African Catholic Bishops' Conference-Justice and Peace Commission - Pretoria,
South Africa.
INVITE the Secretary General to bring to the attention of the appropriate organs of
the United Nations - especially the Security Council - the situation of the Nuba people,
requiring urgent humanitarian intervention to prevent a situation of genocide;
ENCOURAGE the United Nations to ensure the establishment of relief corridors (G.
A. re. 45/100), with or without the agreement and co-operation of the government of Sudan
and to ensure the immediate free access of humanitarian organizations and U.N. Sudan
relief programs to the Nuba Mountains to provide humanitarian assistance to civilian
populations and victims of the civil war;
Emphasizing that it is essential to put an end to the repeated grave violations of
recognized international human rights in the Nuba Mountains, to the indiscriminate bombing
and raiding of civilian villages, to the denial of the most basic needs;
REQUEST the United Nations Security Council to exercise, given the inaction of the
Sudanese Government (G. A. res 43/131), its right to intervene in the domestic affairs of
Sudan for humanitarian reasons and, as needed, to use the instruments provided by the
Chapter VII of the Charter (S. C. res. 688) to ensure the right to life to the Nuba people (art.
3, Universal Declaration of Human Rights, 1948; art. 12, International Covenant on
Economic, Social and Cultural Rigths, 1966; art. 6 International Covenant on Civil and
Political Rigths).
