Since the civil war began in Southern Sudan in 1983, grave violations of human rights became the order of the day. Attacks on the civilian population using guns, land mines and aerial bombardments are rampant. Many civilians have fallen victims during cross fires while transport and communications infrastructures in the region have been devastated. Food production has been severely disrupted, and out breaks of famine are regular occurrences.

The masses have out rightly been displaced from their homes and now live as refugees in neighboring countries or live in destitution in displacement camps vulnerable to famine, disease, petulance and death.

Towards the end of 1998 more than 350,000 Sudanese were estimated to be refugees in seven countries while about 4 million were internally displaced. The proportion of those in Uganda are 170,000, in Ethiopia 60,000, in Kenya 45,000, in Central African Republic about 35,000, in D. R. Congo bout 30,000, in Chad nearly 10,000 and in Egypt 2,000.

Many of these refugees continue to suffer from violations of their basic rights in the countries of asylum because of insecurity, insufficient relief assistance, lack of effective self-reliance strategies, inadequate health care and poor educational facilities. Women and children suffer disproportionately more from abuses as political tensions escalate and as more and more civilians become targets of political retribution.

It is in light of these circumstances that the Sudan Human Rights Association (SHRA) was founded in 1996 with the aim of making an intervention to ensure that the rights of the people are recognized and respected. The specific objectives of the organization are:

• To analyze the causes and consequences of the civil war in Southern Sudan and the Nuba Mountain.
• To address human rights and welfare issues faced by Sudanese refugees ,prisoners of war and displaced persons and assist in bringing these issues to the attention of relevant local, regional and international Nubia.
• To mobilize the people and popularize the concept of human rights among Sudanese people.
• To encourage and promote ideals of equality and non-discrimination on the basis of race, color, gender or religion.
• To disseminate information on international and regional human rights instruments, such as the United Nations charter, the Universal Declaration of Human Rights, the African Charter and other Humanitarian laws applicable to the situation in the Sudan.
• To address specific problems faced by women and children living in the war torn regions such as access to education, health care etc.

Since its inception in 1996, four personnel training seminars have been conducted in which about 60 refugee community leaders from the various camps in Uganda have been sensitized and educated about human rights principles and given tips on how to monitor, document and resolve grievances within their communities.

The trainees are now active advocates of human rights in their respective camps providing vital links between refugees and policy makers as well as with other human rights actors.

Towards every end of year, SHRA organizes workshops to which it solicits the attendance of the refugee fraternity both within the urban and rural areas and representatives of sister human rights and humanitarian organizations that have programmes to do with refugees and the displaced.

These workshops provide unique opportunities for refugees and representatives from NGOs to interact and exchange information on how best to collaborate on the question of human rights for the refugees. These workshops have enabled various organizations to share the concerns as related to the roles they are obliged to play towards the protection and promotion of the rights of refugees.

Fact-finding missions to refugee camps in Uganda, Kenya, D.R.Congo and war affected parts of Sudan are conducted on a quarterly basis to establish the conditions of living and bring them to the attention of the concerned authorities. Facts established become a strong basis for SHRA’s advocacy programme for assistance from both the local and international community.

At SHRA offices, refugees and asylum seekers receive counselling services and are assisted with information and guidance on how refugee status is determined in Uganda. Every quarter, SHRA publishes a newsletter, The Sudan Monitor, on the progress of its programmes and the developments unfolding in the refugee area.

SHRA wishes to thank the various organizations and agencies within and outside Uganda with whom they extensively collaborate in the implementation of its programmes. They have sincerely been a tremendous source of encouragement and support and are hereby thanked.

SHRA PROGRAMME ACTIVITIES IN 2000

JANUARY TO MARCH

• Personnel Training Course in Kakuma Refugee Camp in Kenya.
• Field tour to Kakuma and Ifo Refugee Camps in North Western Kenya.
• Publication of The Sudan Monitor.

• Annual Evaluation Workshop.
• Field Tour to the War Zones.
• Publication of The Sudan Monitor.
• Annual Report 1998

INSIDE:

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Situation of Human Rights in Sudan Remains Seriously Wanting

Situation of Refugees in D.R. Congo

New Wave of Refugee Influx in Uganda

10 years of the Convention of the Rights of the Child

Refugees Testify Experiences

Overview of SHRA's work, 1999 / SHRA Calendar of Events 2000