Sudan April 2010
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COUNTRY OF ORIGIN INFORMATION REPORT SUDAN 16 APRIL 2010 UK Border Agency COUNTRY OF ORIGIN INFORMATION SERVICE SUDAN 16 APRIL 2010 Contents Preface Latest News Events in Sudan from 2 March 2010 to 10 April 2010 Reports on Sudan published or accessed between 2 March 2010 and 10 April 2010 Paragraphs Background Information 1. GEOGRAPHY....................................................................................... 1.01 Size and Population ..................................................................... 1.01 Climate and terrain....................................................................... 1.07 Ethnicity and Language............................................................... 1.09 Religion ......................................................................................... 1.11 Public Holidays............................................................................. 1.13 Map ................................................................................................ 1.14 2. ECONOMY........................................................................................... 2.01 Currency........................................................................................ 2.05 3. RECENT HISTORY (1956-2009) ........................................................... 3.01 Overview ....................................................................................... 3.01 Independence and the Al-Bashir Regime................................... 3.04 Internal Conflicts .......................................................................... 3.07 The North-South conflict (1956-2005) ....................................... 3.08 Comprehensive Peace Agreement (CPA): 9 Jan 2005 ...... 3.11 Darfur (2003-2009) .................................................................... 3.16 The Darfur Peace Agreement (DPA) 5 May 2006 .............. 3.21 Eastern Sudan (mid 1990s to 2006) .......................................... 3.24 4. RECENT DEVELOPMENTS (1 JANUARY 2009 TO 1 MARCH 2010) .......... 4.01 Security incidents ........................................................................ 4.02 Darfur peace process................................................................... 4.05 Arrest warrant for President Al-Bashir and the expulsion of NGOs (March 2009) ............................................................. 4.14 Comprehensive Peace Agreement (CPA) developments ......... 4.18 5. CONSTITUTION.................................................................................... 5.01 6. POLITICAL SYSTEM.............................................................................. 6.01 Executive....................................................................................... 6.04 Legislature .................................................................................... 6.07 Political Parties............................................................................. 6.09 Southern Sudan............................................................................ 6.11 Executive ................................................................................... 6.14 Legislature ................................................................................. 6.15 Human Rights 7. INTRODUCTION..................................................................................... 7.01 8. SECURITY SITUATION ........................................................................... 8.01 Darfur............................................................................................. 8.01 Overview.................................................................................... 8.01 ii The main text of this COI Report contains the most up to date publicly available information as at 1 March 2010. Further brief information on recent events and reports has been provided in the Latest News section to 10 April 2010 16 APRIL 2010 SUDAN Availability of arms in Darfur ...................................................... 8.08 Conflict over land and resources ............................................... 8.10 Conflict involving the various armed forces ............................... 8.17 Cross border incidents between Chad and Sudan .................... 8.24 Security situation for non-combatants ....................................... 8.24 UN/African Union forces in Darfur....................................... 8.31 Southern Sudan............................................................................ 8.36 9. CRIME ................................................................................................ 9.01 10. SECURITY FORCES.............................................................................. 10.01 Arbitrary arrest by the security forces: Overview..................... 10.01 Police............................................................................................. 10.11 Arbitrary arrest, torture and extra-judicial killings....................... 10.14 Armed forces ................................................................................ 10.16 Arbitrary arrest, torture and extra-judicial killings....................... 10.21 National Intelligence Security Service (NISS)............................ 10.25 Arbitrary arrest, torture and extra-judicial killings....................... 10.30 Other Government forces (including pro-government milita).. 10.38 Arbitrary arrest, torture and extra-judicial killings....................... 10.42 Southern Sudan............................................................................ 10.47 11. MILITARY SERVICE .............................................................................. 11.01 Southern Sudan............................................................................ 11.06 12. ABUSES BY NON-GOVERNMENT ARMED FORCES .................................. 12.01 13. JUDICIARY.......................................................................................... 13.01 Overview ....................................................................................... 13.01 Organisation ................................................................................. 13.03 Independence ............................................................................... 13.06 Fair trial ......................................................................................... 13.09 Trials relating to the Justice and Equality Movement attack on Omdurman – 10 May 2008.................................... 13.16 Trials relating to the ICC arrest warrant for President Al-Bashir – 4 March 2009 ................................ 13.21 Penal Code.................................................................................... 13.22 Southern Sudan............................................................................ 13.24 14. ARREST AND DETENTION – LEGAL RIGHTS........................................... 14.01 National Security Law .................................................................. 14.04 Southern Sudan............................................................................ 14.10 15. PRISON CONDITIONS ........................................................................... 15.01 Southern Sudan............................................................................ 15.05 16. DEATH PENALTY ................................................................................. 16.01 Southern Sudan............................................................................ 16.06 17. POLITICAL AFFILIATION ....................................................................... 17.01 Overview ....................................................................................... 17.01 Freedom of political expression ................................................. 17.03 Freedom of association and assembly ...................................... 17.08 Opposition groups and political activists.................................. 17.15 Justice and Equality Movement (JEM) ...................................... 17.21 JEM and the aftermath of the Omdurman Attack of May 2008 .......................................... 17.22 Other Darfur-based political and civil opposition ....................... 17.28 Student activists........................................................................... 17.32 18. FREEDOM OF SPEECH AND MEDIA........................................................18.01 Press law – 2009........................................................................... 18.05 Mass media ................................................................................... 18.07 Treatment of journalists .............................................................. 18.08 The main text of this COI Report contains the most up to date publicly available information as at 1 March 2010 iii Further brief information on recent events and reports has been provided in the Latest News section to 10 April 2010 SUDAN 16 APRIL 2010 Southern Sudan............................................................................ 18.12 19. HUMAN RIGHTS INSTITUTIONS, ORGANISATIONS AND ACTIVISTS ........... 19.01 Non Government Organisations (NGO) expelled in March 2009 ........................................................................... 19.05 Treatment of human rights activists........................................... 19.11 20. CORRUPTION...................................................................................... 20.01 21. FREEDOM OF RELIGION ......................................................................