COUNTRY OF ORIGIN INFORMATION REPORT SUDAN 15 OCTOBER 2009 UK Border Agency COUNTRY OF ORIGIN INFORMATION SERVICE SUDAN 15 OCTOBER 2009 Contents Preface Latest News Events in Sudan from 29 August 2009 to 14 October 2009 Reports on Sudan published or accessed between 29 August 2009 and 14 October 2009 Paragraphs Background Information 1. GEOGRAPHY........................................................................................ 1.01 Public Holidays............................................................................. 1.07 Map ................................................................................................ 1.08 2. ECONOMY............................................................................................2.01 3. HISTORY.............................................................................................. 3.01 The Al-Bashir Regime .................................................................. 3.05 Peace and conflict in Sudan........................................................ 3.07 The north-south Comprehensive Peace Agreement (CPA): 9 January 2005.......................................................... 3.08 The Darfur Conflict....................................................................... 3.12 The Darfur Peace Agreement (DPA) 5 May 2006 ..................... 3.13 Conflict in Eastern Sudan............................................................ 3.17 The Eastern Peace Agreement (ESPA) 14 October 2006......... 3.18 4. RECENT DEVELOPMENTS......................................................................4.01 General .......................................................................................... 4.01 Political developments ................................................................ 4.10 Implementation of the Comprehensive Peace Agreement....... 4.29 Implementation of other peace processes................................. 4.30 5. CONSTITUTION..................................................................................... 5.01 Interim National Constitution of Sudan (INC) ............................ 5.04 Interim Constitution of Southern Sudan (ICSS) ........................ 5.07 6. POLITICAL SYSTEM .............................................................................. 6.01 Political parties ............................................................................ 6.09 Political parties in southern Sudan ............................................ 6.13 Human Rights 7. INTRODUCTION..................................................................................... 7.01 8. SECURITY SITUATION ........................................................................... 8.01 9. CRIME.................................................................................................. 9.01 Crime South Sudan ...................................................................... 9.03 10. SECURITY FORCES............................................................................. 10.01 Police............................................................................................. 10.09 Arbitrary arrest and detention .................................................... 10.15 Torture ....................................................................................... 10.27 Extra-judicial killings .................................................................. 10.30 Armed forces ................................................................................ 10.33 ii The main text of this COI Report contains the most up to date publicly available information as at 28 August 2009. Further brief information on recent events and reports has been provided in the Latest News section to 14 October 2009. 15 OCTOBER 2009 SUDAN Arbitrary arrest and detention .................................................... 10.35 Torture ....................................................................................... 10.37 Extra-judicial killings .................................................................. 10.40 Pro Government Militias .............................................................. 10.41 Security forces: South Sudan ..................................................... 10.44 11. MILITARY SERVICE ............................................................................. 11.01 Conscientious objection, desertion and evasion...................... 11.03 Recruitment/conscription............................................................ 11.04 South Sudan ................................................................................. 11.08 12. ABUSES BY NON-GOVERNMENT ARMED FORCES ................................. 12.01 13. JUDICIARY ......................................................................................... 13.01 North Sudan (Government of Unity)........................................... 13.02 Organisation ................................................................................. 13.05 Independence and fair trial.......................................................... 13.13 South Sudan ................................................................................. 13.21 14. ARREST AND DETENTION – LEGAL RIGHTS.......................................... 14.01 Arrest and detention – Legal rights: South Sudan.................... 14.05 15. PRISON CONDITIONS .......................................................................... 15.01 Children in prison......................................................................... 15.05 South Sudan ................................................................................. 15.06 16. DEATH PENALTY ................................................................................ 16.01 South Sudan ................................................................................. 16.07 17. POLITICAL AFFILIATION ...................................................................... 17.01 Freedom of association and assembly ...................................... 17.01 Political activists .......................................................................... 17.04 Student activists......................................................................... 17.07 The Popular/People’s National Congress (PC/PNC) ................. 17.10 The Umma/Ummah Party (UP) .................................................... 17.12 The Sudanese Communist Party ............................................... 17.14 18. FREEDOM OF SPEECH AND MEDIA.......................................................18.01 Freedom of speech and media: South Sudan ........................... 18.11 Journalists .................................................................................... 18.14 19. HUMAN RIGHTS INSTITUTIONS, ORGANISATIONS AND ACTIVISTS ......... 19.01 Darfur............................................................................................. 19.12 20. CORRUPTION ..................................................................................... 20.01 21. FREEDOM OF RELIGION ...................................................................... 21.01 Legal rights ................................................................................... 21.01 Abuse and restriction of religious freedom............................... 21.11 Voluntary and forced religious conversion ............................... 21.17 Freedom of religion: South Sudan.............................................. 21.18 22. ETHNIC GROUPS ................................................................................ 22.01 North Sudan: Nubians ................................................................. 22.09 East Sudan: Beja and Rashaida.................................................. 22.11 West Sudan (Darfur): Fur, Massaleit and Zaghawa................... 22.12 The question of genocide .......................................................... 22.16 Nomadic groups......................................................................... 22.18 Central Sudan: Nuba.................................................................... 22.21 South Sudan: Dinka, Nuer and Shilluk....................................... 22.22 23. LESBIAN, GAY, BISEXUAL AND TRANSGENDER PERSONS ..................... 23.01 24. DISABILITY ........................................................................................ 24.01 25. WOMEN ............................................................................................. 25.01 Overview ....................................................................................... 25.01 Political rights...............................................................................25.07 Social and economic rights.........................................................25.09 The main text of this COI Report contains the most up to date publicly available information as at 28 August 2009 iii Further brief information on recent events and reports has been provided in the Latest News section to 14 October 2009. SUDAN 15 OCTOBER 2009 Marriage.....................................................................................25.09 Forced marriage ........................................................................25.12 Family planning..........................................................................25.14 Pregnancy and early pregnancy ................................................ 25.15 Prostitution.................................................................................25.17 Violence against women.............................................................