15 DECREES ON SECURITY AND RELIEF SITUATION IN DARFUR

08 July, 2004


Within the context of the Government's commitment to realize peace and establish security in Darfur States, the Minister of Interior, General Abdel Rahim Mohamed Hussein, President Omar Hassan Albashir's special representative in the three Darfur States on Monday July 6, 2004 fifteen Decrees on the enhancement of security measures, safeguard of citizens, guarantee of freedom of movement of all those working in humanitarian aid, facilitation of flow of relief supplies and the work of African Union monitoring teams along with the movement of the scrutinizing commission on allegations of violation of human rights in Darfur. The salient points of the Decrees are as follows:

1. Decrees (1) stipulates that the Headquarters of Police shall immediately recruit and train six thousand policemen to redress the shortage in the Police Force in the Darfur States, and also immediately start dispatching some forces from various units of Police for reinforce the police in that region.

2. Decree (2) directs the police to set up stations in all camps for displaced people to receive complaints on violation of human rights and spread security therein.

3. Under Decree (3) all army, police and security forces are instructed to provide necessary support and all facilitations to the African cease-fire Monitoring teams which shall be allowed without any restriction to move freely throughout Darfur to carry out their duties effectively, and as enshrined in Decree (4) the army, police and security forces should mobilize throughout Darfur to secure roads, railways, and entry and exit points and ensure safe movement of citizens n Darfur.

4. Under Decrees (5), (8) and (14) all apparatus of the state including Sudan Embassies abroad are directed to facilitate entry visas for those working in humanitarian aid in Darfur, and lift all procedural, financial and any other restrictions on entry visas, also to facilitate the flow of humanitarian aid to reach the displaced and affected people.

5. Decrees (6), (7), (9), (10), (11), (12) and (13) stipulates that all humanitarian goods, agricultural inputs, fertilizers and seeds shall be exempted from customs, any other duty and import and health restrictions for a period of three months.

6. Under Decree (15) all security forces and other state apparatus are instructed to facilitate the work and movement of the Scrutinizing Commission on allegations of violation of human rights by the armed groups in Darfur States.