Sudan: No to Women Suppression Initiative Statement

To the people of Sudan: First we salute the bravery and grace of the young Sudanese women who came out and reported and gave evidence to the atrocious and savage sexual harassment they suffered at the hand of elements of Sudanese security organs. We address you today with a feeling of bitterness and anger for the gross violation of the constitutional and human rights of women and the low level of official treatment directed at them in Sudan. We have all seen and read in the media the statements of many women and how they were sexually harassed and intimidated and some were actually raped as a result of their participation in the peaceful demonstration instigated recently by Sudanese people demanding legitimate demands upheld by the constitution. They were faced by a brutal and inhuman treatment encompassed in the draconian and savage piece of law called (Public Order Law) and other Sudanese laws that degrades and disrespects the rights of women in particular and extend to all rights of Sudanese citizens.

This sort of behavior is not alien to the despotic ruling regime of the National Congress which took power by means of a military Coup under the guise of establishing an Islamic rule and upholding the ethics codes and moral values of Islam. We loudly ask where and in what religion do we find morale values and ethics that encourage and promote sexual harassment and degrading acts directed toward women?

The many incidents of sexual harassments and rape of tens of women in the heart of Khartoum, the capital city of Sudan, affirm the allegation of the wide spread practice of rape reported in Darfur and confirm without a doubt that it is a common practice of the regime.  And this validates the point of view that the silence shrouding this brutal practice will only increase its repetition and continuation.

By bringing these issue to the for front of the attention of all, we aim to voice our rejection and condemnation of this practice and all anti human right laws and practices, and declare our concern for the well being of women in Sudan and demand that they should not be intimidated and forced to discontinue their strife for a better life in their country. We also demand obliteration of impunity of security forces personnel as indicated in the Security Organs Law article (52) Para (3) which reads ( any judicial or criminal procedures should not be mounted against members or cooperators of Security Organs without the prior consent of the Director ( Security Organs Director). We demand the abolishment and obliteration of this article and the removal of this impunity will allow the culprits of these savage acts to be tried and brought to law for their crimes like any other citizen in the country and be held responsible for their deed.

The reported incident of the rape of Safia Ishaq, the young (Grifna) activist by three members of Sudan Security Organ, who took turns to rape her after she was detained and beaten by them in their security offices in Khartoum Bahry on 13/02/2011, proof that rape is commonly used as a weapon to instigate fear and apprehension and methodologically administered to break victims, women and men alike as documented recently.

This atrocious act was documented by the victim in her filed police claim number (127) under article (44 AG) in North Bahry police station on 16/02/2011 supported by a medical report indicating that she was subjected to sexual act against her will as shown from the bruises and wounds. The stooges of the regime rather than condemning the brutal inhuman behavior, tried to dish other sort of abuse at Safia and to her supporters and defenders and attempting – In vain – to tarnish her reputation to the extend of publishing official legal documents in web sites and other locations which comprises a crime in itself and a clear indication of the lack of due respect of the law and fair basis of justice.

We declare our unwavering support for Safia Ishaq and her admirable courage and righteousness and salute her loud voice calling for removing the fig leave covering the regime’s naked lack of morality and its deficiency of the national and international standards of decency.

 We would like also to salute her family and declare to them that Safia’s honor is highly regarded and upheld by all Sudanese people and she is  a victim not a criminal and that the attempts by this despotic regime will not succeed in tarnishing her clean and clear name whatever they do. We will do whatever it takes to clear her name and bring those savage animal to justice and see them pay the due price for their abhorrent deed through due course of law and decimation of justice to her and to all those who suffered under this regime men and women.

We demand of the justice system:

· A through investigation of Safia’ rape and lifting the undeserved impunity from the culprits of this cruel crime in order to bring them to justice.

· Obliteration of all anti freedom laws specially the National Security Law and all laws that degrades women in particular the Public Order Law.

· Instigation and adoption of new laws that punishes rape in proportion to the gravity of this inhuman crime and to be weighed in the same scale of adultery in the penal code and to maximize rape punishment to stop using it as a weapon in political strife. 

Long live the strife of Sudanese women

Long live the strife of Sudanese people

No to Women Suppression Initiative 

1st March 2011

عاش نضال المرأة السودانية

وعاش نضال الشعب السوداني

 مبادرة لا لقهر النساء    

1 مارس 2011م