Earlier in the present session of the Commission on Human Rights, acting High Commissioner for Human Rights Bertrand Ramcharan conveyed to the Sudanese authorities the interest of the international community in this situation and invited them to provide him with information on events in Darfur.
The Sudanese authorities indicated that the request was being considered in Khartoum. On 7 April Secretary-General Kofi Annan, in addressing the Commission, raised serious concerns about the human rights situation in Darfur. With a view to gathering all available information on the situation, the acting High Commissioner sent a mission to the border regions of Chad from 5 to 14 April. The mission, consisting of five staff members of OHCHR visited a number of refugee camps and interviewed people who had fled Darfur into Chad.
The mission submitted a report to the acting High Commissioner on Monday 19 April informing him about serious allegations of a troubling nature that had been made to them by the refugees they interviewed.
The acting High Commissioner sought assurances from the Sudanese authorities regarding the right of the team to visit any place it wished, to talk to persons of its choice, to have freedom of movement and to have their security assured by the Sudanese authorities.
The acting High Commissioner also emphasized the importance of the mission being able to visit different parts of Darfur. The acting High Commissioner has requested that the team be allowed to travel to Darfur on Thursday 22 April.
