NPWJ welcomes the adoption by the European Parliament of a joint resolution condemning expulsion of NGOs from Darfur

In a joint resolution on Sudan, adopted on Thursday 12 March 2009 by 55 votes in favour to 1 against with 2 abstentions, the EP "strongly condemns the expulsion of 13 humanitarian aid agencies from Khartoum in response to the international arrest warrant issued by the ICC against Sudanese President Omar Al-Bashir on 4 March 2009".
 
The EP voices serious concern "at the immediate impact of the expulsions on the provision of the humanitarian aid that is vital to hundreds of thousands of people" and demands that "the Government of Sudan immediately reverse its decision to expel the 13 aid agencies and allow them to continue their essential work in ensuring the survival of vulnerable populations in Darfur" and "calls on the Council and Commission to step up their efforts vis-à-vis the African Union, the Arab League and China to prevail upon the Sudanese Government to do so".
 
The resolution also urges the Sudanese Government "to take positive steps to ensure that human rights defenders in Sudan are not persecuted if they speak favourably of the ICC decision and to refrain from any harassment or intimidation of human rights defenders".
 
Read the full text of the EP Resolution