Written answers

Tuesday, 23 October 2007

Department of Foreign Affairs

Human Rights Issues

10:00 pm

Photo of Jan O'SullivanJan O'Sullivan (Limerick East, Labour)
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Question 135: To ask the Minister for Foreign Affairs his views on the recent report of the United Nations High Commissioner for Human Rights on sexual violence in southern Darfur; and if he will support the calls by the High Commissioner, Human Rights Watch, and Amnesty International that more must be done by the Sudanese Government and by UN-AU forces to provide effective protection for women and children at risk of sexual violence. [24978/07]

Photo of Dermot AhernDermot Ahern (Louth, Fianna Fail)
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Since 2003, gender based violence targeted at women and girls has been a consistent feature of the conflict in Darfur. I have noted with concern the United Nations High Commissioner for Human Rights' (UNHCHR) recent report on the human rights situation in the Sudan which has helped to highlight further this terrible abuse and to identify means by which it may be addressed. The report documents clearly appalling acts of sexual violence which are still being committed across Darfur on an ongoing basis. The evidence of involvement by members of the Popular Defence Forces (a branch of the Government of Sudan's military) in such attacks and the failure of many of these reported crimes to be properly investigated, despite evidence presented to the local authorities, is particularly disturbing. It is incumbent on the Government of Sudan to respond to the detailed recommendations which the UNHCHR has made in her report. I also welcome the efforts which both Human Rights Watch and Amnesty International have made to highlight and urge effective action to address the issue of gender-based violence in Darfur.

The Government has repeatedly called on the Sudanese Government, rebel factions and all parties to end all abuse of civilians, and in particular women and children. I emphasised this point when I met recently with the Sudanese Foreign Minister in New York and urged his Government's full co-operation in facilitating the full and rapid deployment of the joint UN-AU hybrid mission for Darfur (UNAMID). I also highlighted the importance of UNAMID's rapid deployment for improving security in Darfur in my address to the UN General Assembly on 2 October. UNAMID, authorised by UN Security Council Resolution 1769 in succession to the AU Mission, AMIS, is specifically mandated to protect civilians and strengthen local capacities to combat impunity and to ensure adequate human rights in Darfur.

Ireland has also been active at EU and UN level in highlighting the need for effective action to tackle gender based violence in Darfur. Ireland was instrumental in securing agreement at the General Affairs and External Relations Council which I attended on 15 October on the EU's willingness to consider, if required, further measures, notably in the UN framework, to ensure the protection of civilians in Darfur. Ireland has also been active within the UN Human Rights Council in highlighting this issue, most recently in an address to the Council on 24 September which condemned the use of rape and gender based violence as a tool of intimidation and urged the Government of Sudan to end the culture of impunity which exists in Darfur.

Ireland has also supported the efforts of the African Union Mission in Sudan (AMIS) to protect the most vulnerable people in Darfur. The Government has provided €5 million in assistance to support the work of AMIS, much of which has been used for the recruitment of humanitarian and human rights monitors and the construction of protective police posts in camps for the internally displaced. Nationally, Irish Aid has funded specific gender based violence response programmes in Darfur. Irish Aid is also one of the founding Members of the Joint Consortium on Gender Based Violence, which was established in 2004 in response to the appalling levels of gender based violence in Darfur and among its activities promotes training on gender based violence for military personnel.

Photo of Joan BurtonJoan Burton (Dublin West, Labour)
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Question 136: To ask the Minister for Foreign Affairs if he will condemn the use of lethal injection as a method of execution in view of the current US Supreme Court cases addressing lethal injections potential status as cruel and unusual punishment in view of the fact that the combination of drugs used have been banned for use by the American Veterinary Association as being unacceptably cruel; if he will remind the Governments of the United States, China, Guatemala and the Philippines of their customary obligations under the Convention Against Torture and Other Cruel, Inhuman or Degrading Treatment or Punishment and call on them to abolish the death penalty, but failing this at the very least to introduce an immediate moratorium on the use of lethal injection as a method of execution. [24991/07]

Photo of Dermot AhernDermot Ahern (Louth, Fianna Fail)
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Ireland, along with our EU partners, considers that the death penalty, by whatever means it is carried out, constitutes cruel and inhuman punishment and a violation of the right to life. We are committed to its abolition throughout the world. To this end, the EU is currently drafting a resolution on a moratorium on the use of the death penalty, with a view to its abolition, to be tabled at the United Nations General Assembly in the coming weeks.

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