Leonardo Franco, United Nations Special Rapporteur on Human Rights in Sudan visited the country for ten days in late February this year.

In the North
A substantial number of people have been arrested by the security forces during the month. They have been beaten up, burnt with cigarettes or tortured in many other ways. Among them Mohammed Tahir Youssif, Sir el Khatim Ahmed, Mohammad Abu Harrira have agreed to be named. Five journalists from the daily As-Sahafa were arrested for a few hours after publishing a series of articles signed by opponents to the regime. Finally, on 27 March, Ghazzi Suleiman who is also Chairman of one of the very few opposition parties operating within Sudan, the National Alliance for Return to Democracy, was arrested by the security forces without further explanation as usual. He had just been holding a press conference declaring that human rights were systematically violated and had mentioned the arrest of Tony Madout the day before ( he has been release since) though he had been arrested at least three times in 1999. According to the Sudan Human Rights Group, SHRG, Ghazzi Suleiman was badly treated. Vigilance Soudan admires the courage of all these Sudanese people who take great risks by agreeing to be explicitly named and is thinking of the endless numbers of all those who remain silent.

The Nuba Mountains
The UNO sent two evaluation missions there. The report underlines an extremely high death rate, villages being raided, livestock stolen, rapes, murders, large numbers of people being mutilated owing to the spreading use of landmines. Who is responsible? It is not said. But the background shows that these war crimes are carried out  by the GOS forces. Operation Lifeline Sudan would soon be allowed by the government to bring assistance to the region. On 8 February, the GOS forces bombed a primary school killing 15 and wounding 17 - some children had to have limbs amputated -, five children have disappeared. A footage of the killing can be seen on the Internet : 
http://news.bbc.co.uk/hi/english/world/africa/newsid-640000/640128.stm

Is democracy making any progress ?
Ghazzi Suleiman was arrested at a time when the GOS intends to amend the tawali legislation abolishing the restrictions to the right of association which concerns political parties. This right has so far been limited by fundamental principles, ie, the acceptance of : shari'a law, of national unity, of the federal system and of the presidential regime. In the absence of Parliament, al Bashir will allegedly sign a presidential decree. In order  to be allowed to resume their activities and run for elections, the new parties would have to be registered with the authorities. The DUP is not interested. The SPLM might be. In the meantime, al Turabi was prohibited from making speeches in public meetings. The state of emergency which had been declared for three months has been prolonged until the end of the year. Article 131 of the Constitution stating that the declaration of the state of emergency must be approved within 15 days by the National Assembly, even though an extraordinary session has to be convened, has been set aside. The President will be entitled to suspend most rights and liberties enshrined in the Constitution (Article 132). This will not change much and a new action  before the Constitutional Court would end in a stalemate. The latter decided that the Constitution failed to specify which authority was entitled to dissolve Parliament, so the President, the supreme Head of State, must take the appropriate measures.

The South
Whether they have been eye-witnesses or reported testimonies and evidence after the events, the facts that we report were told by Westerners. What happens when there aren't any Westerners there to speak out against the respectable image that Khartoum is trying to project?

Famine : The FAO said that famine would continue to put in jeopardy 1.7 million people this year, especially in the South.

Our other sources investigated in other federal states  :

Unity, Genocide and scorched earth policy, other oil-producing states 

Equatoria
Numerous bombings of the civilian populations. MSF Switzerland has just published a report on aerial bombings of civilian targets in Equatoria from January 1999 up to January 2000. Hospitals and schools were favourite targets. MSF said that there have been more than 60 bombings in Narus, Chukudum, Lagone, Kajo Kejio, Maridi, Yei, Ikotos, Loka, Lainya, Parajok, Tali Post and Morobo and thinks that the list is far from complete. This report can be consulted on their Website : http://www.msf.ch/ssudan/bombing.htm
Among other information, the report claims that cluster bombs were dropped that can injure someone two kilometres away from the hit spot. Landmines are sometimes dropped too. Chemical weapons were allegedly used particularly in Yei county, in Laynia and Loka on 23 July 1999 after Sudan had signed the Convention on chemical weapons on 24 May 1999. In a thick smoke cloud, the  symptoms were obvious such as nausea, vomiting and, later on, vomiting of blood, miscarriages, eye and skin burns, lack of balance, headaches. Members of the World Food Programme fell sick and had to be repatriated. The United Nations and several NGOs working in the region had to stop their activities. On 30 July, a group of NGOs  and on 7 August United Nations members took samples that were meant to be examined by the Organisation for the Prohibition of Chemical Weapons. This body is entitled to investigate on the territory of a member state in so far as a different member state requires it to do so. No member state could be persuaded to ask OPCW  to do the tests. MSF underlines the fact that the Geneva Conventions signed by the Sudan government are quite strict concerning the protection of non-combatants as well as on the prohibition of chemical weapons.
Since the report was published and despite the ceasefire, the Lui hospital, the villages of Kaya and Kotobi as well as Nimule have been bombed. A German delegation which was visiting the last town on 14 March reported on the two-hour bombing; the episcopalian cathedral and a school for over 1000 students burnt to ashes. Numerous students were seriously injured. On 28 March, twelve more bombs were dropped on Nimule. The SPLM urges the international community to declare the area a no-fly zone for the Khartoum war-planes.

Bahr al Ghazal : slave raids
The CSI has received the testimony of the East-Aweil district commissioner, Victor Akok. Two units consisting of 1300 infantry or horsemen each, coming from the Atiat garrisson near Meiram, have raided three villages. On 10 March, the first unit assaulted Malith which the SLPA tried  unsuccessfully to defend. The village was looted, its livestock destroyed and the huts burnt down. Seventy people were abducted and taken to the Grinty garrison in North Bahr al Ghazal to be sold as slaves. The same unit then headed for Rup Deir and, though its progress was slowed down by the SPLA, abducted fifty more villagers who were equally taken to Grinty  to be sold. On 11 March, the second unit raided Majok Kuom where 68 women and children were abducted and taken to Mabior which stands along the railway line. The CSI president, accompanied by journalists, testifies he saw the scorched remains of Malith. The CSI confirms they have released 4968 slaves originally living in North Bhar al Ghazal and bought back in North Sudan. The SPLA announced that the town of Yirol in Bhar al Ghazal had been bombed. 

SPLA-held areas, NGOS expelled.
The SPLA has required the NGOs working on their territory to sign a document - Memorandum of Understanding - that would allow the SPLA to supervise their activities and demand payment for NGO landing and movement within South Sudan. Twenty-two NGOs accepted the conditions whereas eleven of them, among which CARE, Oxfam, World Vision, Save the Children, refused
and were expelled. UNO and the RCIC are not affected by the demand. The Sudan government has offered to allow the expelled NGOs to settle in Khartoum. The United States deplored the decision. The European Commission sees no reason why it should keep funding humanitarian relief in the circumstances. Since then the Union has committed itself to the Humanitarian Programme Plus (see LOI 18.3.2000)
The SPLA and two Philippine rebel movements have committed themselves to no longer using landmines and  to respecting International  Humanitarian Law on the launching of the Swiss-based NGO " l'Appel de Genève".