FRANCE: Sudanese rights lawyer Salih Mahmoud Osman urges European leaders to do more than give him a top prize
Record ID:
455846
FRANCE: Sudanese rights lawyer Salih Mahmoud Osman urges European leaders to do more than give him a top prize
- Title: FRANCE: Sudanese rights lawyer Salih Mahmoud Osman urges European leaders to do more than give him a top prize
- Date: 12th December 2007
- Summary: (AD1) STRASBOURG, FRANCE (DECEMBER 11, 2007) (REUTERS) INTERIOR EUROPEAN PARLIAMENT CORRIDORS POSTER WITH SUDANESE RIGHTS LAWYER SALIH MAHMOUD OSMAN OSMAN DOING A RADIO INTERVIEW OSMAN LISTENING TO THE JOURNALIST DURING INTERVIEW EDIT MACHINE WITH PICTURE OF OSMAN (SOUNDBITE) (English) SUDANESE RIGHTS LAWYER SALIH MAHMOUD OSMAN SAYING "This prize means that the European parliament has recognised the work of the human rights defenders in Sudan and Darfur in particular. And we are delighted of the fact that human rights defenders who have been voicing out about the atrocities and standing with the people in this difficult moment have been honoured by this prize, and I tell you that this prize is not only for me, it is for other human rights defenders in Sudan, in Africa, and all the human rights defenders in the world." ENGINEERS IN FRONT OF BANK OF MACHINES EUROPEAN FLAG (SOUNDBITE) (English) SUDANESE RIGHTS LAWYER SALIH MAHMOUD OSMAN SAYING "I cannot alone solve the problem in Sudan but I can make the appropriate advocacy for raising awareness of the compelling and urgent situation in Darfur for example, about the necessity of the internatinal community's duty to intervene and protect the lives of the people and help them to go back to their homes. Because it's not acceptable that 3 million people live in the camps for indefinite period. Because now, some of them have been living there for more than 4 years, 5 years and they cannot go back to their homes without protection. So it is the responsibility of the international community to provide this protection. that is by making it possible that the hybrid forces be deployed in the region, provided that the international component is there." OSMAN'S FACE IN A SCREEN (SOUNDBITE) (English) SUDANESE RIGHTS LAWYER SALIH MAHMOUD OSMAN SAYING "African Union forces have been there for more than 3 years and they don't protect the lives of the people. Without the robust international forces for component there will never be ceasefire or protection for the lives of the people. Europe has the role and responsibility to send troops to protect the lives of the people there" OSMAN LEAVING
- Embargoed: 27th December 2007 12:00
- Keywords:
- Location: France
- Country: France
- Topics: War / Fighting,International Relations
- Reuters ID: LVA8528YYLVHV0IFKL0H7PDCU8E
- Story Text: The Sudanese rights lawyer, Salih Mahmoud Osman, was awarded the top prize for human rights at the European Parliament in Strasbourg on Tuesday (December 11).
It was in recognition of his work defending victims of abuses in Sudan's Darfur region and the leaders of the parliament's political groups voted unanimously for him to get the prize for Freedom of Thought. Previous recipients have included Myanmar opposition leader Aung San Suu Kyi.
Osman is also an opposition member of the Sudanese parliament. He works for the Sudan Organisation Against Torture and has for years defended and given free legal aid to hundreds of victims of rights abuses in Darfur.
He praised the European Parliament for recognising that atrocities were being committed in Darfur and said that he accepted it on behalf of all those who fight against abuses.
"This prize means that the European parliament has recognised the work of the human rights defenders in Sudan and Darfur in particular. And we are delighted of the fact that human rights defenders who have been voicing out about the atrocities and standing with the people in this difficult moment have been honoured by this prize, and I tell you that this prize is not only for me, it is for other human rights defenders in Sudan, in Africa, and all the human rights defenders in the world," Osman said.
But he said it was not enough to receive a prize nor to simply condemn the atrocities in Darfur. He said the European leaders should take action to bring peace to the region and to help return 3 million people, still stranded in refugee camps, to their homes.
"I cannot alone solve the problem in Sudan but I can make the appropriate advocacy for raising awareness of the compelling and urgent situation in Darfur for example, about the necessity of the internatinal community's duty to intervene and protect the lives of the people and help them to go back to their homes. Because it's not acceptable that 3 million people live in the camps for indefinite period. Because now, some of them have been living there for more than 4 years, 5 years and they cannot go back to their homes without protection. So it is the responsibility of the international community to provide this protection. that is by making it possible that the hybrid forces be deployed in the region, provided that the international component is there," Osman said.
Osman believes that only an international force that is not afraid to take robust action can bring security to his country and he accused the African Union forces of being ineffective for too long.
"African Union forces have been there for more than 3 years and they don't protect the lives of the people. Without the robust international forces for component there will never be ceasefire or protection for the lives of the people. Europe has the role and responsibility to send troops to protect the lives of the people there," he said.
Osman earlier told parliament that the people of Sudan felt 'dissapointed' by the people of Europe. Last week in Brussels he demanded that the bloc take a more active role in resolving the Darfur crisis, saying it could not simply stand by during "genocide".
Experts estimate 200,000 people have been killed and 2.5 million uprooted in violence in Darfur since mostly non-Arabs took up arms in early 2003 accusing Khartoum of neglect.
Khartoum puts the death toll at 9,000 and says the West exaggerates the conflict. - Copyright Holder: REUTERS
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