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CWS Launches Urgent Protest in Sudanese Government’s Arrest of Humanitarian Award Nominee

May 10, 2005

NEW YORK / NAIROBI – International humanitarian agency Church World Service (CWS) is urging the U.S. Department of State, the United Nations, and the African Union to respond swiftly on behalf of Sudanese humanitarian Dr. Mudawi Ibrahim Adam, who was arrested Sunday (May 8) in Khartoum North just hours before Mudawi was due to travel to Ireland to receive a humanitarian award. Mudawi, Chairperson of non-governmental agency the Sudan Social Development Organization (SUDO), was taken with two colleagues to Security Detention offices in Khartoum North, but reports say he has not been charged and there are concerns he may have been transferred to another location.

The Sudan Social Development Organization is a local Church World Service partner in providing emergency services in the country’s beleaguered North, South, and Western regions.

CWS Executive Director and CEO Rev. John L. McCullough states, “Clearly we are dismayed at what seems to be a perpetual violation of Dr. Mudawi's rights, and we intend to not only monitor but also to agitate on his behalf. We are confident in Dr. Mudawi’s leadership and commitment to a greater Sudan.”

Mudawi would be the first recipient of an award for human rights defenders established by Ireland-based advocacy organization Frontline Defenders. The Sudanese humanitarian was scheduled to receive the award in Dublin on Friday (May 13), to be presented by President of Ireland Mary McAleese in front of invited members of the diplomatic corps.

Mudawi was previously arrested by Sudanese authorities on two occasions in 2004 and spent seven months in police custody, charged in connection with his human rights work of committing offenses against the state. Following the hearing of his case on August 7, 2004, all charges against him were dropped and he was released.

“It seems a bit coincidental that the Government of Sudan would again detain Dr. Mudawi so close to the date of his humanitarian award,” says McCullough. “We protest Dr. Mudawi's treatment and are working in collaboration with other NGOs who have a vested interest in the well-being and humanitarian treatment of the people of Sudan.”

Today CWS is delivering a communiqué to Ambassador Khadir H. Ahmed at the Sudanese Embassy in Washington, requesting that Ambassador Ahmed see to the immediate release of Mudawi and two colleagues who were arrested with him, and allow Mudawi to travel to Ireland to receive the Human Rights Defender award.

“We hope you treat our request with due diligence,” notes the communiqué, “and help avoid tarnishing the strides that are being made in the North-South Sudan peace process with this unfortunate incident.”

The letter was also delivered to the United Nation Permanent Representative of the Republic of the Sudan, H.E. Elfatih Mohamed Ahmed Erwa, and to the UN Security Council.

Church World Service is joining with other international agencies in urging the Sudanese authorities to:

1. Immediately release Dr. Mudawi Ibrahim Adam, and his colleagues Yasir Saleem and Abdalla Taha, who were also arrested, if they are not charged with a recognizable criminal offense.

2. Ensure that Dr. Mudawi, Yasir Saleem, and Abdalla Taha have access to a lawyer and to their families

3. Ensure that Dr. Mudawi, Yasir Saleem, and Abdalla Taha are treated humanely while in custody and not subjected to torture or ill-treatment and that treatment of Dr. Mudawi and his colleagues while in custody adheres to all those conditions set out in the ‘Basic Principles for Treatment of Prisoners,’ adopted by General Assembly resolution 45/111 of 14 December 1990.

CWS is communicating with the Sudanese Embassy in Washington, D.C.; the U.S. State Department; the U.S. Embassy in Khartoum; the African Union; the United Nations, and other related bodies to appeal for intercession on behalf of Dr. Mudawi.

Mary Lawlor, Director of Front Line, The International Foundation for the Protection of Human Rights Defenders, yesterday implored the Sudanese government, saying, “We have over 100 dignitaries coming to this [award] ceremony including Ambassadors from twenty-five countries and members of the Diplomatic Corps from another two and it will be very difficult to explain the actions of the Sudanese government. I implore you to release Dr. Mudawi so that he may receive the award.”

Church World Service's 35 member denominations are outspoken on the need for lawfulness in Sudan and are supporting a $35 million appeal in support of aid to Sudan’s displaced populations and to peacemaking and conflict resolution.

Media Contact:
Lesley Crosson, CWS/New York, 212-870-2676;
Jan Dragin, 781-925-1526;

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