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Sudan: Information on the dismissal of customs officers in 1989 and on the banning of the customs officers' union in 1989

According to an April 1989 Reuters report, a customs officers' union was active in Sudan prior to the 30 June 1989 coup which brought the current governing authority to power (6 Apr. 1989).

However, following the coup, Africa Watch reported that "all trade unions and professional associations" in Sudan were banned according to the terms of Decree No. 2, Article 3, 30 June 1989, (Mar. 1990, 50). This ban on all trade unions was corroborated by reports appearing in Amnesty International Trade Union Bulletin, Country Reports for 1990 and the Lawyers Committee for Human Rights Critique: Review of the Department of State's Country Reports on Human Rights Practices for 1990 (Oct. 1989, 2; Feb. 1991., 396; LCHR July 1991, 265). Amnesty International, also stated, without specifying customs officers, that "trade unionists working in government departments and the public services are reported to have been dismissed from their jobs during August 1989 (Oct. 1989, 2). And in January 1990, Africa Watch included two customs service civil servants in its listing of trade unionists detained without charges by the new government (News From Africa Watch 22 Jan. 1990, 4).

Following the dissolution of the trade unions, the government formed steering committees to look after union affairs and in May 1990 "several leaders of the customs officials' steering committee in Port Sudan were detained," although they were released three days later, according to Country Reports for 1990 (396).

This Response was prepared after researching publicly accessible information currently available to the DIRB within time constraints. This Response is not, and does not purport to be, conclusive as to the merit of any particular claim to refugee status or asylum.

References

Africa Watch. March 1990. Denying the "Honor of Living": Sudan A Human Rights Disaster. New York: Human Rights Watch.

Amnesty International Trade Union Bulletin [London]. October 1989. No. 42.

Country Reports on Human Rights Practices for 1990. 1991. United States Department of State. Washington, DC: United States Government Printing Office.

Lawyers Committee for Human Rights (LCHR). 1991. Critique: Review of the Department of State's Country Reports on Human Rights Practices for 1990. New York: LCHR.

News from Africa Watch [New York]. 22 January 1990. "`Political Detainees in Sudan': Trade Unionists."

Reuters. 6 April 1989. AM Cycle. Alfred Taban. "Sudan Marks Nimeiri Ouster with Fighting, Starvation, Shortages." (NEXIS)