US Charge d’Affaires in Khartoum, Mr. Steven Koutsis, has expressed his country’s desire to cooperate with Sudan in the field of human rights and religious freedoms.

In his remarks at a workshop on religious freedoms in Sudan last Monday, Koutsis highlighted the cultural and religious diversity in the Sudan, saying Muslims and Christians and other believers live side by side and maintain friendship and mutual support.

He expressed hope that the outcomes of the workshop would enhance Sudanese-American cooperation in the field of human rights and religious freedoms, including delivery of humanitarian assistance to the needy population in war zones.

For his part, the Director of the Foreign Ministry’s Directorate of America and Europe Mr. Omer Dahab pointed out that the workshop is held within the framework of ongoing dialogue between Sudan and the United States, adding a number of issues were discussed including religious freedoms in law and jurisprudence, religious coexistence and the building of places of worship and Christian schools.

The workshop was held under the auspice of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs and the Sudanese Council of Churches with the participation of academicians, foreign embassies, religious scholars, UN and human rights groups.

In October 2017, the US Administration permanently lifted economic sanctions imposed on Sudan for 20 years, pointing out the positive measures taken with regard to delivery of humanitarian assistances and fight on terrorism.

However, Washington did not lift Sudan from the list of countries sponsoring terrorism, and continues to impose targeted sanctions against individuals, and warrants of arrests regarding the atrocities committed during the conflict in Darfur.

“This time Washington wants Khartoum to abide by the law and international principles in this regard, it also wants Khartoum to amend its repressive and suppressive laws,” sources said.

Human rights are an integrated system, and are indivisible, that should be respected in their entirety. Freedom of belief, for instance, is inseparable from the freedom of expression of beliefs, the right to receive, impart and disseminate opinions. Freedom of assembly is also indivisible from the freedom of expression; it is one of its forms.

Source; Sudantribune