Inter Pares calls for an investigation into sales of military vehicles to the Government of Sudan

Recent reports in The Globe and Mail detailing the sale of military vehicles to the Government of Sudan by a Canadian-owned corporation despite a ban on military exports are profoundly disturbing.

Inter Pares calls on the Canadian government and the RCMP to ensure a thorough investigation into this matter to determine any breaches in Canadian law or UN-imposed sanctions. And if found, we call for there to be justice meted out to the full extent of the law.

Inter Pares has been working with women’s rights organizations in Sudan to promote peace, equality and democracy for over a decade. These groups and others have been subject to threats, harassment, and forced closure by the authorities, as in the case of Salmmah Women’s Resource Centre. The government and police continue to use excessive force to repress the population. Individual activists are harassed, detained and disappeared. Freedom of assembly and expression are severely curtailed. There is also a widespread culture of impunity. Areas of conflict in Sudan such as Darfur, South Kordofan and the Blue Nile region have experienced widespread state-sanctioned violence.

Despite these challenges, women’s rights activists and human rights defenders continue to find strategic and innovative ways to resist, and move their agenda of peace, democracy, and equal rights forward. Inter Pares will continue to support and stand in solidarity with these incredibly courageous allies.