A Sudanese lawyer who has been honoured by the European Parliament for highlighting human rights abuses in Darfur will visit Ireland next week for meetings with President Mary McAleese and a number of senior political figures.
Salih Mahmoud Osman, who was awarded the European Parliament's Sakharov prize for freedom of thought, has been invited to visit this country by Fianna Fáil MEP Eoin Ryan, who is a member of the development aid committee in the European Parliament.
Mr Osman will be flying in from Paris next Wednesday evening, after a reception from the mayor of Paris and the French foreign minister the day before.
He will meet Mrs McAleese on Thursday morning and will also meet Minister for Defence Willie O'Dea. Afterwards a lunch for Mr Osman will be hosted by Minister of State for Development Aid Michael Kitt.
Mr Osman will also meet Irish NGO representatives based in Sudan and Minister for European Affairs Dick Roche will host a reception for him in Iveagh house on Thursday evening.
"This visit is an opportunity for Ireland to send out a strong political and diplomatic message that we abhor what is going on in Darfur at this time and to demonstrate our commitment to international human rights," Mr Ryan said yesterday.
In addresses to the sitting of the European Parliament and to the UEN political group last December, Mr Osman said that Europe's verbal commitments to human rights and to international peace and security, while welcome and commendable, were all too often not supported by appropriate action.
He called on the European Union to show "a strong, united position regarding the protection of innocent civilians" and said that "the involvement of the international, and especially European forces, is imperative".
Mr Osman deplored the fact none of the perpetrators of the horrific abuses had yet been brought to justice and that the resolutions adopted by the UN Security Council have not resulted in any effective action.
The Sakharov prize is awarded for achievement in defence of human rights and fundamental freedoms, especially right to free expression, for safeguarding the rights of minorities, respect for international law and development of democracy and implementation of the rule of law.
Mr Osman, as a member of the Sudan Organisation Against Torture has, for the past 20 years, provided free legal advice and representation to victims of human rights abuses in Sudan.
He has worked for the rights of the Sudanese victims of torture, the women and children who have been subjected to sexual abuse, for the rights of the millions of dispossessed of Sudan and Darfur. He is also a member of the Sudanese national parliament.