Sudan: The Crisis in Darfur: History in Remaking

Press Statement
The Crisis in Darfur: History in Remaking
Only ten years after the Rwandan genocide, history threatens to repeat itself in the little known region of Darfur in Western Sudan.
Since early 2003, Government supported militia known as the janjawid have raped, killed and pillaged, leaving villages devastated and thousands dead in their wake.
As the janjawid have attacked by land, the Sudanese army has conducted air raids on Darfurian civilian centres. The United Nations Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs (OCHA) has warned that the funds supporting relief efforts in Sudan have been exhausted. The region is in dire need of emergency assistance to counter acute shortfalls in food, shelter, clean water and health care.
The latest figures from OCHA have placed the number of internally displaced persons at a staggering one million people. In addition, more than one hundred thousand have fled to neighbouring Chad via the country's eastern border. A ceasefire agreement signed between Darfurian rebels and the Sudanese government in April 2004 has already been broken. International relief agencies have not been allowed easy access to Government controlled areas in Darfur. While neglecting to provide aid to their own people, Khartoum obstructed international relief services to the citizens of Darfur for months. The Government and the predominantly Arabic janjawid militia now stand accused of methodically wiping out villages inhabited by people of black origin.
Darfurian refugees say that Government sponsored militia will kill black peoples indiscriminately; armed rebel and innocent civilian alike. The Office of the United Nations High Commissioner for Human Rights (UNHCHR) has cautiously termed these and other statements "serious allegations of a troubling nature".
Further, the Commission has adopted an undemonstrative resolution that expresses mere concern about the atrocities being committed in the region, recommending among other things that the Sudanese government disband the janjawid, allow humanitarian workers access to the region, promote the rule of law, ensure that refugees and displaced persons return home and ensure that such abuses do not happen again. Despite the obvious indicators, the resolution does not condemn the mass killings as genocide, nor does it propose any kind of external action to preempt further killings.
The US has registered its dissent by voting against the resolution, citing the Commission's failure to condemn what it has termed "ethnic cleansing" conducted by pro-government forces. According to Amnesty International, the Commission has responded inadequately to, ".a situation that is at the point of spiraling into a full fledged human rights catastrophe.[showing] itself incapable of taking strong and decisive action on [the] humanitarian crisis."
Estimates suggest that more than 1000 lives are lost in Darfur every week; it is also believed that the lives of more than half of the region's six million residents have been disrupted. That the United Nations has maintained a passive stance towards Darfur despite the yearlong carnage is indefensible, especially given the lessons learned from the Rwanda genocide.
Ten years ago, in a situation much like the one evolving in Darfur, the world stood by and looked on as one million Tutsis and moderate Hutus were brutally murdered. We have all heard it said that those who forget their past are destined to repeat it. The kind of human tragedy that devastated Rwanda just one decade ago cannot and must not be tolerated a second time round. The red flag has been out for months; Western Sudan is fast deteriorating into a humanitarian crisis of gargantuan proportions. The time to act is now.
The Refugee Consortium of Kenya (RCK) applauds the efforts of the few multilateral donors and humanitarian organizations who despite political resistance and dwindling resources have provided emergency relief to the Darfurian people. RCK commends the efforts that have been made to create a lasting peace in the context of the Nairobi Peace Talks. Nevertheless, RCK:
· Condemns the Sudanese Government for sanctioning ethnic cleansing in the Darfur region, and in so doing, grossly violating international principles of human rights and committing crimes against humanity.
· Denounces the passive resolution tabled by the UNHCHR and adopted my member States which fails to propose any definitive action to resolve the situation in Darfur before it degenerates into a complete humanitarian crisis.
· Reproves the international community for failing to respond rapidly to the State sanctioned mass murders in Darfur.
· Questions the United Nations commitment to upholding global standards of human rights and the protecting the sanctity of human life.
· Questions the role of the Sudan Peace Talks being held in Kenya under the auspices of the Inter-Governmental Authority on Development (IGAD) in addressing Western Sudan (darfur).
As such, RCK calls on:
· Member States to publicly censure the Sudanese Government for sanctioning genocide in Darfur, and to effect economic and political sanctions against Khartoum.
· Members States to actively petition the United Nations to take decisive action towards resolving the crisis in Darfur through political, economic and/or military intervention.
· Member States to continue to fund humanitarian relief efforts in Darfur.
· The United Nations to take decisive action towards resolving the crisis in Darfur through political, economic and/or military intervention.
· The United Nations and international humanitarian agencies to work together to breach the boundaries constructed by the Sudanese Government against the provision of humanitarian relief services to the Darfurian people.
· The UNHCHR to strongly condemn the mass killings in Darfur as genocide, to denounce the Sudanese Government for actions that are in gross violation of international standards of human rights and to seek to prosecute Sudanese Government officials for crimes against humanity.
· IGAD to challenge the Sudanese Government's commitment to a lasting peace in Sudan given its sanctioning of the violence in Darfur, and to put pressure on the Sudanese leadership to address the situation in Darfur in honesty and transparency with a view to rapidly bringing an end to the carnage RCK is a human rights organization that advocates for refugee protection through legal reform, policy development, civic education and research.
Signed
Judy Wakahiu
Director

SOAT

Sudan Organisation Against Torture

SOAT Press Release: 28 April 2004

Torture and continuation of detention in Darfur

Fourteen (14) persons remain in the security forces detention centre in Nyala in spite of the ceasefire agreement that as stipulated that prisoners of war are to be released. The fourteen men were arrested two months ago accused of supporting Sudan Liberation Army/ Movement (SLA/M). All the detainees were held in Security Forces detention Centre. Their names are as follows:

1. Dr. Ali Ahmed Dawood
2. Alfadil Abdella Tambour
3. Abdella Yousif Mohamed Abdella
4. Ali Mansour Hasabella
5. Altayib Mohamed Dafa alla
6. Abdel kaream araka tibin
7. Alfadil Adam Mohamed Nourain
8. Abdel mannan Abdel mawla
9. Adam Abaker Hamid
10. alyan Ali Mohamed
11. Haroun Idreas Hassan
12. Ibraheam Musa Ahmed
13. Mohamed Abdel Kaream Abdella
14. Mohamed Alhafiz Ali

It was alleged that the detainees were badly tortured and are injured due to the torture. They are being detained and imprisoned in a very narrow and crowded cell without ventilation or sun light; they receive only two poor meals per day and some times only one meal.

Two weeks ago the Minister of Foreign affairs and the accompanying delegation of European diplomats visited Nyala city. The delegations of diplomats were visiting the region in an effort to observe the situation in the region after much pressure on the Government of Sudan. They were taken to some of the prisons and camps to demonstrate that human rights abuses are not occurring as is widely reported. The governor for South Darfur state took the delegation to Nyala prison but not to the security detention centre where the detainees remain.

Background

Darfur has been the scene of one of the worst humanitarian crisis. According to the United Nations, 750,000 of its six million inhabitants have been internally displaced by the conflict, while a further 110,000 have sought refuge in Chad. 10,000 have reportedly been killed since the eruption o the conflict, many of whom are civilians. The situation was compounded by the restrictions by the government of Sudan and the escalation of violence and attacks in the region making it a no go area for relief agencies or allow for monitoring of the situation.

Following much international pressure and demands for humanitarian access a ceasefire truce was signed on 8 April 2004 in N'Djamena between the GoS and the two main rebel groups, Sudan Liberation Army/Movement (SLA/M) and the Justice and Equality Movement (JEM), which came into effect on 12 April 2004. Under the terms of the deal signed in the Chadian capital, N'Djamena, the parties have agreed to cease hostilities within 72 hours, for a renewable period of 45 days. They have also agreed to guarantee safe passage for humanitarian aid to the region and to free prisoners of war and to disarm militias 'Janjaweed' who have been blamed for much of the "ethnic cleansing" and "atrocities" against civilians.

These concerns were demonstrated in the Report of the Office of the High Commission for Human Rights mission to Chad, April 5-15, 2004 which reports on a "reign of terror" which includes the following elements:

Repeated attacks on civilians by Government of Sudan military and its proxy militia forces with a view to their displacement;

The use of systematic and indiscriminate aerial bombardments and ground attacks on unarmed civilians;

The use of disproportional force by the Government of Sudan and the Janjaweed forces;

That the Janjaweed have operated with total impunity and in close coordination with the forces of the Government of Sudan;

The attacks appear to have been ethnically based with the groups targeted being essentially the following tribes reportedly of African origin: Zaghawas, Masaalit, and Furs. Men and young boys appear to have been particularly targeted in ground attacks; and

The pattern of attacks on civilians includes killing, rape, pillage, including of livestock, and destruction of property, including water sources."

SOAT condemns the continued detention of the fourteen men and urges the Government of Sudan to:

Uphold to the ceasefire agreement and order the immediate release of all the detainees in the absence of valid legal charges, or if legitimate charges exist, bring them before an impartial tribunal and guarantee procedural rights at all times.
Take all necessary measures to ensure the physical and psychological integrity of all the detainees.
Guarantee the respect of human rights and fundamental freedoms, including freedom of association throughout Sudan in accordance with national laws and international human rights standards.

The above recommendations should be sent in appeals to the following
addresses:

His Excellency Lieutenant General Omar Hassan al-Bashir
President of the Republic of Sudan
President' s Palace
PO Box 281, Khartoum, Sudan
Fax: + 24911 783223

Mr Ali Mohamed Osman Yassin
Minister of Justice and Attorney General
Ministry of Justice
Khartoum, Sudan
Fax: + 24911 788941

Mr Mustafa Osman Ismail
Minister of Foreign Affairs
Ministry of Foreign Affairs
PO Box 873, Khartoum, Sudan
Fax: + 24911 779383

Mr Yasir Sid Ahmed
Advisory Council for Human Rights
PO Box 302
Khartoum, Sudan
Sudan
Fax: + 24911 770883

His Excellency Ambassador Mr. Ibrahim Mirghani Ibrahim,
Permanent Mission of the Republic of Sudan to the United Nations in Geneva,
PO Box 335,
1211 Geneva,
Switzerland,
Fax: +4122 731 26 56,
E-mail: [email protected].

SOAT is an international human rights organisation established in the UK in
1993. If you have any questions about this or any other SOAT information
please contact us at:

SOAT
The Park Business Centre
Kilburn Park Road
London NW6 5LF
Tel: 020 7625 8055
Fax: 020 7372 2656
E-mail: [email protected]
Website: www.soatsudan.org

SOAT
Sudan Organisation Against Torture

SOAT Press Release: 27 April 2004 (draft)

Attacks on villages in violation of ceasefire

On 17 April 2004, the armed forces and Janjaweed (Arab militias) attacked Hillat Ibraheam village near Kassar Bouram, 10 kilometres south of Nyala and also attacked Abu Ajoura village, 35 kilometres, south west of Nyala. Forty five (45) civilians were allegedly killed and three hundred and twelve (312) houses were burnt. The names of the persons that have been killed in Abu Ajoura are as follows:

1. Hussain Adam Haroun
2. Alhadi Omer Abaker
3. Ibraheam Osman
4. Alsayir Osman Omer
5. Issa Mohamadain Mohamed
6. Jido Mohamadain
7. Abdella Abaker Ahmed
8. Mustafa Altaj
9. Meryem Omer Ali (f)
10. Soumaya Mohmed Musa (f)
11. Hammad Adam Musa
12. Basheer Haroun Mohamed
13. Altayib Ibraheam
14. Ishag Abdel Kaream Bosh
15. Hassan Ibraheam
16. Haroun Mohamed Ibraheam
17. Alfaki Hussain Ramadan
18. Abaker Ahmed Abboh
19. Adam Abaker Mohamed
20. Yagoub Dogoul
21. Yousif Zakrea
22. Alfadil Hessain
23. Mohamed Omer
24. Alfaki Altahir Abdel Gadir
25. Abdella Alhaj Abaker
26. Yousif Ahmed Ramadan
27. Alzain Ibraheam Abdella
28. Abaker Musa
29. Ahmed Omer Ali
30. Abdella Musa
31. Fatima Ali Ahmed (f)
32. Altahir Abdel Gadir
33. Musa Abdella Ahmed
34. Abdella Habeeb Adam
35. Kamal Hassan Abdel Jebbar
36. Mohamed Haroun Mohamed
37. Mohamed Ibraheam Abdel Ghani
38. Alsadig Mohamed Musa
39. Alfaki Hassan Haroun Adam

The name of persons killed from the Dinka tribe
40. Daing Gevic
41. Bag Daing

42. Dawood Dot
43. Malog Bail, Sultan

44. Daing Dall, Sultan
45. Abdella Majwan Mawak, Sultan

Background

Darfur has been the scene of one of the worst humanitarian crisis. According to the United Nations, 750,000 of its six million inhabitants have been internally displaced by the conflict, while a further 110,000 have sought refuge in Chad. 10,000 have reportedly been killed since the eruption o the conflict, many of whom are civilians. The situation was compounded by the restrictions by the government of Sudan and the escalation of violence and attacks in the region making it a no go area for relief agencies or allow for monitoring of the situation.

Following much international pressure and demands for humanitarian access a ceasefire truce was signed on 8 April 2004 in N'Djamena between the GoS and the two main rebel groups, Sudan Liberation Army/Movement (SLA/M) and the Justice and Equality Movement (JEM), which came into effect on 12 April 2004. Under the terms of the deal signed in the Chadian capital, N'Djamena, the parties have agreed to cease hostilities within 72 hours, for a renewable period of 45 days. They have also agreed to guarantee safe passage for humanitarian aid to the region and to free prisoners of war and to disarm militias 'Janjaweed' who have been blamed for much of the "ethnic cleansing" and "atrocities" against civilians.

These concerns were demonstrated in the Report of the Office of the High Commission for Human Rights mission to Chad, April 5-15, 2004 which reports on a "reign of terror" which includes the following elements:

Repeated attacks on civilians by Government of Sudan military and its proxy militia forces with a view to their displacement;

The use of systematic and indiscriminate aerial bombardments and ground attacks on unarmed civilians;

The use of disproportional force by the Government of Sudan and the Janjaweed forces;

That the Janjaweed have operated with total impunity and in close coordination with the forces of the Government of Sudan;

The attacks appear to have been ethnically based with the groups targeted being essentially the following tribes reportedly of African origin: Zaghawas, Masaalit, and Furs. Men and young boys appear to have been particularly targeted in ground attacks; and

The pattern of attacks on civilians includes killing, rape, pillage, including of livestock, and destruction of property, including water sources."

SOAT condemns these attacks and urges the Government of Sudan to:

Stop all attacks against civilians
To abide by the ceasefire agreement
Guarantee respect for human rights and fundamental freedoms throughout the country in accordance with national laws and international human rights standards, and conform to all recommendations made by the Human Rights Committee.

The above recommendations should be sent in appeals to the following
addresses:

His Excellency Lieutenant General Omar Hassan al-Bashir
President of the Republic of Sudan
President' s Palace
PO Box 281, Khartoum, Sudan
Fax: + 24911 783223

Mr Ali Mohamed Osman Yassin
Minister of Justice and Attorney General
Ministry of Justice
Khartoum, Sudan
Fax: + 24911 788941

Mr Mustafa Osman Ismail
Minister of Foreign Affairs
Ministry of Foreign Affairs
PO Box 873, Khartoum, Sudan
Fax: + 24911 779383

Mr Yasir Sid Ahmed
Advisory Council for Human Rights
PO Box 302
Khartoum, Sudan
Sudan
Fax: + 24911 770883

His Excellency Ambassador Mr. Ibrahim Mirghani Ibrahim,
Permanent Mission of the Republic of Sudan to the United Nations in Geneva,
PO Box 335,
1211 Geneva,
Switzerland,
Fax: +4122 731 26 56,
E-mail: [email protected].

SOAT is international human rights organisation established in the UK in
1993. If you have any questions about this or any other SOAT information,
please contact us:

SOAT
The Park Business Centre
Kilburn Park Road
London NW6 5LF
Tel: 020 7625 8055
Fax: 020 7372 2656
E-mail: [email protected]
Website: www.soatsudan.org