(New York, October 29, 2006) – When Arab League members meet in
Khartoum this week to discuss aid and development for Darfur, they
should press the Sudanese government to end the massive human rights
violations in the region, Human Rights Watch and other organizations said
today in a letter to league members.
The meeting on October 30-31 will focus on humanitarian assistance,
reconstruction, and development in Darfur. Human Rights Watch
expressed concern that none of these goals will be achieved unless the
Sudanese government ends attacks on civilians, brings the perpetrators of
war crimes and crimes against humanity to justice, and facilitates the
deployment of an effective international peacekeeping force.
”Development in Darfur first requires protection for Darfuri civilians who
continue to face violent attacks,” said Gasser Abdel-Razek, Middle East
advocate at Human Rights Watch. “Arab governments should support the
2 million people caught in Darfur’s conflict by calling on all sides to end
their abuses.”
The human rights situation in Darfur remains dire. Throughout Darfur,
civilians remain at daily risk of violence, even in designated camps for the
internally displaced. Thousands of women have been raped and assaulted
and risk further attacks whenever they leave their camps or villages to
collect firewood or travel to markets. Violence in two camps from October
18-20 left at least two civilians dead and forced others to flee.
Humanitarian workers and international peacekeepers are also at risk: 10
African Union peacekeepers were killed in Haskanita on September 29
when rebels attacked their base.
The Sudanese government has failed to bring to justice the perpetrators of
crimes against humanity and war crimes in Darfur. It has refused to
cooperate with the International Criminal Court, by, for example, failing
to hand over two individuals subject to arrest warrants by the court. One of
these, Ahmed Haroun, remains State Minister for Humanitarian Affairs in
Darfur. The second, a militia leader known as “Ali Kosheib,” was recently
released from state custody for “lack of evidence.”
Although a new United Nations/African Union peacekeeping force for
Darfur (UNAMID) is currently being assembled, it remains unclear
whether donor governments will agree to supply critical equipment,
including helicopters and land transport. The Sudanese government, which
in the past has obstructed deployment of peacekeeping forces in Darfur,
has recently prevaricated over the composition of the UNAMID force, and
failed to allocate land urgently needed to begin construction of UNAMID
bases.
Human Rights Watch urged Arab League members to help ensure that
AMIS and UNAMID have adequate personnel, equipment, technical
expertise, and other resources, noting that improved security in Darfur will
be contingent upon their rapid response capabilities and patrolling
activities.
Arab League governments should call on all parties in the conflict in
Darfur to comply immediately with their obligations under international
humanitarian and human rights law. This includes ending attacks on
civilians and the unlawful use on aircraft of UN and AMIS colors or
markings, and stopping support to abusive militia/Janjaweed and initiating
militia/Janjaweed disarmament programs.
The Sudanese government should end impunity and promote
accountability by cooperating fully with the International Criminal Court
and undertaking legal reforms and other steps to strengthen its justice
system. It should also facilitate the expeditious deployment of AMIS and
UNAMID and ensure they can carry out their mandate unhindered,
including by having freedom of movement throughout Darfur.
To read the letter to the Arab League on the Situation in Darfur, please
visit: http://hrw.org/english/docs/2007/10/26/darfur17181.htm
For more of Human Rights Watch’s work on the Crisis in Darfur, please
visit: http://www.hrw.org/doc?t=africa&c=darfur
———–
Please help support the research that made this bulletin possible. In order
to protect our objectivity, Human Rights Watch does not accept funding from
any government. We depend entirely on the generosity of people like you.
To make a contribution, please visit http://hrw.kintera.org/donate3