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RIGHTS: International Policing Sought in Sudan

Sanjay Suri

LONDON, Aug 11 2004 (IPS) - Increased international presence is urgently needed to protect civilians and bring stability to Sudan, Human Rights Watch says in a new report.

The human rights group condemns the Sudanese government for rejecting a proposal by the transnational African Union to enlarge its presence to carry out such a role. The African Union had proposed expanding its force in Sudan from 300 to 2,000, and acquiring a mandate to actively protect civilians.

The 39-page report released by Human Rights Watch (HRW) Wednesday says that instead of disarming the government-backed militias known as the Janjaweed, Khartoum has begun to incorporate them into police and other security forces. The Janjaweed have been held responsible for most of the atrocities that have brought mass killing and rape and led more than a million people to flee their homes.

The report ‘Empty Promises: Continuing Abuses in Darfur, Sudan’ documents how the Sudanese armed forces and the Janjaweed militias continue to target civilians and their livestock in villages in rural areas and in the towns and camps under government control.

”The Sudanese government insists that it is taking significant measures, but the continuing atrocities in Darfur prove that Khartoum’s claims simply aren’t credible,” Peter Takirambudde, executive director for Human Rights Watch’s Africa division said in a statement at the launch of the report.

”If the government were serious about wanting to protect civilians, it would welcome a greater international presence,” he said.

The report says that in many rural areas and small towns in Darfur region, government forces and the Janjaweed militias continue to routinely rape and assault women and girls when they leave the periphery of the camps and towns.

In one such attack a group of women and girls were stopped at a Janjaweed militia checkpoint in West Darfur last month, the report says.

”Militia members told them that ‘the country belonged to the Arabs now and, as they were there without permission, they would be punished’,” HRW says. ”All of the women were then beaten, and six girls aged 13 to 16 were raped.”

A United Nations Security Council resolution on July 30 demanded that the Sudanese government take steps to improve conditions in Darfur in the areas of security, human rights, humanitarian assistance and political resolution of the conflict, HRW says.

”However, a new ‘Plan of Action’ agreed by the United Nations and the Sudanese government last week appears to backtrack on this timeline, and instead proposes ‘safe areas’ to protect civilians, which would be secured by Sudanese government forces.”

Takirambudde said: ”Incorporating the Janjaweed militias into the security services and then deploying them to protect civilian ‘safe areas’ is the height of absurdity. The Sudanese government needs to bring war criminals to justice, not recruit them into positions of responsibility.”

Human Rights Watch has called for the establishment of an international commission of inquiry into the abuses in Darfur, including allegations of genocide, and for international monitoring of any trial procedures in Darfur.

Among other recommendations HRW is seeking stronger pressure the government of Sudan to ensure that no forced displacement, including forced returns or forced resettlement of displaced populations in violation of international humanitarian law occurs in Darfur.

It wants the UN to prepare contingency plans to adopt a stronger resolution and measures in the event that the U.N. Secretary-General’s report finds that the government of Sudan has not complied with its commitments.

It is demanding that the Sudanese government suspend government and military officials alleged to be involved in the planning, recruitment and command of Janjajweed militia forces from official duties pending investigation of their role in the commission of crimes against humanity, war crimes, and other violations of international humanitarian law in Darfur in 2003-2004.

HRW calls on the Arab League to support efforts of the African Union and United Nations to increase the international monitoring and protection presence in Darfur. It says the League must make public the report of its fact-finding mission to Darfur in April-May this year.