The Darfur Monitor. November 20-26, Weekly Darfur Summary Report

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1 The Darfur Monitor November 20-26, 2011 Weekly Darfur Summary Report Security Situation General Rape cases November 21: (Radio Dabanga) Two policemen allegedly raped a nine-year-old girl from El Geneina in West Darfur on Monday, according to a relative of the victim. The girl, who lived in Abu Zr camp for Internally Displaced Persons (IDPs), had been asked to fetch water by her mother before sunset. On her way back home, she was passing the Ministry of Finance where one of the security guards called her and asked her to enter the ministry to collect buckthorn. Upon her entering the ministry, the guard and one of his colleagues held the girl captive and took turns at raping her. After the relatives filed a report with the police in El Geneina, the perpetrators were arrested. November 23: (Radio Dabanga) Armed herders in military uniforms beat and gang-raped a 32-year-old displaced woman from West Darfur's Wadi Dawari locality on a farm on Wednesday. A complaint was filed with the local police. (Radio Dabanga) Six rape cases were reported this week in West Darfur, sources in the region stated. In all these cases, shepherd militias have been accused of committing the crimes on farmlands. A displaced woman was raped on a farm in Garsila by shepherds in military uniform after the latter were refused entry to the farmland. Two other displaced women were abducted on their way back to their camp and gang-raped by eight gunmen. According to a relative of one of the women, the police was notified of the incident but refused to track down the culprits. Three more displaced women were gang-raped in Banjadid IDP in Sirba locality on Thursday when they were on their way back home form Arminkol camp, where they visited their families. According to a witness, the perpetrators were also responsible for the rape of another 15-yearold girl on the same day who had been working in a farm close to the camp. 1

2 In North Darfur, an armed group raped an IDP from Kassab camp near Kutum town on Friday. A witness stated that the gunmen abducted four women who were on their way to collect firewood in the north of the camp, three of whom managed to escape while the fourth was gang raped until late in the evening. Man who died in NISS detention electrocuted November 22: (Radio Dabanga) The civilian who died in detention at the National Intelligence and Security Services (NISS) detention center in Kaas last week was electrocuted to death, sources stated on Tuesday. The family of the deceased called for a trial of the security authorities who ordered Al Arab's torture. We want to know the circumstances of torture and the reasons for the same as well as the disappearance of the other detainee, a relative said. NISS personnel had arrested Mr. Al Arab. One day after the arrest, he was found dead in his cell. Gunmen attack house, kill three November 23: (Radio Dabanga) Unidentified gunmen attacked the house and killed three members of a family in North Darfur's Alshuiab village on Monday. The gunmen allegedly shot Abdul Hamid Adam Hammad, his son and a third member of the family inside their home village in East Serafu Beni Hussein, West Kabkabiya. The motive is still unclear. The police of Seraf Beni Hussein has reportedly arrested three suspects involved in the incident and imprisoned them. Gunmen kill omda and police officer November 23: (Radio Dabanga) Two gunmen killed omda (local leader) Ibrahim Yagoub Sumi in West Darfur s Baida county on Wednesday. A witness from the region said the omda was on his way from Baida to the village of Awair Radu which lies about 5 km from Baida on his motorcycle when two armed men kidnapped him. The incident occurred on the road east of Hai Elmashtal near Baida police station. The assailants forced him off his bike and shot him. In another incident, the police officer Abdul Aziz from the village of Tara Baida was killed on Tuesday by a group of armed herders. The incident took place when a group of farmers resorted to the police of Tara Baida to get rid of the herders who illegally entered their farms with camels and their livestock. The herders refused to leave the farms and opened fire at the police officers, killing Abdul Aziz. Main level: Government vs. Rebels Clashes between SLA-AW and Sudanese armed forces November 22: (Radio Dabanga) Fighting broke out between troops belonging to opposition Sudan Liberation Army/Movement-Abdul Wahid Nur (SLM-AW) and the SAF backed by militias in Kaura East of North Darfur's Kabkabiya region on Tuesday. Spokesperson of the SLM-AW, Nimr Abdel Rahman Hamas said their response was an act of defense, adding that the reble forces managed to defeat the government troops and were able to take over 10 Land Cruisers loaded with guns and captured three soldiers, one of the rank of a sergeant. 2

3 Tribal level Banditry Abu Tira steal from and torture IDP November 23: (Radio Dabanga) Abu Tira forces assaulted and looted IDPs from North Darfur s Zamzam camp on Monday, witnesses stated. About 18 Abu Tira personnel driving a car arrived at the house of Mohammed Adam in Zamzam camp (B block) at nine on Wednesday evening and stole all the money, mobile phones and goods. The two victims were found at the suburbs of the neighborhood in a coma with signs of torture and beating. Peace & Justice SPLM-N says conflicts in Kordofan, Blue Nile and Darfur need to be addressed together November 23: (Sudan Tribune) The Sudan People s Liberation Movement - North (SPLM- North) told the African Union mediation that any future peace process with the Sudanese government should be designed for a comprehensive solution to the ongoing conflicts in Blue Nile, Darfur and South Kordofan. An SPLM-N delegation led by its chairman Malik Agar met on Wednesday in the Ethiopian capital with the members of the African Union High-Level Implementation Panel for Sudan headed by Thabo Mbeki to brief them about the recent alliance with Darfur rebel groups and their position on the ongoing conflict in the three regions of Blue Nile, Darfur and South Kordofan "A lasting and just solution for the conflicts in the three regions would only be based on a comprehensive perspective. The source of conflicts in Blue Nile, Darfur and South Kordofan and other regions lies in Khartoum s wrong policies," said SPLM-N Secretary General Yasir Arman in a statement released after the meeting. Therefore any settlement must address the roots of the crisis, through a comprehensive solution including all the political forces, he added, warning against partial solutions sealed separately between the government and the rebel groups. Arman s statements echoed a call addressed to President Barak Obama by 63 US Congressmen urging him to work for a comprehensive solution for the conflicts in the western and southern regions of Sudan. The lawmakers disapproved implicitly the current policy implemented by his special envoy Princeton Lyman who supports separated processes with the Darfur groups and the SPLM-N. They also asserted that any rebel movement willing to join efforts for peace in western Sudan should endorse the Doha Document for Peace in Darfur (DDPD) and negotiate only its political participation and the integration of its combatants. Arman went further to explain the SPLM-N s vision for the after negotiated settlement, saying the elaboration of a new Sudanese constitution should begin after the end of war in the country under a transitional government agreed by the political parties, without elaborating on these forces. 3

4 Washington to support DRA November 24: (Sudan Tribune) Washington has promised to support politically and economically the implementation of the DDPD, said the head of the Darfur Regional Authority (DRA) and leader of the former rebel Liberation and Justice Movement (LJM). Tijani el-sissi returned this week from Washington where he took part in a workshop on the perspectives for peace in Darfur after the signing of the DDPD between Khartoum and the LJM. He also met with a number of American officials and Congressmen. The LJM leader told reporters in Khartoum on Wednesday that Washington reiterated its support to the peace deal he sealed with Khartoum on 14 July and that the American officials promised to support the DRA to ensure the full implementation of the peace document and back the resettlement of displaced people and refugees as well as development. US congress urges Obama to recalibrate the US s Sudan policy November 25: (Radio Dabanga) A bipartisan group of 62 Members of Congress sent a letter this week to President Obama urging the administration to recalibrate US policy towards Sudan in order to address the serious humanitarian and security crises that millions of civilians are facing. Citing evidence of government attacks on civilians gathered and analyzed by the Satellite Sentinel Project, the letter implores the administration to adopt a renewed approach toward Sudan in order to end the gross human rights violations being committed by the Government of Sudan. The representatives argue that US policy must no longer deal with the many conflicts in Sudan as discrete entities, but rather look at each separate conflict as a symptom of a larger problem political and economic marginalization of peripheral areas by the center. The letter argues that the Obama administration s model of mediating an end to each conflict individually is not working: Long time Sudan watchers assert that US policy should immediately press for a central, comprehensive process that pulls in all parties in conflict across Sudan to seek peace and structural democratic reform. Furthermore, the letter prescribes that US policy must shift to address the root causes of the conflicts. In order to address the source rather than just the symptoms of the problems in Sudan, the administration should refocus its current policy on mediation, democracy promotion, accountability, and civilian protection. If we, as a key stakeholder, fail to take swift action, the ongoing violence will only increase and the peace that so many Sudanese hoped for will fade into the abyss of instability and war, the letter read. Humanitarian Situation No food rations received since October, leaders of camp in West Darfur say November 25: (Radio Dabanga) IDPs from West Darfur s Riyadh camp have not received food rations from the World Food Program (WFP) since last October, sources stated on Wednesday. Nearly 21,715 displaced people registered with the WFP are suffering from a lack of food rations for over a year in the West Darfuri camp. Camp leaders attributed the reason to be the rejection of the displaced people to have the process of food distribution transferred from the WFP to the Chamber of Commerce in El Geneina. 4

5 Outbreak of diseases November 25: (Radio Dabanga) 15 people have died in North Darfur's Eiyal Amin area in Atuesha locality as a result of a highly contagious bacterial disease, the state's health ministry announced on Friday. The North Darfur health minister retired General Mohammed Mahajoub Karam Alla stated a medical team sent by the health ministry reported a high-risk bacterial disease in the region. The disease involves high fever and inflammation in the throat. It's fastspreading, especially among children, he said. We will shut down schools if necessary to contain the disease. The disease has spread because of no vaccination since the beginning of the conflict in Darfur in 2003, Karam Allah said, adding that a number of teams have been sent to the area to conduct examinations and provide treatment to patients. At the same time, an anti-tuberculosis medical team from the federal ministry of health revealed the existence of tuberculosis in Zamzam, Abushok and Asalam IDP camps in North Darfur. Development UNAMID QIPs November 23: (Radio Dabanga, UNAMID) The African Union-United Nations Mission in Darfur (UNAMID) announced on Wednesday that it would fund seven quick impact projects (QIPs) in South Darfur. The funding of the QIPs is seen as part of UNAMID's strategy to assist development in Darfur. The project is likely to help with the construction of a police station in Nyala, an operation room for Graida Hospital, a sewage system and a septic tank for El Daein prison. Other projects to benefit from the funds include the construction of a basketball field on the premises of the Scout Association in Nyala, and four classrooms in Sheria locality. In Kulbus, West Darfur, UNAMID inaugurated a QIP on Wednesday which built two classrooms and an office for the secondary school. These facilities will be used by 80 students. Repression by the Government Miscellaneous UNAMID supports sports competition in North Darfur November 20: (Radio Dabanga, UNAMID) In its continued efforts to engage the local community, UNAMID presented sports equipment to five secondary schools from Abu Shouk, Al Salaam and Zamzam IDP camps in North Darfur, which will participate in the Back to School Tournament. The kits included balls, nets, footwear and clothes for female and male 5

6 volleyball and football teams. UNAMID Director of Communications and Public Information Kemal Saiki said UNAMID had been very active working for the community, essentially for the youth. We are keen to see the youth engage in activities that promote competition in a peaceful way. On behalf of the Principals of the schools and the Umdas (community leaders) from the three camps, Ibrahim Alkheed Shekhadeen, Camp Manager for Abu Shouk and Al Salaam camps, stated that this donation would strengthen relations between the IDP community and the Mission. We will continue to work with all youth in the camps, by uniting we build peace, he said. The tournament which begins on 21 November will run for three weeks between the secondary schools in Abu Shouk, Al Salaam and Zamzam IDP camps. NISS accuses South Sudan of planning to transfer JEM leader to South Sudan November 23: (Sudan Tribune) The Sudanese intelligence service accused its South Sudanese counterpart of attempting to airlift JEM leader Khalil from Darfur to South Sudan with the help of two groups working under the guise of humanitarian work. "We deny this news completely. The Republic of South Sudan does not play any role in the movements of the head of the Movement," said JEM spokesperson Gibreel Adam Bilal. He added that Khalil was in Darfur under the protection of the troops which were able to take him out of Libya. Khalil returned to Darfur in September after spending more than a year in Libya where he was confined since May 2010 when Chad refused to allow him to cross through Ndjamena to Darfur. Sudanese officials made conflicting statements about his whereabouts. Some said he was in a remote area of North Darfur near Chad, while the army recently denied his presence inside the country. SRF delegation meets US official November 22: (Radio Dabanga) The US Assistant Secretary of State for African affairs Johnnie Carson met with the delegates of the Sudan Revolutionary Front (SRF) in Washington on Monday. The SRF delegation, including members of JEM, SPLM-N and Sudan Liberation Army/Movement-Minni Minnawi (SLM-MM), met with Carson on the sidelines of the workshop for peace in Darfur held in Washington last week.. Adam Issa Hassabo, member of the SRF and the deputy secretary of the foreign offices for the JEM, said the meeting dealt with the vision of the SRF and peace in Darfur, adding they assured the American official that the alliance represents the core of the Sudanese opposition. We are thinking of effective solutions to the issues of Sudan in a comprehensive and definitive way, he said. November 23: (Radio Dabanga) A delegation of the SRF also met with members of American Congress and Senate on Tuesday in Washington. The delegation included members of the JEM SLM-MM. The delegates met senior US diplomat and foreign policy advisor Susan Rice along with 62 other representatives from the Congress. Ahmed Hussein Adam, a member of the SRF and advisor to the president of the JEM, called the meetings successful. The members of the Congress drafted a letter to President Obama requesting the administration to change its policies towards Sudan and the delivery of aid and protection of civilians in Darfur, South Kordofan, Nuba Mountains and Blue Nile, Adam said, adding that this was in line with the movement s demands. Popular defense force on strike over non-payment November 22: (Radio Dabanga) Hundreds of Popular Defense Forces (PDF) personnel protested against delays in payments in South Darfur's Dimsou locality on Saturday. About 400 members of the PDF, a paramilitary organization affiliated to the Sudanese armed forces pulled down their tents and burned the Sudanese national flag to protest against the non- 6

7 payment of financial dues since 15 years. A witness stated that the forces burned down camps in the administrative localities of Al Tomad, Al Garad, Dumbolaya and Manjariya and prevented officials from collecting taxes and revenues from people in the market and other civilians. UNAMID Joint Special Representative/ Joint Chief Mediator ad interim holds talks with senior Russian officials November 24: (UNAMID) On the invitation of the Foreign Minister of the Russian Federation, Mr. Sergey Lavrov, UNAMID Joint Special Representative (JSR) /Joint Chief Mediator (JCM) a.i., Professor Ibrahim Gambari, met on Thursday with the Minister and the Russian Special Presidential Envoy for Africa, Senator Mikhail Margelov, to discuss the Darfur peace process and seek the further support of the Russian Government for UNAMID s efforts to advance peace, security and stability in the region. JSR /JCM a.i. Gambari and Foreign Minister Lavrov discussed the overall situation in Darfur, especially the work of UNAMID, as well as the next steps in the consolidation of the peace process, particularly the full and timely implementation of the DDPD. The JSR /JCM a.i briefed his interlocutors on the efforts of the DDPD signatories, the Government of Sudan and the LJM, with the active facilitation of the State of Qatar, to implement the agreement. Gambari and Foreign Minister Lavrov welcomed the appointment of Dr. Haj Adam Youssef as Second Vice-President of the Republic of the Sudan and Dr. Eltigani Seisi as Chairperson of the Darfur Regional Authority and commended the ongoing efforts of the Cease-fire Commission. They supported the plan for an early convening of the Joint Commission. The JSR /JCM a.i stressed the importance of increasing the momentum of the implementation of the DDPD and sought Russian engagement with the non-signatory movements aimed at persuading them to join the peace process. Foreign Minister Lavrov and Special Envoy Margelov expressed full support for the JSR /JCM a.i s initiatives in the peace process and welcomed the efforts of UNAMID in advancing its mandate, particularly with regard to the protection of civilians, facilitation of the delivery of humanitarian assistance to those in need and support to early recovery and development programs. Bashir urges army to crush all rebellions November 26: (Sudan Tribune) Sudanese president Omer Hassan al-bashir has called on the armed forces to finish cleaning up all rebel pockets across the country particularly in Darfur, South Kordofan and Blue Nile. Speaking before the National Congress Party (NCP) general conference, Bashir said rebellions broke out in these areas driven by mercenaries and foreign agents who put the country in crisis. Sudan is battling forces from the SPLM-N in Blue Nile and South Kordofan, in conflicts that erupted this year. Bashir again reiterated that Sudan will adopt Islamic Shari a law but emphasized that this is not about penal code but establishing a Quaranic society. We want to free the will of the people from subordination and oppression...humanity needs [Prophet] Mohammad s guidance," Bashir said. For more information, please visit HAND s website at: 7