The situation in Sudan

Transcription

1 Forum: Issue: Student Officer: Position: Security Council The situation in Sudan Christopher Fleihan Deputy President Introduction The term situation in Sudan may seem tremendously over-simplified, but when referring to Sudan in general it is a necessity in order to encompass the vast array of human rights infractions, arising conflict, and boiling tensions. When referring to the situation in Sudan, or even the situation in Darfur, however, the principal issue within Sudan that one is most likely referring to is the War in Darfur, a major armed conflict that originated in the western region of Sudan. Principally a war of clashing interests between an Arabic government and a multiethnical people, the War in Darfur has affected people both within the Sudanese borders and in the surrounding area. Mass emigration has taken place both within Sudan and from Sudan, with large amounts of displaced populations fleeing the everencroaching conflict. Overshadowed by more intensely media-covered refugee problems in Syria, Afghanistan, and Iraq, the situation in Darfur pales with each following day, with the lives of millions of people remaining in constant limbo as they search for a new home and avoid the destruction of their current one. Definition of Key Terms Fur, Zaghawa, Massalit: Fur, Zaghawa and Massalit are each known as the individual tribes that make up the majority of Darfur. Forming a coalition against the Arab government of Sudan in 2003, they began to initiate attacks on the

2 government s outposts and federal buildings. As a result, the government initiated counterinsurgency operations in Darfur, which ignited the nation-wide war. Internally Displaced Persons (IDPs): persons or groups of persons who have been forced or obliged to flee or to leave their homes or places of habitual residence, in particular as a result of or in order to avoid the effects of armed conflict, situations of generalized violence, violations of human rights or natural or human-made disasters, and who have not crossed an internationally recognized border. OHCHR Refugee: someone who owing to a well-founded fear of being persecuted for reasons of race, religion, nationality, membership of a particular social group or political opinion, is outside the country of his nationality, and is unable to, or owing to such fear, is unwilling to avail himself of the protection of that country. UNHCR Disinvestment: Disinvestment has been the strategy of handling the problem in Sudan for, principally, the United States. The process whereby this is done is by cutting investments from companies that conduct business with the government. Thus, companies are dissuaded from conducting business within Sudan, crippling the economy that is dependent on foreign investments in order to continue their military campaigns. As a result, this creates strain on the nation s economy and incentivizes a ceasefire. Omar al-bashir: The current president and head of the National Congress Party of Sudan, Omar al-bashir assumed office in June 1989, having led a military coup that ousted the former government. He is perhaps most noted to be the first national president to ever be indicted by the ICC for counts of genocide, pillage, and rape in Darfur. Ali Muhammad Ali Abd al Raman: Ali Muhaamd Ali Abd al Raman, known as Ali Kushayb, is a notorious commander of the Janjaweed that assists the Sudanese government in the conflict within Darfur against the previously stated coalition of tribes. Currently facing a warrant for his arrest by the International Criminal Court for war atrocities and crimes against humanity, he was arrested by the Sudanese government with claims that he would be put on trial yet it is unclear whether these claims will be carried through with.

3 Idriss Deby: Idriss Deby serves as the current president of neighbouring Chad. Having risen to power in 1990 by ousting the former government by the assistance of al-bashir, he switched allegiance in order to support the Justice and Equality Movement. General Overview Tensions between the Arab government and the other ethnic minorities within Sudan have long existed before the uprising in Darfur in As far back as early 1991, the non-arab citizens of Sudan were cited as criticizing their government for practicing a form of apartheid against the non-arab members of society. It was claimed that the government was intentionally segregating the Arabic citizens from those without Arab backgrounds; that the government was intentionally excluding blacks and other minorities in order to carry out policies of apartheid. The rebel's first attack commenced on June 2002, when they attacked the Golo police station. However, the beginnings of a rebellion have been traced back to the 21st of July, 2001, when the leaders of the tribes Zaghawa and Fur met to swear oaths on the Qur an that they would protect their villages against the government. The turning point of the rebellion was on the 25th of April, 2003, when the Justice and Equality Movement initiated an attack against the al-fashir garrison, killing 75 soldiers, pilots and technicians, capturing the Major General of an air base, and destroying four bombers and gunships. This was a turning point both militarily and psychologically, humiliating the Sudanese government and initiating a string of events that ultimately gave the rebels a significant upper hand. In fact, the rebels are cited to have won 34 out of 38 publicly acknowledged engagements. While early 2006 started with a Darfur Peace Agreement that was signed by the Sudanese government, it was ultimately rejected by the JEM. In July, fighting was renewed, with the Sudanese-aligned Janjaweed having been reported as initiating pillages, robbery, gang-rape and beatings within villages such as Kalma and the surrounding areas. Following the implementations of peacekeeping forces in late 2006 and early 2007 and peace talks between the rebel groups and the government, the war within Darfur

4 seems to have calmed. In 2009, General Martin Agwai, head of the joint African Union-UN mission in Darfur, said the war has finished in the region. Still, he claimed, that issues such as banditry and other localized problems remained. As of now, the situation within Darfur is dire; over 400,000 IDPs have been reported, having fled the western side of the country within 2014 (UNHCR, 2015 overview). Along with this, 167,000 refugees have been cited as having fled Sudan in general, remaining within bordering nation-states. Humanitarian access for international staff is still restricted in certain areas, which inhibits the UNHCR s ability to intervene within Sudan. South-Sudanese citizens also remain in Sudan, having been displaced ever since the 2011 referendum that split the country into two, and risk being degraded to a stateless position. Major Parties Involved and Their Views Sudan Revolutionary Front The SRF, or the Sudanese Revolutionary Front, is a coalition of the different Sudanese factions in opposition of Omar al-bashir s government. The two principal parties within the front are the Justice and Equality Movement (JEM) and the Sudanese Liberation Movement/Army. The former is a group formed by former parliamentarians of the Sudanese government, and the latter by the three tribes in Darfur as mentioned above in order to achieve a common goal. United States While once having enjoyed positive relations between the republic of Sudan and the United States, relations have obviously soured. With the United States having labeled situations within Sudan and Darfur as genocide and having spoken against several humanitarian transgressions against Sudan s own citizens, Sudan has taken a decidedly aggressive approach against the United States. The US, in turn, has played its part by financially supporting the opposition indirectly through humanitarian and financial aid. Iran

5 Long considered an ally of the pro-islamist, pro-arab Sudanese government, the relations between Iran and Sudan have been, at best, strained as of late. Once considered a primary financial ally and supporter of the government against the insurgencies within the country, Iran has since been abandoned by the Sudanese government for the more ideologically aligned and financially supportive Saudi Arabia. Following the execution of a Shia cleric, it can be stated that al-bashir has completely cut out the Islamic Republic of Iran. China China has long since entertained a status as the prime military and financial supporter of al-bashir s regime. Having provided arms, financial support and diplomatic aid in return for access to Sudan s oil-rich landscape, China has enjoyed positive relations with the Sudanese government. This, of course, places China at odds with the nations in support of the SRF. Timeline of Events Historical background about the issue is mostly very helpful, and is widely used in the debate. Therefore listing the significant events that has happened about this issue will help delegates to figure out which events to research, and which events not to research. The recommended format for this section is as follows, please use it whenever necessary Revolt against the Turco-Egyptian administration Sudan is under joint British-Egyptian rule Sudan becomes independent President Numeiri declares the introduction of Sharia Islamic law.

6 2003 February Rebels in western region of Darfur rise up against government, claiming the region is being neglected by Khartoum January Army moves to quell rebel uprising in western region of Darfur; hundreds of thousands of refugees flee to neighbouring Chad January Government and southern rebels sign a peace deal. The agreement includes a permanent ceasefire and accords on wealth and power sharing August Sudan rejects a UN resolution calling for a UN peacekeeping force in Darfur, saying it would compromise sovereignty July The International Criminal Court's top prosecutor calls for the arrest of President Bashir for genocide, crimes against humanity and war crimes in Darfur; the appeal is the first ever request to the ICC for the arrest of a sitting head of state. Sudan rejects the indictment August Some 655,000 have been displaced or severely affected by fighting between the army and rebels in states bordering on South Sudan, the UN reports. BBC News

7 UN Involvement Peacekeeping Operations Initial authorization Security Council resolution 1769 PDF Document of 31 July ,555 military personnel 6,432 police 3,772 police personnel 19 formed police units comprising up to 140 personnel each A significant civilian component Current authorization By resolution 2173 of 27 August 2014, the Security Council decided to decrease strength of military and police components as follows: 15,845 military personnel 3,403 police 1,583 police personnel 13 formed police units comprising up to 140 personnel each Current strength (30 June 2015) 17,754 total uniformed personnel 14,413 troops 172 military observers 3,169 police (including formed units) 845 international civilian personnel* 2,565 local civilian staff* 169 United Nations Volunteers *NB: Statistics for international and local civilians are as of 30 June 2015

8 The role of UNAMID The United Nations-African Union Mission in Darfur is a joint African Union and UN mission that was ratified by resolution 1769, in hopes of bringing war-torn Darfur peace and stability. Initially having been given a 12-month mandate that was later extended to July 31st, 2010 and has since been further extended, its budget is approximately $106 million per month. The forces utilized by UNAMID are listed above. Relevant UN Documents Security Council Resolution, 31 July 2007 (1769) Deployed the initial peacekeeping forces. Security Council Resolution, 29 June 2015 (2228) Extended the mandate listed above. Security Council Resolution, 27 August 2014 (2173) Extended the 2007 mandate. ICC Warrant on Omar al-bashir, 26 October 2015 A historic ICC warrant that first sought to try a head of state for war crimes. Treaties and Events International Convention on Civil and Political Rights (ICCPR) Ratified March 18, 1986

9 International Convention on the Elimination of All Forms of Racial Discrimination Convention on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities United Nations Convention Against Corruption African Charter on Democracy, Elections and Governance (not yet entered into force African Union Convention on Preventing and Combating Corruption First Protocol to the African Charter on Human and Peoples' Rights on the Rights of Women in Africa Arab Charter on Human Rights Acceded March 21, 1977 Ratified April 24, 2009 Ratified Jan.14, 2005 Signed June 30, 2008 Signed June 30, 2008 Signed June 30, 2008 Acceded May 22, 2004 The Carter Centre Evaluation of Previous Attempts to Resolve the Issue Previous attempts at resolving the conflict in Darfur have been widespread and tackled in a variety of ways. The western world has attempted to combat the

10 Sudanese government via economic sanctions and disinvestment, which significantly weakened the overall infrastructure and military power of the country overall. However, the magnitude of this approach is affected by the fact that the country has powerful allies in the likes of Saudi Arabia, China, Chad, and (formerly) Iran. Peacekeeping forces have attempted to diffuse conflicts between the insurgencies and the Sudanese government in hopes of enforcing the ceasefire established in 2005, which have ultimately been unsuccessful. Efforts such as peacekeeping and financial sanctions need to be concentrated in such a way that all nation-states are on the same side of the sanctions and that there is no counter-active movement between countries that negates any possible effects. Possible Solutions The deposition of Omar al-bashir, long considered a tyrant and dictator who has ruled over Sudan for several years. The institution of a maximum amount of terms served within Sudan in order to prevent a permanent rise to power in the future. The private purchase of Sudan s oil fields permanently in order to remove ties between the Sudanese government and possible financial return. The institution of more forces within the country in order to dissolve any tensions and supply insurgencies with more manpower to fight the government remaining. Providing more autonomy to the Darfur region where local elections may be held in order for further representation for non-arab minorities in Darfur. Notes from the Chair Do keep in mind that South Sudan is a different state entirely that separated from the Republic of Sudan in 2011; as a result, a migrant crisis between these two countries has occurred due to a lack of infrastructure and population exchange.

11 The different tribes within Sudan are what initially instigated the rebellion within the country and later banded together to form insurgent groups. Omar al-bashir, for all purposes, is considered a war criminal by the United Nations, yet there may be some ambassadors who would be quick to disagree. A nation s stance on whether they would side with the JEM and other insurgencies or the Sudanese government depends entirely on the nation at hand research your foreign policies! A hypothetical ambassador of Saudi Arabia would not publicly denounce Omar al-bashir, for example. Bibliography Origins/composition. "The JEM-Jebril." Justice and Equality Movement (JEM) (AKA JEM-Jibril) (n.d.): n. pag. Small Arms Survey. Small Arms Survey, Sudan. Web. < "Profile: Sudan's Omar Al-Bashir" BBC News. BBC News, n.d. Web. 14 Mar < "Questions and Answers about IDPs." Questions and Answers about IDPs. OHCHR, n.d. Web. 14 Mar < "Refugees." UNHCR News. UNHCR, n.d. Web. 14 Mar < "Situations in Sudan." International Criminal Court. International Criminal Court, n.d. Web. 14 Mar < /Pages/situation%20icc-0205.aspx>. "Sudan Profile - Timeline - BBC News." BBC News. BBC News, n.d. Web. 14 Mar <

12 "Sudan's Treaties and Declarations." Sudan's Treaties and Declarations. The Carter Center, n.d. Web. 14 Mar < "UNHCR Country Operations Profile Sudan." UNHCR News. UNHCR, Web. 14 Mar < "World Report 2015: Sudan." Human Rights Watch. HRW, 09 Jan Web. 14 Mar <