Sudan unwilling to punish rapists preying on refugees in Darfur – UN

UNITED NATIONS, July 28, 2005 (AP) — Sudanese authorities often bully and threaten rape victims in Darfur, sometimes arresting them or even charging them with crimes, the top U.N. human rights official said Thursday.

Awatif Abdallah, 19, holds a letter from the police with a medical report scrawled on it saying she was raped and beaten.

Louise Arbour, U.N. High Commissioner for Human Rights, told the U.N. Security Council that Sudan either can’t or won’t hold rapists accountable in Darfur. At least 180,000 people have died _ many from hunger and disease _ in the vast western region since rebels took up arms in February 2003.

Arbour said some of the perpetrators were policemen and soldiers.

“The Sudanese authorities frequently deny the allegations and intimidate the victims and witnesses into withdrawing their charges,” she told the council in a closed session. Her prepared remarks were made available afterward.

Arbour briefed the council a day before she is scheduled to issue a report that studies how difficult it’s been for victims of sex crimes to get justice in Darfur. A year ago, Sudan’s government agreed to make sure that people accused of human rights violations are brought to justice.

The government is accused of unleashing Arab tribal militia known as the Janjaweed against civilians in a campaign of murder, rape and arson. More than 2 million people have fled their homes.

Arbour said Sudan had made some effort to fight sexual violence in Darfur but it was too early to say if it had any effect.

Arbour’s remarks echoed a report from U.N. Secretary-General Kofi Annan last week that said rebels and government-backed militias still carry out attacks, rape women and create a climate of fear and intimidation in Darfur.