UN rights chief raises pressure on Khartoum to probe Darfur rapes

August 21, 2007 (GENEVA) — The UN human rights chief, Louise Arbour, on Tuesday stepped up the pressure on Sudan to investigate rapes and possible war crimes committed by Sudanese soldiers and militia in Darfur after earlier appeals went unheeded.

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

In a follow-up report on sexual assaults by Sudanese armed forces and allied militia in Deribat and nearby villages last December, Arbour warned that the attacks could merit a heavier charge of crimes against humanity and be prosecuted by the International Criminal Court.

“The government and rebel factions must cease all attacks against civilians especially women and children,” she said.

“A widespread and systematic pattern of abuse has been established where the government fails to protect its civilians,” Arbour added, underlining that some of the human rights violations “may constitute war crimes.”

The report updating one released in April was based on additional evidence from victims and witnesses in the eastern Jebel Marra area given to UN human rights monitors in Sudan.

They reported that about 50 women were abducted, taken to a government held area where they were “systematically raped”, often several times, mistreated and held as sex slaves for about one month.

The UN High Commissioner for Human Rights named at least three people who may share criminal responsibility “possibly including leading or authorising the attacks” and abuse.

They were identified as former Sudanese army sergeant who is now an allied Popular Defense Force (PDF) commander in Gardood near Nyala, a militia commander in the same town and a PDF coordinator who is believed to have known about the events.

The report also said that there were “consistent” reports that some of the attackers were part of a faction of the former rebel Sudan Liberation Army (SLA) which signed a peace deal with Khartoum last year.

The faction’s commander, Abu Gasim, was appointed governor of West Darfur state in February, the UN said.

Arbour demanded protection for victims and witnesses of the attacks in Deribat and reiterated a call for suspects to be brought to justice.

She also called for the immediate suspension of any soldier suspected of committing or ordering rape, abductions or sexual violence, as well as full reparations for the victims.

A report by a UN Human Rights Council mission in February accused Sudan of orchestrating war crimes in Darfur. Khartoum said the report was biased.

Fighting between rebels and government forces or allied militia in the western Sudanese region since 2003 has led to some 200,000 deaths, while a further two million were forced to flee their homes, according to the United Nations.

(AFP)