Watchdog says concerned by hosting of next AU summit in Sudan

Nov 17, 2005 (NEW YORK) – Human Rights Watch expresses its concern in a letter to Member States of the African Union at the current proposal to hold the next African Summit in the Sudanese capital during the coming January 2006.

An African Union ceasefire monitor leaves a meeting with Sudan Liberation Army rebels in the desert west of El Fasher, the capital of North Darfur state, November 8, 2004. (Reuters)

By allowing Khartoum to host its summit in January, the African Union would tarnish its credibility and condone the Sudanese government’s complicity in crimes against humanity in Darfur, Human Rights Watch warned today in a letter to African heads of state.

The rights group fears that the transfer of presidency of the AU from Nigeria to Sudan, will be very damageable to regional effort to install peace in Sudan’s troubled Darfur region.

“The African Union’s efforts in Darfur have been met with constant obstruction by a government that refuses to change its abusive policies,” said Peter Takirambudde, Africa director at Human Rights Watch. “The African Union should not reward the sponsors of crimes against humanity with the honor of hosting the AU summit or ascending to its presidency.”

The African Union has played an important role in Darfur, sending a ceasefire-monitoring force, the African Union Mission in Sudan (AMIS), which now numbers almost 7,000 personnel and includes civilian protection among its tasks. The African Union has also taken the lead in mediating between the Sudanese government and two Darfur rebel groups. A seventh round of peace negotiations is scheduled to resume in the Nigerian capital Abuja later this month, with Sudan’s international donors pushing for a peace settlement before the end of the year.

“How can the African Union be seen as a credible mediator in Darfur if one of the warring parties hosts its summit and becomes the head of the organization as well?” asked Takirambudde. “It’s not too late for the African Union to hold its summit elsewhere or for African leaders to encourage a better candidate to run for the presidency.”

The representative of the African Union mission in Sudan, Baba Gana Kingibe, in early October condemned the increased violence and denounced the Sudanese government for continuing to support attacks on civilians with its Janjaweed allies. He also denounced the Sudanese government’s use of white cars resembling AMIS vehicles.

It seems that Sudanese President Omar al-Beshir is one of the candidates for the African Union presidency, which this year will rotate to East Africa. Although Sudan is also scheduled to host the AU summit, the two are no longer linked. Previously, Sudan had been slated to host the AU summit in July and take over the presidency at that time. But the African Union changed the venue to Libya due to concern over the Sudanese government’s continuing human rights abuses and ceasefire violations in Darfur. Since then, Nigeria has continued to hold the AU presidency. Under the African Union’s new procedure, the president will be elected by the member countries at the summit on January 23-24.

– Click here to read the text of HRW letter to Member States of the African Union.

(ST)