French Urgence Darfour expresses concern over Sudan’s bid for AU Chairmanship

To: His Excellency Olusegun Obasanjo,
President of the African Union

Excellency,

We are deeply concerned by the next African Union Summit to be held in Khartoum, at the end of January 2006. The selection of this capital for such an important session seems problematic as far as the African Union’s image is concerned. Even more so if President Omar al Beshir’s candidacy as President of the African Union turns to be successful. It would be a very serious choice.

The United Nations Enquiry Commission as established a list of 51 persons that it holds to be responsible for the main exactions in Darfur. This list is kept secret. The referral to the International Criminal Court by the Security Council led it to inquire about the imputability of these crimes. Those close to Omar al Beshir or himself might come under scrutiny. It would be a mere catastrophe for the African Union if he were its President.

The Sudanese government has been accused of extremely serious violations in its Darfur policy by the UN Security Council Resolutions. Accusations of war crimes and crimes against humanity have been well supported. The Sudanese government has not dissolved the “Arab” janjaweed militias which in coordination with the Sudanese army, attack the “African” civilian populations, use rape of women as a terror weapon, kill, burn villages and harvests, plunder cattle and keep on harassing civilians. These horrors led to more than 300 000 deaths, nearly 3 millions internally displaced persons and 200 000 refugees, many are surviving in camps with international aid. All these facts are extensively documented by numerous reports and testimonies, including first and foremost the reports of the African Union which are difficult to obtain.

You know better than anybody the huge difficulties that African Union observers meet to comply with their duty. Most of them are due to the obstructions caused by the Sudanese regime. As the exactions against civilians are going on, we believe that the AMIS mandate does not allow sufficient efficiency. A UN Security Council Resolution should authorize an immediate intervention under chapter 7 of the UN charter.

How can the command of the neutral AMIS be given to the head of one of the involved parties? A Sudanese Presidency would annihilate the achievements that the African Union attained under your leadership. The African Union soldiers killed by Khartoum would have died for nothing.
What would be the credibility of the African Union peace process between the Darfur rebels and the Sudanese government, if the African Union was led by a Sudanese President?

These problems are compounded by the tensions between Chad and Sudan.

It goes without saying, Excellency, that Africans are sovereigns in their choice. However it is the duty of both Africa’s friends and human rights advocates to let you know their concern.

We remain,
Respectfully Yours

-COLLECTIF URGENCE DARFOUR

– Cc :The President
African Union Commission, Mr Alpha Oumar Konare