Sudanese army says will not hand officers for trial abroad
May 1, 2006 (KHARTOUM) — The Sudanese Armed Forces has affirmed its commitment to the decision of the President of the Republic of not handing any Sudanese national and that the law of the Armed Forces does not allow handing over of officers affiliated to it to any external circle for trying them.
The U.N. Security Council imposed travel and financial sanctions on Tuesday April 25 on four Sudanese held responsible for atrocities or violating a cease-fire in the Darfur region. Among the four, Gaffar Mohamed El-Hassan, former commander of the Sudanese air force’s western region.
Security Council diplomats said he had direct operational command of Sudan’s army in Darfur from 2004-2006. He is said to have coordinated operations between government forces and the pro-government Janjaweed militia that resulted in attacks, killings and rape on non-Arab villages. He also supplied arms to the militia.
Spokesman of the Armed Forces Brig. Osman Mohamed Al-Aghbash said Major General Gafaar Mohamed Al-Hassan is a military man characterized by distinguished performance and holds decorations and medals and has never violated the laws and regulations of the Armed Forces.
He added that the Armed Forces is the body responsible for questioning him if he commits mistake, pointing that the Armed Forces has its own laws and instruments that conform fully with all international laws and regulations.
Sudan denounced Wednesday April 26, the UN Security Council decision to slap sanctions on four Sudanese officials blamed for bloodshed and human rights abuses in war-torn Darfur as “unfortunate and ill-timed.”
The UN sanctions also covered Adam Yacub Shant, a commander in the Sudan Liberation Army, one of the two main rebel groups in Darfur, Sheikh Mussa Hilal, a North Darfur tribal chief and Gabril Abdul Kareem Badri, a field commander in the pro-government National Movement for Reform and Development (NMRD).
(ST)