Darfur rebel group decry statements by a UN official
March 06, 2008 (LONDON) — A Darfur rebel group today denounced accusations made by a UN official about preventing aid workers from reaching areas impacted by recent fighting.
“This morning we were supposed to have an assessment to go there but we were actually denied access by JEM and therefore we are calling on JEM to give us that access,” she told the British Broadcasting Corporation in an interview.
“We refuse any allegations of that sort. They are simply baseless. JEM is and has always been committed to fulfilling its obligations under the Geneva Convention including protocol II relating to the Protection of Victims of Non-International Armed Conflicts” JEM spokesman Ahmed Hussein told Sudan Tribune.
Hussein said they have always provided assistance to the humanitarian organization working in the field.
“In West Darfur we protected their workers which in some cases led to casualties among us. We also helped them get the assets that got stolen from them. The ICRC knows and so does the MSF” he added.
Earlier this week JEM released a statement saying they have received no request from the UN to visit the area. The UN official said that civilians in the area are “trapped”.
The Sudanese military last month described the area — not far from El-Geneina, the capital of West Darfur state — as a “legitimate” military target.
“All civilians in the areas under our control know that we are adamant about protecting them and facilitating the work of aid workers. Haq can go and ask them. It is not us who deliberately damaged humanitarian offices in Darfur. She should condemn Khartoum” the JEM official said.
Hussein said that JEM has proactively sought to bring the aid workers to the Jebel Moon area.
“We urge all organizations to come to the area which is under our full control as soon as possible and assist the civilians. They can contact us immediately so we can arrange it” he said.
The UN refugee agency says 13,000 refugees fled into Chad from Darfur since the Sudanese army and its Janjaweed militia allies began heavy bombardments of rebel strongholds around the Jebel Moon area on February 8.
Witnesses told Reuters that government-allied militia and bombing raids had killed 114 people in a February 8 offensive on towns and villages in the West Darfur state. The army denies any link to the militia, known as the Janjaweed, and says many of those killed were rebels in civilian clothes.
International experts estimate 200,000 people have died in the conflict, which Washington calls genocide, a term European governments are reluctant to use. The Sudan government says 9,000 people have been killed.
(ST)