Sudanese justice minister orders to investigate Kalma killing

September 2, 2008 (KHARTOUM) — Sudanese government has formed today a commission to investigate the killing of around 37 displaced in Darfur largest camp last week.

Different national and international bodies condemned the excessive use of force by the Sudanese troops against the civilians in Kalma camp on August 25, when they stormed the home of 90000 people.

The EU urged the Sudanese government to probe this deadly intervention, and to “respect international humanitarian law and not interfere with UNAMID action.”

Sudan’s Justice Minister, Abdel-Basit Sabdrat on Tuesday ordered the formation of a commission of inquiry in the events of Kalma camp in South Darfur state. He appointed Senior Adviser Babiker Abdel-Latif as chairman of this panel.

The ministerial decree has granted to the commission the power to investigate and prosecute in accordance with the provisions of Article 20 of the Code of Criminal Procedure of 1991.

Following the attack, the displaced said this fifth attack meant to dismantle the camp and force them to leave the area.

But the government said that troops entered because of a persistent state of lawlessness in the camp and reports of huge arms shipments.

“Sudanese forces faced huge resistance with a large number of citizens blocking the entry of the forces with barricades. Civilians were brought into the streets as human shields,” a government statement said.

The official statement said that seven civilians and five soldiers were hit without specifying if any were killed. However, a Sudanese rights organisation (SOAT) published today a list with the names of 37 people killed during the attack.

SOAT underlined that government troops killed directly 33 people including 8 women and 8 children.

The UNAMID said last week that the death tool raised to 31 IDPs during last Monday attack. “30 of the victims were killed by gunshots while a woman fell to her death in a ditch, while attempting to flee the shooting,” said a statement issued by the UNAMID on August 27.

Among the killed displaced there were “7 children, 10 women, and 13 men, aged 11 to 60” the hybrid mission added.

According to today’s decree, the Committee will start work during the next two days, and will submit its findings to the minster.

The United Nations says that up to 300,000 people have died and more than 2.2 million fled their homes since the conflict erupted in February 2003. Sudan says 10,000 have been killed.

(ST)