Sudan to assault Darfur rebel town, asks UNAMID to leave

February 1, 2009 (NYALA) — Sudan today ordered UNAMID peacekeepers out of a town in South Darfur as mechanized forces advanced on the town from three directions, rebels and activists said.

Sudan’s forces intend to take the town, Muhageriya, from the rebel Justice and Equality Movement (JEM), which seized the area on January 15 from a group allied to the government, led by Minni Minawi. The town and the immediate vicinity have an estimated population of 30,000 to 40,000.

Muhageriya had been since 2005 under the control of Minni Minawi’s troops but the Sudanese army is keen to take it from JEM due to the strategic position of the town, which is at the juncture of the road to the oil installation in Southern Kordofan and the capitals of three Darfur states.

“The Sudanese army is moving tanks to Muhageriya; this move indicates that they are intending to bomb the town. This intention is confirmed by the demand of UNAMID pullout,” said a rebel spokesman, JEM Legislative Council Speaker Tahir Al-Faki.

UNAMID, the joint African Union-United Nations peacekeeping mission, bases some 190 personnel in Muhageriya. The peacekeepers said that thousands of civilians gathered around their base after warplanes attacked the town last week and government soldiers and allied Janjaweed militia made a failed attack Thursday.

PEACEKEEPERS WITHDRAWING

Sudan today demanded that UNAMID forces withdraw from Muhageriya, according to multiple sources.

Reports indicate that the peacekeepers intend to comply, but spokeswoman Josephine Guerrero told AFP, “This decision is not final because there are still discussions underway.” On the contrary, a rebel statement noted, “Khartoum’s contemptuous ultimatum to UNAMID seems to be final and not subject to negotiation. Government forces are already advancing towards Muhajaria from three fronts, giving little time to UNAMID to react.”

The anti-genocide organization Aegis Trust, citing anonymous sources in Muhageria, reported that the UN-African Union troops “have agreed to leave and are now attempting to proceed with their evacuation, although they are hampered by a shortage of vehicles and by Government bombing in the area. A major Government attack on the town is expected soon.”

The rebels are opposed to the UNAMID pullout, noting in a statement issued from London that “UNAMID is there to protect the civilian population and should not simply accept the notification of the Government of Sudan and leave the civilians unprotected.”

“The withdrawal of the peacekeepers shows the weakness of the UNAMID and the need to review its mandate,” said Al-Faki.

JEM Spokesman Ahmed Hussein Adam stated “The UN and the international community as a whole should exercise their responsibility to protect the civilian population of Muhajaria. We urge them equally to take prompt action to enforce the UN Resolutions regarding hostile GoS flights over Darfur and blatant attacks against innocent civilians.”

UN Security Council Resolutions ban offensive air operations in Darfur.

CIVILIAN CASUALTIES

While UNAMID stated that the fighting around the town left 17 people dead and 27 wounded, mostly civilians, rebel spokesman Ahmed Hussein Adam added that seven people were killed yesterday along with 3,000 livestock.

He said that bombings occur every night. “The Sudanese government plans to commit mass atrocities in the area and to use prohibited weapons,” he warned.

Aegis Trust voiced deep concern for the safety of civilians in Muhageriya. “Commanders who have defected from the Sudanese Armed Forces and Janjaweed have testified that ethnic cleansing and genocide are used against civilians in counter-insurgency operations. We appreciate that UNAMID only operates in Darfur with cooperation from the Government of Sudan. However if UNAMID pulls out of the town, there will be no remaining international observers,” stated Dr. James Smith, Chief Executive of the Aegis Trust.

Likewise, Al-Faki noted that civilians could be the primary target: “JEM troops are mobile and agile and not located inside the residential area of the town and our fears go for the need to protect the civilians in the town.”

MEDIATOR CONTACTS REBELS

The UN-AU Joint Mediator, Djibril Bassolé, contacted the JEM to urge cooperation regarding the government threat to UNAMID, according to a rebel statement issued from London.

Bassolé today called for all parties to refrain from jeopardizing the on-going peace efforts, said a UN source.

In response, JEM declared its intent to protect Darfur civilians as well as UNAMID forces, said the JEM, which called the government action against peacekeepers “absurd and callous.”

“JEM is restricting its military actions to defensive operations and has committed itself to the coming preparatory peace talks in Doha and in good faith. If attacked, JEM will defend itself by all means. JEM reminds all concerned parties that escalation of violence poses a real threat to commitments made to the Doha process,” said Adam.

“While JEM is committed to the peace process led by Djibril Bassolé and the Qatari government with the support of USA and EU, Khartoum is acting to spoil these efforts, and giving the priority to the military solution,” he added.

(ST)