HRW asks UN Secretary General to query UNAMID chief on attending wedding with Bashir

January 31, 2012 (WASHINGTON) – The New York based Human Rights Watch (HRW) sent a letter to United Nations Secretary General Ban Ki Moon last Friday asking him to take action regarding the presence of the head of the Darfur peacekeeping mission, United Nations – African Union Mission in Darfur (UNAMID), Ibrahim Gambari at a wedding attended by Sudanese president Omer Hassan al-Bashir.

This month Gambari attended the wedding of Chad’s President Idriss Deby to the daughter of an alleged leader of Darfur Janjaweed militia Musa Hilal. He was shown in photos exchanging talks with Bashir who is wanted by the International Criminal Court (ICC) for allegedly orchestrating war crimes and genocide in Darfur.

Hilal is also subject to travel and financial sanctions imposed by the United Nations Security Council (UNSC) in 2006.

But Gambari told Agence France Presse (AFP) last week that he had no apologies for attending the ceremony “in honor of the president of a country [Deby] that is supportive of the peace process”.

However, Deby was absent from the wedding reception for unknown reasons.

In a letter signed by HRW executive director Kenneth Roth it was recalled that UN guidelines limits interactions with individuals indicted by international tribunals to “what is strictly required for carrying out UN mandated activities”.

HRW said it understood that with regards to Bashir, UN rules state that “interactions of a ceremonial nature with President Al-Bashir should be avoided, including courtesy calls, receptions, photo opportunities, attendance at national day celebrations and so on”.

“Discounting these guidelines brings the UN’s credibility in disrepute and sends a terrible message to victims of heinous crimes in Darfur. Indeed, images of Mr. Gambari embracing President al-Bashir have been widely circulated, showing Darfuri victims that the head of UNAMID socialises with suspected war criminals”.

The letter revealed that the UN Department of Peacekeeping Operations (UNDPKO) told HRW that Gambari attended the wedding “at the invitation of President Deby … [and had] no control over the guest list”.

“The UN’s guidelines seek to deny President al-Bashir, and others wanted for serious international crimes, the legitimacy that may come with such ceremonial interactions. UN officials should firmly adhere to them. We trust that you will formally raise these concerns with Mr. Gambari and take appropriate action to avoid a repetition of these events”.

This is not the first time UNAMID officials interactions with Bashir has generated controversy.

Gambari’s predecessor Rodolphe Adada was awarded the Nilein Order, first class in recognition of his efforts in Darfur peacekeeping mission.

Adada later said that he not only reports to UN but also to the African Union which has its own opinion regarding the ICC warrant for Bashir.

Rebel groups drawn mainly from Darfur’s non-Arab tribes rose up against the Arab-dominated Khartoum government in 2003 and were confronted by state-backed Janjaweed militia in a conflict that shocked the world and led to allegations of genocide.

(ST)