‘Wholesale destruction’ of Darfur villages where ICC suspect was seen – HRW
June 18, 2013 (WASHINGTON) – The New York-based Human Rights Watch (HRW) today released satellite images showing what it said were the aftermath of Darfur villages attacked by Sudanese government forces and its militias.
According to HRW eyewitness accounts, large numbers of heavily armed men, most wearing khaki uniforms opened fire indiscriminately, burning homes and shops, stealing livestock, and looting goods.
More than 100 civilians were allegedly killed and scores more were injured in the clashes, which also resulted in the burning and destruction of property and the displacement of tens of thousands of people.
Those who fled the attacks told HRW that they the saw notorious militia leader known as Ali Kushayb, who is wanted by the International Criminal Court (ICC), at the scene.
Today HRW said that satellite images analyzed by it “confirm the wholesale destruction of villages” that were targets of the assault.
“The images show the town of Abu Jeradil and surrounding villages in Central Darfur state almost completely burned down…..More than 42 villagers are believed to have been killed and 2,800 buildings destroyed.” HRW said.
“How can the Sudanese authorities claim there’s nothing they can do when their own security forces were involved and the war crimes suspect Ali Kosheib is on the loose?” said HRW Africa director Daniel Bekele.
The rights watchdog further said that its analysis revealed that approximately more than 2,800 buildings were likely burned down in Abu Jeradil and four neighboring villages which accounts for 88 percent of all buildings in the area.
“The deliberate destruction of civilian property as well as structures and goods indispensible to the survival of the civilian population are war crimes,” HRW said.
“The villagers said the attackers included members of the government’s Central Reserve Police and Border Guards – auxiliary forces that absorbed former pro-government militia. Salamat community leaders identified the attackers as ethnic Misseriya, Taisha, and Rizeigat Arabs, who arrived in dozens of government land cruisers. They said they fought back with rifles but were far outnumbered and outgunned. They said the attackers were armed with 106mm recoilless rifles, anti-aircraft weapons, heavy machine guns, rocket-propelled grenades, and other weapons. Human Rights Watch could not independently verify these descriptions”.
HRW called on the Sudanese government to investigate the incidents and to surrender Kushayb to the ICC.
“Sudanese authorities should immediately rein in pro-government forces and hold those responsible for serious abuses to account,” Bekele said. “A crucial first step would be to surrender Ali Kosheib to the International Criminal Court”.
Khartoum refuses to recognize the jurisdiction of the Hague-based court and vowed not to hand any of the suspects over which include president Omer Hassan al-Bashir, defense minister Abdel-Rahim Mohamed Hussein and South Darfur governor Ahmed Haroun.
Since the ICC launched its investigations, Sudan announced several times that intends to bring Kushayb to trial over unspecified allegations. However, it was later revealed that he was released without being prosecuted.
FRESH TRIBAL CLASHES
On Tuesday local officials in Central Darfur announced that 40 people were killed and 45 injured in clashes between the Salamat and the Misseriya tribes in Serbaka which lies east of Zalingi. This comes against the backdrop of previous attacks by the Salamat on Misseriya and their burning of five villages.
The mayor of Shataya al-Sadiq Abdullah Hamadalla said in press statements that the violence spread from areas around Zalingi to his locality in South Darfur.
Hamadalla said that military enforcements were sent comprised of nine trucks loaded with soldiers to contain the situation.
South Darfur governor Adam Mahmoud Jar Al-Nabi convened an emergency meeting with the security committee in the state to review the deteriorating situation.
The state has witnessed a near total security breakdown in recent months with recurrent incidents of looting, banditry and murder including from pro-government militias.
Last March, a Sudanese paramilitary force attacked El-Geneina bus stop market in Nyala, robbing merchants and bystanders, according to eyewitnesses.
In the same month, a cargo train which was on its way from Nyala to the city of Daein in eastern Darfur was attacked by unidentified armed robbers near Khor Taan area which is located 60 km east of Nyala.
Tribal violence in Darfur also mounted during the past few months which pushed the UNAMID peacekeeping force to call on the conflicting parties to avoid whatever may threaten the peace in the restive region.
Late last May, at least 23 people were killed and 51 others injured yesterday in tribal clashes between Al- Gimir and Bani Halba tribes in South Darfur state.
The ethnic clashes combined with sporadic fighting between government and rebel forces has forced an estimated 300,000 people in Sudan’s far-west to flee this year.
That is more than in the last two years combined, the United Nations says.
A total of 1.4 million people were already living in camps in Darfur after fleeing their homes during the uprising that broke out in 2003 against the Arab-dominated regime in Khartoum.
On Monday Eltigani Seisi, head of the Darfur Regional Authority, told a meeting of Sudanese envoys that traditional mediation techniques involving tribal elders are no longer effective.
“There must be a show of force,” Seisi told the opening session of the two-day “retreat” in the North Darfur state capital El Fasher according to Agence France Presse (AFP).
He said armed tribal militias need to be confronted by “the other security forces”
(ST)