UNSC urges Sudan to allow UNAMID access to investigate Darfur rape claims
November 20, 2014 (KHARTOUM) – The United Nations Security Council (UNSC) issued a statement on Wednesday expressing concern at allegations of rape committed by Sudanese soldiers in the North Darfur village of Tabit.
Social media has extensively circulated testimonies of victims from Tabit, a village 45km south-west of North Darfur capital El-Fasher, claiming that 200 women and minors were raped by Sudanese army (SAF) soldiers.
A UNAMID verification team investigated these allegations and said it found no evidence proving the rape claims.
However, western media quoted UN officials as saying that the mission said in a secret report to the UN headquarters that witnesses were intimidated by the heavy presence of the Sudanese army during the investigation.
UNAMID announced its intention to dispatch a second team to the area but Khartoum said it will not allow it and criticized UN secretary-general Ban Ki-Moon’s call for full investigation into the alleged incident.
The UNSC echoed Ban’s call and urged Khartoum “to fulfill its obligation to allow, in accordance with the agreement between the UN, the African Union and the Government of Sudan concerning the status of the African Union/United Nations Hybrid Operation in Darfur (UNAMID) and relevant UN Security Council resolutions, the full and unrestricted freedom of movement without delay throughout Darfur to UNAMID, so as to enable them to conduct a full and transparent investigation, without interference, and verify whether these incidents have occurred”.
They also noted that proper access to Tabit and its population for UNAMID is essential to conducting a full investigation into the allegations in order to determine their veracity and, if verified, to ensure accountability.
The UNSC also called on the Sudanese government to ensure accountability if the allegations are verified.
In press statements on Wednesday, Sudan’s foreign ministry undersecretary, Abdalla al-Azrag, asked Ban to investigate mass rape allegations in countries other than Sudan, underscoring that such practices do not take place in his country.
Al-Azrag urged Ban not to waste the UN resources on investigating claims made by a radio station well-known for its fabrications, saying the UN and UNAMID had previously complained about its credibility.
He was alluding to Radio Dabanga, a radio station headquartered in the Netherlands with a team of local reporters in Darfur, which was the first media outlet to report the mass rape allegations.
The Sudanese official further pointed that the special prosecutor for crimes in Darfur, Yasser Ahmed Mohamed, is currently present in the village to conduct a comprehensive, fair and impartial probe, emphasising that the findings will be published immediately upon completion of the investigation.
He expressed surprise at UNAMID’s request to conduct another investigation after it had earlier been given access to the village and its population, stressing that villagers protested these allegations and became hostile towards the mission.
Al-Azrag said the foreign ministry officially informed UNAMID that raising this issue again may have dire consequences, stressing there are no guarantees that the angry villagers would not clash with the mission’s team.
He went on to say the Sudanese government fears the situation in the area could worsen.
The Sudanese official further said it is illogical that all military personnel turn into predatory monsters, stressing that the available information shows that the village’s population is far less than the number of those claimed to be raped.
(ST)