U.N. expert finds grave violations by Sudanese forces
By ALEXANDER G. HIGGINS, Associated Press Writer
GENEVA, Aug 06, 2004 (AP) — A top U.N. human rights investigator released a scathing report Friday that blames the government of Sudan for atrocities against its civilians in the Darfur region.
“It is beyond doubt that the Government of the Sudan is responsible for extrajudicial and summary executions of large numbers of people over the last several months in the Darfur region, as well as in the Shilook Kingdom in Upper Nile State,” said Asma Jahangir, the U.N. investigator on executions, in a report based on a 13-day visit to the region in June.
“The current humanitarian disaster unfolding in Darfur, for which the government is largely responsible, has put millions of civilians at risk, and it is very likely that many will die in the months to come as a result of starvation and disease,” she said.
Both the United States and the United Nations have accused Sudan of backing the militiamen, called Janjaweed, with the U.N. Security Council last week threatening economic and political penalties if Sudan does not curb them within 30 days. Sudan’s government has denied any involvement.
Jahangir said there was “overwhelming evidence” that the killing was conducted “in a coordinated manner by the armed forces of the government and government-backed militias. They appear to be carried out in a systematic manner.”
The scale of violations means they “could constitute crimes against humanity for which the government of the Sudan must bear responsibility,” she said.
The Janjaweed have been blamed for violence that has killed 30,000 people in Darfur, forced a million from their homes and left an estimated 2.2 million in urgent need of relief aid.
“I remain seriously concerned at the very slow and negligent reaction of the government towards the situation unfolding in Darfur,” Jahangir said. “Such a reaction despite the huge international outcry would appear to indicate either complete disrespect for the right to life of the population of Darfur, or, at worst, complicity in the events.”
The United Nations said Sudan had agreed Wednesday to disarm the Janjaweed and other outlawed groups in Darfur, U.N. spokeswoman Denise Cook said.