Sudan’s justice minister dismisses HRW report on mass rape in Darfur
February 17, 2015 (NYALA) – Sudan’s minister of justice, Mohamed Bushara Dousa, has criticised Human Rights Watch (HRW) for lacking credibility and neutrality saying its recent report on the alleged mass rape crimes in Darfur was based on lies and fabrications.
Dousa added that his ministry only recognises report issued by the office of the special prosecutor for Darfur crimes, pointing that several organizations seek to implement agenda of nations hostile to Sudan.
Last week, HRW stressed the Sudanese government troops carried out mass rape against women and girls in Tabit late last year.
The US-based watchdog said it interviewed 15 survivors and one female witness who provided first-hand information about 27 incidents of rape.
Twenty-three other “credible sources” provided information about an additional 194 incidents of rape, HRW said in its 48-page report.
Following these allegations, Sudanese authorities initially prevented a verification team from the hybrid peacekeeping mission in Darfur (UNAMID) from probing the claim but allowed them to visit the area one week later.
After the visit, UNAMID said they found no evidence confirming the mass rape claims.
However, Sudanese officials were angered by the remarks of UN officials who stressed the need for further investigation mentioning the heavy presence of military and police during the first probe.
Since then , Sudan refused to authorise a second investigation and called publicly for an exit strategy for the joint mission from Darfur.
Last week, the UN Secretary General Ban Ki-Moon spokesperson Stephane Dujarric, called on Khartoum to allow a UNAMID mission to investigate the rape claims and to allow “safe, unhindered access to the town”.
PROMOTING JURIDICAL WORK IN SOUTH DARFUR
Meanwhile, Dousa inaugurated on Tuesday several projects in South Darfur capital, Nyala within the framework of a campaign for promoting juridical work in the state.
Dousa said his ministry employed 70 counsellors and prosecutors bringing the total number in Darfur states to 110 prosecutors, pointing the move will help accelerate the adjudication process.
He pointed to coordination with the judiciary to establish judicial organs in all localities of Darfur in order not to transfer cases to states’ capitals.
The special prosecutor for Darfur crimes, Yasir Ahmed Mohamed, for his part, said that 2015 is considered a decisive year to all crimes falling under his jurisdiction, pointing the special tribunal for Darfur crimes has issued several default judgments.
The governor of South Darfur, Adam Mahmoud Jar al-Nabi, said imposition of the state’s authority could only be achieved by completing structures of the public prosecution offices, describing it as the main tool for achieving security and stability in the state.
He pointed to the negative effect of the slow adjudication process in fuelling tribal conflicts, calling for the need to swiftly apprehend perpetrators in order to achieve private and general deterrence.
South Darfur state has witnessed a near total security breakdown in recent months with recurrent incidents of looting, banditry and murder including from pro-government militias.
Businessmen and commercial convoys in South Darfur are regularly attacked by armed gangs which demand ransom for their release.
Last July, Jar al-Nabi, declared an indefinite emergency situation in South Darfur state, including a curfew from 7pm to 7am (local time) in the capital Nyala.
(ST)