UN RIGHTS OFFICE SAYS MILITIA ATTACKS AGAINST CIVILIANS IN WEST DARFUR LEFT 50 DEAD, INCLUDING MANY CHILDREN

3 November 2006


Recent attacks around the Jebel Moon area of West Darfur demonstrate at the very least a continued failure to disarm militia in that Sudanese region and at worst the Government's use of militia forces that continue to target civilian populations, the United Nations Office of the High Commissioner for Human Rights (OHCHR) said today.

In its latest report on the human rights situation in Sudan (attached), OHCHR says the attacks on 29 October around Jebel Moon left some 50 civilians dead, including 26 children. Hundreds of armed men in green camouflage uniforms, described by local people as "janjaweed", are said to have hit seven villages and one camp for internally displaced persons. As many as 7000 people were likely affected by the violence. Some remained in the area while others fled to the south, across the border to Chad, and in other directions.

The report notes that in response to the attacks the Governor of West Darfur established an Investigative Committee and promised to prevent similar events in the future. "However", the report recalls, "the Government of Sudan has initiated such investigations in the past, but many appear not to have been completed and there is no consistent attempt to carry out detailed, transparent, and timely investigations and bring perpetrators of large scale attacks to justice".

Among its recommendations, OHCHR is calling on the Government to conduct an impartial, timely and transparent investigation into the attacks in order to identify and prosecute those who planned, orchestrated, and conducted the raids. It should also identify those responsible for the failure to prevent the attacks by allowing armed militia to gather in the area and the Sudanese Armed Forces failure to protect the population during the attacks. The results of the investigation should be made public. Legal action should be taken against those found to be responsible and the victims of the attacks should be compensated.

"This report provides further evidence of the ongoing human rights and humanitarian crisis in Darfur and, at best, the failure of authorities to put a stop to the abuses", High Commissioner Louise Arbour said following the release of the document. "The attacks illustrate yet again the need to deploy a robust peacekeeping force in Darfur, as provided for in Security Council resolution 1706. Action must be taken now to stop the killings and displacement".

Sixth periodic report of the United Nations High Commissioner for Human Rights on the situation of human rights in the Sudan