The International Federation for Human Rights (FIDH) and the Sudan Organization against Torture (SOAT) would like to express their deep concern over the continuing deterioration of the human rights and security situation in Darfur.
The numerous recommendations adopted by UN international bodies and human rights mechanisms, since the beginning of the conflict, remain largely unheard and today we are faced with a situation of widespread past and present violations threatening stability, peace and security in Sudan and the wider region.
The Government of Sudan has shown little real commitment to the DPA. Sudanese security forces have continued to carry out attacks on villages in South Darfur causing deaths and displacement of civilian population.
The Government has failed to disarm the Janjaweed militias and continues to support and rely on them in its attacks against armed groups and civilian population both inside Darfur and in the cross border attacks in Chad.
The Government in its ongoing aerial bombings campaign against armed groups, has made itself responsible of indiscriminate attacks, destruction, deaths and further displacement of civilian population.
Women are continuously targeted in cases of sexual violence, with the latest incident reported on 3 May 2007, in which five women were seized by a group of Janjaweed and subjected to torture and several rounds of rape near Saliaa town, north Darfur.
Government resistance to a full and unconditional deployment of a AU/UN hybrid force has further aggravated the security situation of the civilian population and of humanitarian aid workers and AMIS soldiers, leaving hundred of thousands of internally displaced deprived of any assistance.
The Government has failed to ensure accountability and to end impunity for crimes committed in Darfur and continues to refuse to collaborate with the International Criminal Court, despite UN Security Council Resolutions.
near Saliaa town,
Despite the Government’s establishment of the Special Criminal Court for the Events in Darfur, to date most perpetrators have not been brought to justice and command responsibility remains largely unaccounted for. Furthermore, immunity for members of the security forces and the interference of military and security officials in cases involving members of the security forces have caused indefinite delays in the examination of cases or lead to their outright dismissal.
FIDH and SOAT call upon the Human Rights Council to:
condemn the continuing violence in Darfur against civilian population and the campaign of indiscriminate aerial bombardements in Northern Darfur.
FIDH and SOAT urge the Government of Sudan to:
fully comply with the Group of Experts to ensure the effective follow-up and foster the implementation of the resolutions and recommendations of UN human rights institutions on Darfur;
grant without further delay immediate, unimpeded and secure access to the UN-AMIS hybrid force in Darfur
immediately disarm and disband the Janjaweed militias in Darfur;
enable a more inclusive and participatory peace process, involving non-signatory rebels and representatives of civil society;
fully cooperate with the International Criminal Court in bringing perpetrators of grave human rights violations committed in Darfur to justice.