The people of Darfur can no longer wait and the tragic human rights record in the region requires that the international force is also fully equipped with a strong human rights component mandated to monitor, investigate and report on human rights violations and that adequate resources are allocated to ensure appropriate expertise on issues relating to sexual and gender based violence in accordance with UN Resolution 1325.
While welcoming the emphasis on “the need to bring to justice the perpetrators” of the crimes committed in Darfur, concern is expressed regarding the omission of any reference to the International Criminal Court and the need of the Government of Sudan to fully cooperate with it, if justice and a lasting peace are to be reached.
Concern is also expressed in regard to the fact that the new force will not have the right to disarm the militias and is only allowed to monitor "whether any arms or related material are present in Darfur”.
FIDH and SOAT welcome and encourage the Security Council readiness to support initiatives to improve the security situation of civilians, including refugees and internally displaced people, in the region of eastern Chad and north-eastern Central African Republic in light of the spill over effect in the neighbouring countries and the deteriorating humanitarian and human rights situation caused by the ongoing conflict in Darfur.
Enough time has passed and more crimes have been committed in the years leading to the adoption of this Resolution, Darfurian people cannot afford to wait any longer for the effective deployment of the international force.
Press contact : Karine Appy + 33 1 43 55 14 12 / + 33 1 43 55 25 18