UNSC Investigation:letter to Request for Urgent Investigation of Accusations Against UNAMID

17 April 2014
TO: The President of United Nations Security Council
United Nations
New York 100017
USA



Sub: Request for Urgent Investigation of Accusations Against UNAMID

Dear Sir/ Madame;


• Referring to the serious allegations raised by Dr. Aicha Elbasri, the former spokesperson for Joint United Nations African Union Mission in Darfur (UNAMID) regarding false reporting of the Mission, unveiled by Foreign Policy Magazine, April 7, 8 and 9 April 2014.
• Mindful that the allegations are raised by a senior ex-official who has supported her allegations with creditable documents.
• Seizing the opportunity of the impending meeting of the United Nations Security Council planned for April 24th.
• Acting in line with our responsibility towards our people who have endured genocide, ethnic cleansing and other atrocities for over a decade as well as our responsibility towards the safety of international peace keepers;
• We, the undersigned call for the following:

1. Immediate launch of investigation into the serious allegations raised by Dr. Albasri against UN officials and the deliberate misinformation that has characterized reports on Darfur since 2008. We trust, the investigation covers all reports of the Peace Keeping Mission, including reports presented to the UNSC by Assistant Secretary General for Peace Keeping Mr. Ladous and the reliability of the sources he had relied on.
2. Investigation of allegations raised against former ######### of UNAMID in particular Mr. Rodoulf Adada and Mr. Ibrahim Gambari who declared in numerous occasions that the war in Darfur was over or the conflict there had become of “low intensity” at a time when all realities on the ground pointed and later proved otherwise.
3. Immediate investigation of recent escalation of the genocide scheme in Darfur promoted by the arrival of the Rapid Support Forces (RSF) aka Janjaweed, from April February 28th to date. The force has devastated wide territories in Darfur and has left behind hundreds dead, over 100 villages burnt down and scores of women subjected to horrific mass rape. Moreover, the assault has stripped the entire population of areas of every means of sustenance and expelled hundreds of thousands of surviving populations out of their villages to IDP camps.
4. We urge UNSC to see into it that UNAMID brings its Chapter Seven mandate into full force to be able to protect civilians and escort relief convoys besides the protection of its own forces and personnel. Needless to say, this cannot be achieved without upgrading UNAMID capabilities in terms of equipments and logistics. Review of its composition and management is equally long overdue.
5. Separation between the conflicting duties of the Head of UNAMID and the Darfur Peace Mediator. The peace keeping mandate of UNAMID deserves a full-time head of mission.


Finally, the UN needs to clear its good name of the serious charges raised by Dr. Albasri and punish those who have ruined the reputation of the organization, wasted its resources and delayed appropriate actions leading to the death and suffering of innumerable innocent civilians in Darfur. Darfurins, as well as the world at large, want to see UN capable of preserving peace and protecting lives, properties and dignity of its target populations. We see this current setback as an opportunity for the UN to take action and regain its profile as a transparent institution that does not cover up for failure and betrayal of its officials.

Very best regards.



1. Dr. Gibriel Ibrahim Mohamed, Chairperson of Justice and Equality Movement Sudan (JEM)
2. Mr. Abdel Wahid Mohamed Ahmed Nur, Chairperson, Sudan Liberation Army/Movement (SLA/M-A/Wahid)
3. Mr. Minni Arko Minnawi, Chairperson Sudan Liberation Army/Movement (SLA/M-MM)

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