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 Darfur: No More Time for Diplomacy
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darfur relief and documentation centre
 Quote: As the world celebrates the International Human Rights Day the people of Darfur look at us with great hope and expectations. They are yearning to celebrate this Day in 2005 in peace and security. Let the world not let them down.
Attached is DRDC recent press release on the situation in the region.
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DRDC/PR/2004/07 Geneva, 09.12.2004
Darfur: No More Time for Diplomacy
DRDC is concerned about the rapidly deteriorating human rights and humanitarian situation in Darfur. Repeated ceasefire violations and violence by all parties to the conflict in the second half of November and early December 2004 have caused more displacement and casualties among the civilian populations. Banditry activities are in the increase in Darfur to the extent that many parts of the region have been declared as no-go zones. DRDC received information that since 8th December 2004 the Sudan air force has been indiscriminately bombarding Marla area (Nyala). No figures are available about the numerous casualties and injuries among civilians as they are fleeing towards urban areas around Nyala. Since 6th December the Janjaweed militia continues attacking villages in the Tur area, west of Jebel Mara. On Tuesday 7th December 2004, about 17 women and children have been killed near Tur village.
The security situation, denial of access to IDP camps as well as the government decision to expel some relief workers from the country including the directors of Oxfam and Save the Children in Sudan had serious impact on the ability of the UN and relief organisations to deliver humanitarian assistance to the affected populations. Some agencies have had to limit relief operations or evacuate their staff from many parts of the region. The long awaited relief convoy to feed more than 16,000 IDPs in Thabit area (North Darfur) was cancelled on 7th December 2004 when the government informed the UN that it plans major military operations in the region and that the area was declared unsafe for UN operations. Consequently relief operations in the region were further suspended for unlimited time. This is expected to aggravate the situation in the area surrounding El-Fasher, Kutum, Tawilla, Thabit, Zam Zam, Abou-Shouk and Gallab IDP camps. The government decision to continue military operations in Darfur is a blatant breach of the Abuja Accords and a violation of Sudan’s international obligations under Resolutions 1556/2004, 1564/2004 and 1574/2004 of the UN Security Council, and Communiqués PSC/PR/Comm.(XIII) and PSC/PR/Comm.(XVII) adopted by the AU Peace and Security Council at their 13th and 17th Meetings.
The authorities in South Darfur continue their policy of forced relocations of IDPs sometimes to insecure areas and without proper prior consultation with the UN or AU observers. This policy is a breach of Sudan’s obligations under international law and a violation of the relevant provisions of the Memorandum of Understanding signed between the government together with the UN and International Organisation for Migration on relocation and return of IDPs. It has been documented that IDPs who refuse the relocation orders especially community leaders are usually threatened, intimidated, humiliated and pressurized to persuade IDPs to move to the designated areas. Between 6 and 8,000 IDPs from Al-Geer camp (Nyala) have been forcefully relocated to the Saudi Red Crescent-run Al-Sureif camp while residents of other camps such as Kalma are still under threat of forced relocation. Government deliberate policy to force IDPs to insecure areas is designed to create a permanent state of fear and instability among them and eventually evacuate IDPs to different location away from their areas of origin.
DRDC believes that Khartoum should no longer be treat as a responsible government willing to protect all the people within its territory without discrimination or maintain a state of law and order thus fulfilling its regional and international obligations. There is an urgent need for protection of the people on the ground in order to avert a chaotic situation that may degenerate into a major humanitarian disaster reminiscent of the 1994 Rwanda genocide. Once again DRDC calls upon members of the UN Security Council and the AU Peace and Security Council to place the suffering of the defenseless civilians in Darfur at the heart of their agenda and meet their legal and moral obligations toward them by deploying a substantial protection force and apprehending the Janjaweed leaders and their mentors. Ends.
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hamid hajer
فيس بوك
تويتر
انستقرام
يوتيوب
بنتيريست