DCFHR/PR 09/05

Crisis in Darfur Affects Darfurians Already Living in Iraq

The genocide in Darfur has far reaching ramifications not just within the country itself, but also to other countries in both Africa and the Middle East.
In the last few days, this centre has received information that 414 Darfurians - who were already settled in Iraq 10 years before the invasion - are now being subjected to systematic abuse and attacks. Many of those who have made Iraq their home have tried to leave in the wake of the war there. Many have been refused exit visas and are trapped. As a result, a large number of them have gathered from all other parts of Baghdad and are now concentrated at al-Babb al-Shargi (on the Eastern gate) to protect/support each other. At the moment Sudanese people are not welcome on the streets of Iraq and are deemed to support terrorist groups. They have therefore become easy targets for arrest, arbitrary killing and kidnapping for ransom.

The situation is deteriorating daily. It has now become so risky for them to go out even to purchase food stuff or search for jobs that they are forced to move in groups to protect each other. In February, fourteen of them were arrested when they went out looking for jobs. Fortunately, they were released after 42 days in police custody without charges. Other cases include:

1. Ali Ahmed Mohammed and Mohammed Rahmah who were found dead in their room.
2. Osman Adam Yousif was shot in his stomach intentionally, but he was rescued.
3. Abdulazim Shantu was shot and he died on April 16, 2004.
4. Abdurrahman Ahmed Is’haq (from Manguray village) was burnt in his room.
5. Adam Ameen, was also shot, rescued, but in a critical condition in hospital.

The following Darfurians were reported killed in different cities throughout the area:

1. Mohammed Yahya Adam.
2. Abdurrahman Ahmed Haroun.
3. Hassan Hassounah.
4. Edam Khatir Nourain.
5. Mohammed Ali Ahmed.
6. Mukhtar Rahmatallah Ahmed.
7. Haroun Abdu Murah.
8. Mohammed Salih Musa.
9. Musa Abakar Abdurrahman.
10. Mohammed Mursal Bakheet.
11. Hassan Shagh Hamid.
12. Al Taib Ibrahim Al Goz.
13. Abdurrahman Hassan Mohammed.

In addition seventeen Darfurians were kidnapped for ransom. In some cases the ransom reached $US200/- per head; an amount which is beyond their ability to pay.

Children are now unable to attend school. Medication is being denied for this group. The majority are unable to work due to the security situation. Their cash is decreasing rapidly. As a result they have formed community groups to cook and distribute food in rations between them.

75 persons did manage to secure exit visas on Thursday May 14th, but are encountering grave difficulties in finding somewhere to go. While the Kurdistan Democratic Party has agreed to secure a passage for them to Northern Iraq, they were unable to assure them of safety while waiting on the border. Other countries in the region, such as Jordan, have strong ties to the government of Sudan and as such have a poor record of assistance to such people. Consequently these people are trapped.
Despite repeated attempts to secure help from the Embassy of Sudan in Baghdad, it is neither raising any enquiries about this population, nor cooperating when contacted. The staff are living inside the Embassy behind closed doors, and only the guard is responding to telephone calls. The UNHCR office is at Arbeel in the north of the country and is consequently not reachable for this group.

Please take any action you can to draw attention to the plight of these people. A full list of those affected is available from this centre

How to Contact Us

Darfur Centre for Human Rights and Development
P.O. Box 48299
London, W2 7YG

By phone in the U.K: 07786 984832 or 07930 691575
By phone in the USA: 001 267 992 2004

By e-mail: [email protected]
Web-site: www.dcfhr.org

Darfur Centre for Human Rights and Development is an organization established in the U.K in 2004. If you have any questions about this or any other DCFHRD information, please contact the address shown.