Sudan Organisation Against Torture

Human Rights Alert: 5 May 2005

Attack and Rape of IDP Children

On 3 May 2005, armed officers from Gedel Haboub, North of Nyala attacked four girls and one boy aged six (yrs) 3km northeast of Outash Internally Displaced (IDP) Camp in Nyala.

The children were fetching firewood outside the camp. The armed officers flogged the children, and raped two of the girls (name withheld) aged 14 and 12. The other three children escaped and returned to the camp.

The children families initially reported the incident to police officers inside Outash IDP camp who allegedly were not active in pursuing the perpetrators even though the two rape victims identified three soldiers from Gedel Haboub military camp. The case was then transferred to Nyala Wasat (central) police station. Following a complaint filed by SOAT lawyers’ network, police officers in Nyala arrested the three alleged perpetrators. The alleged perpetrators are now in military intelligence custody.

SOAT lawyers network are following up the case before the Attorney General. The two rape victims are receiving medical treatment at SOAT’s partner organization in Nyala, the Amel Centre for the Treatment and Rehabilitation of Victims.

SOAT is calling for the government of Sudan (GoS) to immediately waive the immunity of the alleged perpetrators; allow the attorney general to investigate the incident and to hand the three perpetrators into police custody to ensure that they are brought to justice. Members of security apparatus who commit gross human rights violations are not subjected to the Criminal Procedure, special courts especially military and security tribunals cannot be a substitute to natural courts. Trying such grave offences in these, courts are unacceptable. They are not impartial or independent and calls into question the fundamental principles on which international standard of fair and just trials.

SOAT strongly condemns attacks and sexual violence against children and urges all parties to the conflict in Darfur to cease perpetrating violence against children and stop all violations of the ceasefire agreement and subsequent agreements. SOAT is concerned for the safety of the children who escaped the attack, and calls on the GoS to ensure that they will not be harassed or intimidated.

SOAT urges the government of Sudan to:

Immediately cease attacks on civilians and adhere to it commitments under the ceasefire agreement;

Investigate the attack and rape of the children and ensure that the perpetrators are brought before an impartial tribunal and guarantee procedural rights at all times;

End impunity for crimes committed by the security apparatus in order to bring them to trial and apply the penal and/or administrative sanctions as provided by law;

Guarantee respect for human rights and fundamental freedoms throughout the country in accordance with national laws and international human rights standards.

The above recommendations should be sent in appeals to the following
addresses:

His Excellency Field Marshal Omar Hassan al-Bashir
President of the Republic of Sudan
President' s Palace
PO Box 281, Khartoum, Sudan
Fax: + 249 183 783223

His Excellency Ali Osman Mohamed Taha
First Vice-President
People's Palace

PO Box 281, Khartoum, Sudan
Fax: + 249 183 771025

Mr. Mustafa Osman Ismail
Minister of Foreign Affairs
Ministry of Foreign Affairs
PO Box 873, Khartoum, Sudan
Fax: + 249 183 779383

Dr. Abdelmuneim Osman Mohamed Taha
Advisory Council for Human Rights
PO Box 302
Khartoum, Sudan
Fax: + 249 183 770883

Permanent Representative:

His Excellency Mr. Mohamed Elhassan Ahmed Elhaj

Ambassador

Avenue Blanc 47

1202 Geneva

Tel: 022 731 26 63

Fax: 022 731 26 56

Email: [email protected]

SOAT is an international human rights organisation established in the UK in 1993. If you have any questions about this or other SOAT information, please contact us at:

SOAT
Argo House
Kilburn Park Road
London NW6 5LF, UK
Tel: +44 (0)20 7625 8055
Fax: +44 (0)20 7372 2656
E-mail: [email protected]
Website: www.soatsudan.org

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