statement issued by DRDC concerning the ongoing round of ethnic cleansing in Darfur

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Renewed Wave of Ethnic Cleansing in Darfur
Geneva, 3 March 2014
The Darfur Relief and Documentation Centre (DRDC) is deeply disturbed by the continued large-scale targeting of civilians in Darfur. On Thursday, 27 February and Friday, 28 February 2014, the Sudanese army and the Janjaweed militiamen launched a destructive military operation against the civilian population in southeast Nyala, capital of South Darfur State. Heavy military equipment, including military jets and artillery were reportedly used during this operation. The attackers burned down more than 50 villages, killed hundreds of civilians and forcibly displaced between 5,000 and 15,000 people. About 5,000 victims of this attack managed to reach internally displaced persons (IDPs) camps in the area such as Kalma camp near Nyala and El-Salam camp in Beilel Locality, while more than 10,000 civilians are currently living in the wilderness as they were prevented by the militiamen from reaching urban areas and IDP settlements. The areas that were affected by this attack are Hijer Tunjo, Um Gounja, Tani Deleiba, Tukumari, Himeida, Barka Tuli, Afouna and many other villages.
Massive violations of international humanitarian law were committed during this attack. The exact numbers of people that lost their lives and those that are missing are not yet known because of the large-scale nature of the attack and the absence of independent organizations or UN agencies in the area. At least 33 people were killed in Hijair Tunjo village on 27 February 2014. The militiamen reportedly raped an unknown number of women and abducted about 20 young women and girls in addition to 9 school-age children in Hijair Tunjo alone. The abduction of the women and children could be intended for sexual enslavement and forced labour. The militiamen burned houses and looted all the belongings and cattle owned by the local people. Multiple sources affirmed that some 4,000 Janjaweed elements under the command of Ahmed Hamdan “Hemedti” and the supervision of Sudanese army General Abbas Abdelaziz are responsible for this attack. These militiamen recently received intensive military training in Khartoum and were drafted by the government into the fighting against the Sudan Revolutionary Front (SRF) in South Kordofan State in October 2013. They withdrew from South Kordofan in late 2013 and stationed in North Kordofan State until mid-January 2014 where they committed a series of crimes, including killings, rape, robberies and multiple abuses against civilians in the environs of Al-Obeid. The presence of the Janjaweed militiamen in North Kordofan was met by fierce opposition from the local people and generated a nationwide outcry from Sudanese political parties and opinion makers, which forced the government to order them to leave the area. However, the redeployment of the militiamen into Darfur was met by indifference from political forces in Sudan.
DRDC strongly condemns the government’s military approach to resolving armed conflicts in Sudan and its use of militiamen and para-military troops for security purposes. DRDC is utterly disappointed that the African Union and United Nations Hybrid Operation in Darfur (UNAMID), has not been able to prevent this attack or to protect civilians in the area. DRDC calls for an independent investigation of these crimes and for the International Criminal Court to be seized of the matter. We further call on the UN Security Council to take the necessary measures to protect civilians in Darfur and to thoroughly review the role of UNAMID in order to enable it to carry on its mission and protect civilians in Darfur in a more effective manner. Ends.
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27, Ch. des Creand#770;ts-de-Pregny, 1218 Grand-Saconnex, Geneva (Switzerland) Tel:0041 22 747 00 89 Fax: 0041 22 747 00 38 E-mail: [email protected] Webpage http://www.darfurcentre.ch

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