SOAT

Sudan Organisation Against Torture

Human Rights Alert: 19 September 2005

Darfur: Abduction and Rape in Nyala

1. On 16 September 2005, armed militias in military uniform, allegedly
the Janjaweed, attacked and raped one girl (17 yrs, name withheld) and
a woman (30 yrs, name withheld) 2 km West of Kalma Internally
Displaced (IDP) Camp in Nyala. During the attack, the women were
flogged before being raped.

2. On 13 September 2005, armed militias, allegedly the Janjaweed,
raped six women (names withheld) from Kalma IDP Camp. The women were
raped whilst fetching firewood outside the Camp at 11.00am.

3. On 13 September 2005, at 1.30pm, ten women were kidnapped whilst
they were fetching firewood outside Kalma IDP Camp. The whereabouts of
the abducted women are unknown. The incidents have been reported to
the African Union Observers and to police officers at Beliel police
station. The details of the kidnapped women whose whereabouts are
unknown as follows:

Alawea Ibrahim Mohamed

Asha Yahya

Hussneya Omer Khatir

Osman Zakarea Musa

Halima Yahya Adam

Hawa Musa

Asha Kitir

Hajja Ahmed Mursal

Hawa Ibraheam Mohamed

Halima Yahya Adam

4. On 11 September 2005, a mother (45 yrs) and her daughter (17 yrs)
were attacked by armed militias, allegedly the Janjaweed, 1 km outside
Kalma IDP Camp in Nyala.

The IDPs were collecting firewood outside the camp. The militias
flogged the IDPs, beat them with the butt of their guns and raped the
17 year old girl. The incident has been reported to Beliel police
station.

5. On 06 September 2005, three armed men abducted an 18 year old
female (name withheld) from Nyala. The men took the young woman to
West of Nyala where they raped her.

The incident was reported to the police who sent her to the police
hospital for medical examination. The medical report confirmed that
the woman had been raped. The perpetrators which include one member
of the Popular Defence Forces (PDF) have been arrested and remain in
police detention at Nyala.

In a separate incident on 11 September 2005, armed militias, allegedly
the Janjaweed kidnapped six men from outside Kalma IDP Camp. The IDPs,
who were travelling in their carts to the north of the Camp, were
taken to a remote area near the Camp and subjected to severe beatings
by the militias. The IDPs were beaten with sticks, flogged all over
their bodies, and their carts were stolen.

The details of the men are as follows:

Yahya Souleiman Mohamed

Ali Haroun Soulieman

Salah Ishag Ahmed

Abdel Razig Sideag Ahmed

Abubaker Ahmed Mohamed

Yousif Soulieman Alhaj

SOAT strongly condemns the continual attack and sexual violence
against women and girls in Darfur. In light of evidence that attacks
on civilians have subsided in the areas where African Union (AU)
observers have been deployed, SOAT is particularly concerned that
women and girls continue to venture outside IDP camps to undertake
their regular tasks including fetching firewood and water without
protection by AU observers stationed inside these camps.

On 01 September 2005, SOAT called on AU observers in the region to
immediately investigate reports of a build-up of Janjaweed militias in
North Darfur. This investigation has yet to begin; meanwhile the IDP
population in the area continue to be subjected to rape, torture and
kidnappings by marauding armed militias still present around IDP
camps.

Currently there are approximately 700 known Janjaweed militias wearing
military uniform with camels, 2 km North and East of Kalma Camp. Armed
militias must be disarmed, and since the government is unwilling to
undertake this task, the international community must force it upon
them.

SOAT calls upon the government of Sudan and the African Union forces
to investigate the alleged build-up of Janjaweed militias around Kalma
IDP camp.

SOAT calls on the government of Sudan to:

Investigate the attacks and rapes of the women and girls and the
kidnapping torture of the six men and to ensure that the perpetrators
are brought before an impartial tribunal and guaranteed procedural
rights at all times;
Sudan and the African Union forces to investigate the alleged build-up
of Janjaweed militias around Kalma IDP camp;
Immediately disarm the Janjaweed militias and all armed militias
operating in Darfur particularly outside known IDP Camps;
Immediately adhere to it commitments under the ceasefire agreement;
To comply with all UN Security resolutions and the UN commission on
Human Rights Resolution which explicitly condemns "the continuation of
violence against civilians and sexual violence against women and
girls";
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 Salva Kiir Mayardit

First Vice-President
People's Palace

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

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 any other SOAT
information, please contact us:

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