Sudan: New wave of violence and displacement in Darfur

Darfur Relief and Documentation Centre

Press Release 10.10.2007

New Wave of Violence and Forced Displacement in Darfur

Since 3rd October 2007, the government of Sudan, supported by the Janjaweed militiamen, are conducting massive military operations in Darfur. Deployment of large numbers of government troops was observed all over Darfur. Heavy military equipment and aerial bombardments were used against civilian targets in Haskanita and Muhajariya localities, South Darfur State. As a result of this operation Haskanita town has been burned to the ground. Few public buildings have been spared from destruction while residential areas were deliberately targeted. The military operation has caused the death of about 200 persons in Haskanita and its immediate environs. Information we received indicated that at least 15 thousand civilians from Haskanita and the surrounding villages have been forced out of their homes. They have become internally displaced persons either as a result of direct attacks against their villages or because of fear of such attacks.
The army and the Janjaweed militiamen usually target markets places and private dwellings with the single aim of destroying and stripping the victims of their belongings including money, livestock and foodstuff.

A joint African Union and United Nations (AU/UN) inspection team, which visited Haskanita on Saturday, 6th October 2007, concluded that: "the town, which is under the control of the government, was completely burned down, except for a few buildings." The inspection team added that: Haskanita's market had been looted and most of the town's civilian population had fled. Just a handful of townspeople had returned to scavenge for food and water. On 29th September 2007, Haskanita was the scene of the killing of 10 AU soldiers when unknown attackers assaulted the AU military base in the area. The authors of that abhorrent attack against AU soldiers are yet to be identified. Intensive government military operations were reported in the Haskanita area during the last two months. It seems that the attack against AU soldiers have been carried out because the assailants suspected that some AU elements collaborate with government army and pass intelligence about their whereabouts. The recent destruction of Haskanita by the government is believed to be in retaliation to the attack against the AU soldiers. The increased violence and military operations in Darfur are being reported while the AU/UN-sponsored political negotiations between the government of Sudan and the Darfur insurgent movements are scheduled to start in Tripoli (Libya) on 27th October 2007.

On 8th October 2007 government forces and Janjaweed attacked Muhajariya area about 80 from Nyala. Aerial bombardment and heavy artillery were used in this attack. At least 50 individuals were killed inside Muhajariya and hundreds of houses were burned down. The attackers destroyed and looted the main market place. Hundreds of people were forcibly displaced as a result of this attack. The attack against Muhajariya represent a serious development in the conflict because this area is under the control of forces loyal to Mr. Minni Minawi, the only Darfur insurgent leader who signed the Darfur Peace Agreement (DPA) in Abuja on 5th May 2006. More than 5 soldiers from Mr. Minni Minawi's faction were killed in this attack and over 10 others were injured. Following this attack Mr. Minni Minawi threatened to abandon the DPA altogether. The attack against Muhajariya has also forced the humanitarian organisation Médecins Sans Frontières (MSF) to evacuate its team of medical workers and close down the only hospital that serve the people of the area.

The resurgence of large-scale violence in Darfur mocks the binding commitment made by the parties to the conflict to negotiate a political solution for the crisis of the region. Escalation of military operations in Darfur were reported at a time when the United Nations and African Union are preparing for a fresh round of political negotiations between the government and the Darfur insurgent movements. These talks are scheduled to take place in Tripoli, Libya, on 27th October 2007. The parties to the conflict in Darfur should be forced to respect the existing ceasefire agreement and arrest all military operations before they embark on any political negotiations.

DRDC strongly condemns the recent military offensives against Haskanita and Muhajariya as they represent senseless collective and indiscriminate punishment against civilian population in Darfur. The massive violations of human rights and humanitarian law associated with these attacks should escape the world scrutiny. Targeting of civilians has characterised Sudan's reaction to the armed rebellion in Darfur since February 2003. This latest incident is reminiscent of the scorched-earth campaign introduced by the government of Sudan in the summer of 2003. Attacking civilians in this manner violates Sudan's obligations under regional and international human rights and humanitarian law.

DRDC calls on the UN Security Council to seize itself of the ongoing developments and take further measures to ensure that the government of Sudan and other parties to the conflict in Darfur put a halt to all military operations in the region immediately. What is needed urgently is the deployment of a robust UN/AU hybrid force with full political backing as well as capability, mobility and firepower in order to protect civilians from the widespread war crimes and crimes against humanity in the region.