November 2, 2004

Citizens for Global Solutions Condemns Sudanese Government Raids on Refugees
While the World is Focused on U.S. Presidential Elections, the Sudanese Troops Crack-down on IDP Camps

Washington, DC –Today’s actions by Khartoum to send troops into three Internally Displaced Person’s (IDPs) camps, encircling 160,000 IDPs and denying access to the camps to aid agencies and UN workers, is atrocious. These events come at a time when the U.S., and possibly the world’s, attention is focused on the U.S. Presidential election. Security has once again deteriorated in recent weeks in the southern Darfur region of Sudan and the Sudanese Government and rebels continue to violate the terms of the April ceasefire agreement.

“UN workers are reporting that Sudanese government troops have surrounded these three camps and are relocating people to their already destroyed villages where they will be vulnerable to further attacks by the Janjaweed militias,” said Harpinder Athwal, Peace and Security Program Manager for Citizens for Global Solutions. “The government cannot be allowed to continue to attack and traumatize innocent civilians who have already been evicted from their homes and villages, attacked and raped by the Janjaweed militias and had family members killed, while the world looks on again.”

The UN and other aid agencies have been rendered helpless due to the insecurity in the area. The only international force on the ground in Darfur is the African Union. The AU does have ceasefire monitors on the ground and is increasing the number of protection force troops, mainly consisting of Rwandan and Nigerian troops. This force is expected to increase to 3,320 but is currently at around 300. In a region the size of Texas, clearly this small contingent will not be able to react to the current crisis.

“The Sudanese government has failed in its responsibility to protect the people of Darfur,” said Athwal. “Until now the international community has been willing to give Khartoum a chance to prove it can put in place effective measures to end the violence and suffering. Over and over again Khartoum has not followed through.

“Its recent raids coincide with the U.S. Presidential election. It is a rather dubious coincidence that Khartoum has reacted so strongly to recent clashes with rebels in Darfur just when the U.S., which more than any other nation has been most critical of government-sponsored killing in Darfur, was engrossed in the presidential election. However, other nations also have a responsibility and must step up to the plate now and protect the people of Darfur.”

Citizens for Global Solutions calls on the United Nations to impose an immediate no-fly zone over Darfur, provide the AU forces a Chapter 7 mandate under the UN Charter to protect the civilians of Darfur, as well as impose an arms embargo on the country. Upon the UN Commission of Inquiry’s report back to the UN, the Security Council should consider referring the situation to the International Criminal Court.

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