human rights violations - june rights violations...15/06/2015’...
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SUDO (UK) Situation Updates – June 20151
Overview
During the month of June our network of human rights monitors situated throughout Darfur, Blue Nile, and South Kordofan, has verified 47 specific cases of human rights abuses; 18 of which were committed by Government forces, 20 by pro-‐Government forces, 6 by armed opposition groups, and 3 were committed by unknown bandit groups.
Of the 47 incidents, SUDO (UK) has recorded the deaths of 72 civilians (21 of whom were children under the age of 18), 32 incidents of rape (13 of the victims were under the age of 18), 10 incidents of abduction, 4 incidents of detention, 5 incidents of indiscriminate aerial bombardment, 20 serious injuries to civilians, and the displacement of at least an estimated 26,000 civilians. Additionally, the following reports detail the destruction of villages as well as the regular looting of livestock and personal possessions.
Major incidents in June concern the destruction of Toot, a village in North Darfur, by a Janjaweed militia, which led to the deaths of 17 children who were trapped in their homes as the militia set about burning the entire village to the ground. In addition to this, the SPLM-‐N engaged in further military activity in Blue Nile with a major attack conducted on Wad Abok leading to the deaths of 22 civilians and the displacement of 19,000. This act led to 2,000 civilians fleeing their homes in nearby Silak for fear of facing a similar attack. The Governments response has been to carry out a series of arrests and detentions on suspected SPLM-‐N collaborators, as well as conducting attacks on villages in the localities of Bao and Kurmuk forcibly displacing at least an estimated 4,000 civilians.
Thus once again, all parties to the conflict have exhibited their engagement in military activity that disproportionately affects civilians. Indeed evidence continues to mount that civilians themselves are often the direct target of such attacks.
1 It is important to note that the number of specific human rights abuses recorded in this document certainly underestimate the total number of abuses and their effects on the civilian population. SUDO (UK) only uses information provided to it by its monitors.
An Update on Violations Recorded in May On the 11th May 2015, SUDO (UK) reported on an attack perpetrated by the Sudanese Armed Forces on Khor Magnza, which forced the displacement of 17,000 civilians who were then left stranded without food, water and shelter. This incident was the result of a form of collective punishment following the failure of the Sudanese Armed Forces to capture the mountainous area of Gilo from SPLM-‐N. The following photos were taken by one of our monitors in Khor Magnza in Bao locality, Blue Nile. They clearly showcase the destruction of civilian infrastructure and lay further evidence to arguments stating that Government forces are forcibly displacing civilians from their homes as a form of counter-‐insurgency.
Recommendations Using reports submitted by our monitors throughout Sudan, SUDO (UK) recommends the following: To the Government of Sudan
• Halt all direct, indiscriminate and disproportionate attacks on the civilian population by its armed forces, and investigate those that have previously occurred in order to hold to account those responsible.
• Fulfil its obligation to protect civilians by disbanding, investigating and holding to account all government militias, including the Rapid Support Forces and the Janjaweed, for human rights violations they have committed.
• Immediately facilitate urgent humanitarian assistance for displaced civilians.
• Halt all aerial bombardment of civilian populated areas.
• Ensure that all allegations of sexual and gender-‐based violence are investigated and that those responsible are brought to account. Further ensure that the security forces, the judiciary and the administrative authorities are adequately trained in the prevention of sexual and gender-‐based violence.
• Ensure individuals who have been arrested are either charged with a criminal offence and given a fair trial, or are immediately released. Ensure that all detainees are protected from torture and other ill-‐treatment as stipulated in Sudanese and international human rights law.
To the Armed Opposition Groups
• Cease all attacks on the civilian population and civilian infrastructure.
UNAMID2
• Take action in order to fulfil its mandate to “contribute to the protection of civilian populations under imminent threat of physical violence and prevent attacks against civilians, within its capability and areas of deployment, without prejudice to the responsibility of the Government of the Sudan”, and the requirement “to investigate and hold accountable those who are responsible, and promote efforts to disarm the Janjaweed and other militias”.
2 SUDO (UK) supports the recent decision by the UN Security Council to renew the mandate of UNAMID for a further year. As this update, and indeed the updates prior to this have shown, the security situation in Darfur has only worsened in recent years. Though UNAMID has not been able to adequately fulfil its mandate, its presence has several times served as a deterrent to attacks on civilians. Consequently its withdrawal from the region would leave civilians completely unprotected.
The Republic of Sudan
Darfur
North Darfur
01/06/2015
The Rapid Support Forces (RSF) attacked the village of Taradona in East Jebel Marra arriving in five 4x4 vehicles. During the attack, the RSF killed resident Adam Suleiman Musa, before looting his shop and his livestock, which consisted of 90 heads of cattle and goat.
03/06/2015
Ibrahim Adam Abdelshakoor, an employee of the Irish NGO GOAL from Kutum, north-‐west of Al-‐Fasher, and Ibrahim Hassan were abducted by three unidentified persons and taken to an unknown location. The kidnappers have since contacted both families asking for a ransom to obtain their release.
05/06/2015
Members from a Janjaweed militia raped two women in Ein Siro.
05/06/2015
A Janjaweed militia attacked the village of Toot at midnight. During the assault 700 houses were destroyed and 200 livestock consisting of sheep, goats and cows were killed. The village was burnt and destroyed. Furthermore, monitors recorded the deaths of 17 children who were trapped in their homes as the militia set fire to the village.
06/06/2015
One girl aged 16 and one woman aged 19, from Kassab IDP Camp, were attacked and raped by members from a Janjaweed militia as they went to collect firewood.
06/06/2015
Members from a Janjaweed militia raped five women and girls, aged 12, 14, 17, 19, and 20, in the village of Um Begi.
06/06/2015
Five women from Tawila IDP Camp were attacked and severely beaten by members from a Janjaweed unit. Four of them were left injured on the ground, whilst the fifth, Aisha Mohamed Hussein, was abducted. UNAMID has been informed; it is not known what action has been taken.
07/06/2015
As a group of 20 women went to collect water from the reservoir in Tusol, near Khazan Tungur, a local militia situated within the area threatened them with acts of sexual violence. Fortunately the women were able to inform the local army garrison, which successfully intervened driving away the militia.
08/06/2015
A Janjaweed militia under the command of Badr Abukeneish attacked a number of villages in Tawila locality, killing four civilians and looting personal possessions and livestock. The four civilians killed were:
• Adam Ali Nimir (62) from Shakso village • Adam Elsadig Mahgoub (25) from Um Giago village • Abakr Mohamed Abakr (13) from Um Gaigo village • Musalem Hamid Mahmoud (16) from Um Gaigo village
Furthermore, throughout the attacks 240 sheep, 115 goats, 45 cows, and 17 camels were looted, in addition to four vehicles.
14/06/2015
A Janjaweed militia attacked the village of Hilat Ahmed, situated 9km south-‐east of Tabit. During the attack three girls were raped. Two of the girls gave their age whilst the other declined. The two girls were aged 17 and 19 respectively.
Upon hearing about the incident, the Commander-‐in-‐Chief of the Sudanese army in Tabit ordered the victims and their families to come and see him in the army headquarters. During the meeting, he denied them their request to go to Al-‐Fasher for treatment. Instead the girls were given local medicines and forced to return to their village with their families.
15/06/2015
The RSF attacked the village of Ahmer, East of Tabit, in three armoured Landcruiser vehicles. During the attack the RSF raped 13 women, four of whom were minors. Afterwards the villagers informed the police in Tabit, but were told that nothing can be done.
15/06/2015
Three members of the Border Guards, a Government militia, attacked a female IDP in Tabit and raped her for three hours. The woman had left her home to fetch water for her family on the outskirts of Tabit. The case was reported to the police who refused to file a complaint.
15/06/2015
Antonov planes from the Sudanese Air Force bombarded the villages of Solo, Tara, and Dar Aman, burning the villages to the ground and forcing civilians to flee to IDP camps in Tabit, Zamzam and Shangil Tobayi.
Antonov planes are transport planes which the Sudanese Air Force uses to bomb locations by manually rolling out barrel bombs through the back of the plane onto a particular area. Such bombings do not allow accurate delivery and are therefore inherently indiscriminate, which is prohibited under international humanitarian law.
16/06/2015
Antonov planes bombarded the villages of Raweeta and Bargo, to the south-‐east of Fanga, killing 17 persons. The attacks began at 08.00 and lasted until the evening. The names of some of those killed are as follows:
• Musa Salih • Sadea Omer Younis • Halima Mohamed Khair • Sara Mahmoud • Abdelrahman Mohamed Yahya • Al-‐Nour Adam • Abakr Eisa
17/06/2015
For the second time in two days Antonov planes bombarded the villages of Tara, Solo, and Dar Aman, which ensured the complete destruction of the villages.
17/06/2015
Six members of a Janjaweed militia attacked the village of Hilat Ahmed, near Tabit; raping three girls aged 15, 16, and 17 respectively.
20/06/2015
The Government of Sudan has settled an estimated 10,000 foreign migrants in nine villages that had been earlier home to residents forcibly displaced through fighting in East Jebel Marra. The villages affected are Dali, Masalit, Arasho, Humeida, Jebel Soso, Taradona, Dogi, Sharafa and Mura.
23/06/2015
Antonov planes indiscriminately bombed villages about 12km north-‐east of Fanga, killing two children, Niamat Musa Yahya and Mohamed Musa Yahya, herders aged 11 and 14 respectively, as well as 45 heads of cow and 97 heads of goat and sheep.
29/06/2015
The Janjaweed militia under the control of Badr Abukeneish attacked a passenger car in Wana Mountains, between Al-‐Fasher and Kafot, severely injuring the driver and two passengers. Two of those injured have been identified as Zakaria Ahmed Arbab and Mohamed Dorob.
30/06/2015
A Janjaweed militia under the command of Eisa al-‐Maseeh attacked Rwanda IDP Camp near Tawila town, killing Mudawi Suleiman Abdalla, aged 52, and injuring Abdelrazig Adam, aged 27, and Badredin Omer Yousif, aged 29. They further looted the victims’ money and livestock, which consisted of nine goats and four cows. The militia then moved on to Um Galbag, 20km north of Tawila.
South Darfur
01/06/2015
Mohamed Adam Mohamed Adam was shot dead by three members of the RSF in full view of the traders and residents in the local market. The three members of the RSF had taken refreshments from Mohamed Adam Mohamed Adam’s shop without paying. When Mohamed Adam Mohamed Adam asked for payment he was shot in the chest, and was killed instantly. Local police have been informed, though no action has taken place even though the killing was committed in front of multiple witnesses.
02/06/2015
Civilians in Falooga reported that members of a Janjaweed militia looted their livestock:
• Siddig Mohamed Sherif lost 25 heads of goat and sheep; • Adam Abakr lost 40 goats; • Suleiman Ali Abdalla lost 20 goats; and • Abakr Ismail lost 35 goats.
02/06/2015
A 25-‐year-‐old woman from Bahr Karo was raped by members from a Janjaweed militia who then stole her four donkeys.
03/06/2015
Two women from Shangal Tobaye, aged 17 and 18 respectively, were raped by five men from a Janjaweed militia as they went to collect fodder for their donkeys.
05/06/2015
Two trucks carrying commercial goods from Omdurman to Zalingei were stopped in Tor, Kass locality, by members from a Janjaweed militia that had set up an illegal checkpoint to extort money from civilians and traders. The three traders in the two trucks refused to pay the militia and were consequently abducted and their goods were confiscated. The names of the individuals abducted are:
• Mohamed Yagoub • Ahmed Osman • Al-‐Rabea Adam
09/06/2015
Members from a Janjaweed unit attacked a recreation centre in Dereig IDP Camp, Nyala, killing the centre’s owner, Khalil Abdelrahman, and injuring four other IDPs.
10/06/2015
A Janjaweed militia attacked a group of herders in the area of Trolei, abducting both Ismail Ahmed and Ibrahim Saleh and looting roughly 1,000 heads of cattle. Fortunately for the other herders, they were able to escape the attack.
14/06/2015
Three armed men attacked four civilians whilst they were sitting in front of their homes in Nyala. The three men demanded the civilians’ hand over their mobile phones and money, which they refused. Afterwards, one of the armed men fired three shots killing one of the civilians, and the armed men then escaped from the scene. Local authorities have been informed though no action has been taken.
15/06/2015
A Janjaweed militia attacked and killed Mohamed Abdo Ibrahim, Adam Salih, and Mohamed Ali as they were preparing their land for the rainy season in Gursanaya village, north of Gerida. This is part of a concerted effort to prevent civilians from cultivating their lands. The local authorities were informed but no action has been taken.
19/06/2015
Five members from a Janjaweed militia kidnapped a shop owner from Gerida and demanded 700 SDG from his family. The incident occurred after they forcibly took mobile top up vouchers from his store and refused to pay for it. When the shop owner asked for the money he was detained and taken to the militia camp, from where they demanded 700 SDG from his family, which was the total amount of the top up vouchers they had taken from his shop. The police were informed, however they took no action.
Central Darfur
01/06/2015
Abakr Eisa Adam, from Wanga village near Nertiti, was shot dead by four members of the RSF whilst he was riding his motorcycle home from the local market. Following the attack, the men took his motorbike and brought it back to the RSF camp. The police were informed of the situation and the location of the stolen bike; however, they failed to act, stating that their duty is solely to report cases.
11/06/2015
At 6am, Antonov planes dropped 16 bombs on the villages of Solo and Dilo killing three civilians, in addition to 236 heads of cow, camel and goat.
17/06/2015
A group of fighters from the Liberation and Justice Movement (LJM), the main signatory to the Doha Document for Peace in Darfur, attacked the market of Zalingei, beating civilians and looting goods. The security forces and the police did not intervene. This incident resulted in the injury of many civilians, including:
• Ahmed Hassan Adam • Osman Sali • Idris Suleiman Ahmed • Abdelaziz Mukhtar Fadl • Degeish Abdulrahman
Abdelaziz Mukhtar Fadl and Degeish Abdulrahman both suffered serious head injuries.
Figure 1: A shop in ruins after LJM attack on Zalingei Market
19/06/2015
A number of Janjaweed militia entered the IDP Camp situated in Nertiti; stopped in front of the home of Sheikh Ali Ahmed Zakaria and demanded that he gives them a goat. When he refused, they forcibly abducted the Sheikh and took him together with a goat to their camp. Once at the camp they cut off the Sheikh’s ears and demanded a ransom for his release.
Blue Nile
01/06/2015
SPLM-‐N forces attacked “Village No. 9” in Gesan locality in the early hours of the morning. In addition to fighting between the SPLM-‐N and the Sudanese Armed Forces, SPLM-‐N looted the local market. As a result of these actions, 1,000 civilians were displaced from their homes to Damazin and Genis, east of Al-‐Roseris. The villagers displaced belong to the Hawsa ethnic group.
08/06/2015
The SPLM-‐N attacked “Village No. 9” in Gesan locality for the second time this month. The attack forcibly displaced nine families that had remained following the first attack on 01/06/2015. Once again the SPLM-‐N forces looted the local market, depriving traders and civilians of their goods.
10/06/2015
SPLM-‐N forces attacked the village of Musfa in Bao locality, clashing with an RSF unit in the area. Amir al-‐Kabak, a 65-‐year-‐old livestock trader from the Funj ethnic group, was killed in the crossfire.
13/06/2015
SPLM-‐N attacked the town of Wad Abok, in Bao locality, at 8am, from two directions. The assault resulted in the death of 22 civilians, the destruction of houses, and the looting and burning of the town’s market. Consequently, 19,000 civilians were reportedly displaced to Guli. The town of Wad Abok is home to ethnic groups from all over Sudan, including Zaghawa, Masalit, Berti, Nuba, Ingessena, and many other groups that have been displaced during the ongoing conflict.
15/06/2015
2,000 civilians from the Silak ethnic group located in Silak area, in the locality of Bao, 120km west of Damazin, fled their homes in fear of an expected attack by SPLM-‐N forces. This fear was caused by an SPLM-‐N attack on Wad Abok on 13/06/2015.
16/06/2015
The National Intelligence and Security Services (NISS) arrested two cattle herders who were transferred to their offices in Damazin. Mohamed Derfa and Ramadan Sabit Agar, aged 27 and 17 respectively, both of them from the Ingessena ethnic group, are accused of smuggling goods to SPLM-‐N controlled areas. In addition to their arrest, the NISS confiscated all commercial goods in their possession.
20/06/2015
Eight members of the Sudanese government’s Military Intelligence and NISS arrived in Abu Garin in Bao locality aboard a Lancruiser vehicle in plain clothes and arrested Osman Suleiman Tawor, a 47-‐year-‐old man from “Village No. 11” in Gesan locality, and a member of the Ingessena ethnic group. In addition to arresting Osman Suleiman Tawor, the security forces confiscated nine sacks of sugar, hibiscus, and other trading goods. Osman Suleiman Tawor was accused of smuggling goods to SPLM-‐N in Kelgo Mountain.
20/06/2015
A group consisting of members of the government’s Military Intelligence and the Popular Defence Forces (PDF), a Government militia, forcibly displaced civilians in the villages of Al-‐Noranyia and Morek, both of which are situated in Bao locality, 60km south of Damazin.
The displaced from Al-‐Noraniya were taken to Abu Ramad and Abu Hasheem, north of Damazin, where they are suffering from a lack of water and shelter, whilst the displaced from Morek moved to “Village No. 5”, Mehairiba, and Khor Al-‐Gana, all south of Al-‐Roseris.
Both groups of villagers were forcibly displaced as a form of collective punishment following government accusations that they provided intelligence and food to the SPLM-‐N. The residents all belong to the Ingessena ethnic group.
The photos below show the conditions faced by the displaced villagers from Al-‐Noraniya in Abu Ramad and Abu Hasheem.
24/06/2015
4,000 civilians have been forcibly displaced from their homes in the villages of Bant, Khor al-‐Dom, Khor Adar and Dereing, in Bao locality, by a combined force from the Government’s Military Intelligence and the NISS. Once again this is a clear indication of the Government using displacement and collective punishment as a means of counter-‐insurgency. The civilians have been accused of providing intelligence and supplies to the SPLM-‐N.
The residents of Bant have been displaced to various neighbourhoods in Damazin, where many are staying with relatives, whilst some have been forced to go to Al-‐Roseris. The villagers from Khor al-‐Dom and Deireng, many of whom are from the Ingessena ethnic group, were displaced south of Damazin, in the area of al-‐Shaheed Afandi. Civilians from Khor Adar, many of whom are from the Funj ethnic group, have been displaced to the area of Salha, north of Damazin. Many of the 4,000 displaced do not have secure access to food, water, shelter or medical care.
24/06/2015
NISS officials arrested Abuelgasim Sabir Norein, a 40-‐year-‐old man from the Funj ethnic group, at 12.00, whilst he was receiving a money transfer from the Bank of Khartoum in Damazin. Abuelgasim Sabir Norein is accused of collaborating and receiving funds from the SPLM-‐N, based on the fact that he recently bought a new car. Abuelgasim Sabir Norein lives in Al-‐Zohoor neighbourhood in Damazin and works as a commissioning agent trading in private vehicles.
28/06/2015
The Sudanese Army and the Popular Defence Forces forcibly displaced civilians in Sheteiyo, Kelto, Kernkern, Dokan Ragrek, Daglok, and Abego, in Kurmuk locality. The displaced have moved to al-‐Radeef area, north of Damazin, and face harsh conditions due to the rainy season; they lack food, water and shelter.
The majority of those displaced are elderly, children and women from either the Funj or Ragek ethnic groups. They are perceived by the Government to be providing support to the SPLM-‐N. Some concerned civilians told our monitors that they were displaced in order to pave the way for the Government to use chemical weapons in the area.
South Kordofan
01/06/2015
The National Intelligence and Security Services (NISS) detained Salah Yousif Ibrahim, a shepherd, whilst he was returning from al-‐Abassiya market in South Kordofan. No reasons were given for his arrest; however, sources suggest the NISS suspect him of cooperating with SPLM-‐N.