New violence deepens Darfur crisis

KHARTOUM – Helicopter attacks, raids on refugee camps and rapes carried out by Sudanese forces and Arab militiamen have worsened an already desperate situation in Darfur, humanitarian and rights groups say.

The United Nations has told Khartoum to curb marauding Janjaweed militia or face sanctions, but Human Rights Watch said on Wednesday fresh atrocities disproved Sudanese government claims that security was returning to the western region. “In many rural areas and small towns in Darfur, government forces and the Janjaweed militias continue to routinely rape and assault women and girls when they leave the periphery of the camps and towns,” the New York-based group said in a report.Human rights groups and Darfur rebels say Khartoum has used the militia, who Darfur residents call Janjaweed – derived from Arabic meaning “devils on horseback” – in a campaign to crush a rebel uprising and drive the region’s non-Arabs from their land.In a statement from Geneva on Tuesday, the UN Office for the Co-ordination of Humanitarian Affairs accused Sudanese forces of new helicopter attacks, denied by Khartoum, and the Janjaweed of raids on the ground.”Fresh violence today (Tuesday) included helicopter gunship bombings by the Sudanese government and Janjaweed attacks in South Darfur,” the UN agency said.”Janjaweed attacks on internally displaced persons in and around IDP settlements continue to be reported in all three Darfur states.”In a July 30 US-drafted resolution, the Security Council gave Khartoum 30 days to take measures against the Janjaweed, or face unspecified sanctions.Khartoum denies using the Janjaweed as a proxy force and says they are outlaws.The Sudanese government says it has deployed 10 000 police to Darfur and last week pledged to set up safe areas for the one million people the United Nations says have been uprooted.But Human Rights Watch said Khartoum was absorbing the Janjaweed into its security forces instead of disarming them.Government claims that it was ending impunity for Janjaweed leaders, as demanded by the UN, were doubtful, it said.Janjaweed had raped six girls aged 13 to 16 and beat other women at a militia checkpoint in Western Darfur in July, Human Rights Watch said.Sudan has said international pressure over Darfur aims to undermine the country’s Islamist government, which Washington lists as a “sponsor of terror”.Sudanese President Omar Hassan al-Bashir said in remarks published yesterday that the United States and Europe were not interested in the wellbeing of people in Darfur but were exploiting violence there for their own ends.”America and Europe have aims that do not include the safety and comfort of people in Darfur,” Bashir said in an interview with Lebanon’s al-Mustaqbal newspaper.”The Darfur issue is being blown up by people who do not want stability in Sudan but target the country instead.”Sudanese State Minister of Foreign Affairs Najeeb al-Kheir Abdel Wahab said the UN report of helicopter attacks was untrue, baseless and unsourced.- Nampa-Reuters”In many rural areas and small towns in Darfur, government forces and the Janjaweed militias continue to routinely rape and assault women and girls when they leave the periphery of the camps and towns,” the New York-based group said in a report.Human rights groups and Darfur rebels say Khartoum has used the militia, who Darfur residents call Janjaweed – derived from Arabic meaning “devils on horseback” – in a campaign to crush a rebel uprising and drive the region’s non-Arabs from their land.In a statement from Geneva on Tuesday, the UN Office for the Co-ordination of Humanitarian Affairs accused Sudanese forces of new helicopter attacks, denied by Khartoum, and the Janjaweed of raids on the ground.”Fresh violence today (Tuesday) included helicopter gunship bombings by the Sudanese government and Janjaweed attacks in South Darfur,” the UN agency said.”Janjaweed attacks on internally displaced persons in and around IDP settlements continue to be reported in all three Darfur states.”In a July 30 US-drafted resolution, the Security Council gave Khartoum 30 days to take measures against the Janjaweed, or face unspecified sanctions.Khartoum denies using the Janjaweed as a proxy force and says they are outlaws.The Sudanese government says it has deployed 10 000 police to Darfur and last week pledged to set up safe areas for the one million people the United Nations says have been uprooted.But Human Rights Watch said Khartoum was absorbing the Janjaweed into its security forces instead of disarming them.Government claims that it was ending impunity for Janjaweed leaders, as demanded by the UN, were doubtful, it said.Janjaweed had raped six girls aged 13 to 16 and beat other women at a militia checkpoint in Western Darfur in July, Human Rights Watch said.Sudan has said international pressure over Darfur aims to undermine the country’s Islamist government, which Washington lists as a “sponsor of terror”.Sudanese President Omar Hassan al-Bashir said in remarks published yesterday that the United States and Europe were not interested in the wellbeing of people in Darfur but were exploiting violence there for their own ends.”America and Europe have aims that do not include the safety and comfort of people in Darfur,” Bashir said in an interview with Lebanon’s al-Mustaqbal newspaper.”The Darfur issue is being blown up by people who do not want stability in Sudan but target the country instead.”Sudanese State Minister of Foreign Affairs Najeeb al-Kheir Abdel Wahab said the UN report of helicopter attacks was untrue, baseless and unsourced.- Nampa-Reuters