Sudan allowed its forces to attack civilians in Darfur tribal battles: HRW

“The government (of Sudan) allowed state security forces and equipment to take part in the attacks (in Central Darfur) and took no steps to protect civilians from the fighting,” says Human Rights Watch in a report released on Monday. It in the report, HRW also confirms Radio Dabanga’s accounts indicating the participation of Ali Kushayb, a suspected war criminal wanted by the International Criminal Court (ICC), in the same battles. Based on interviews with more than 30 people – including refugees who fled the fighting – at the Chadian border in May, HRW says that in April, the Salamat tribe contingent appeared to include government forces using government weapons and equipment. Ali Kushayb himself is reportedly the commander of the Central Reserve Forces (known as Abu Tira) in South Darfur. In line with witnesses accounts provided separately to Radio Dabanga and HRW, Kushayb, a member of the South Darfuri Al Taaysha tribe, fought alongside the Misseriya against the Salamat in Central and South Darfur. Tensions erupted in Umm Dukhun when a member of the Misseriya tribe allegedly tried to rob a Salamat man, who was not hurt. Hostilities broke out the next day when 4,000 men from opposing sides began battling each other. Clashes then spread north and to South Darfur. The UNHCR said that more than 50,000 people fled to Chad as a result. “Witnesses place Ali Kosheyb at the scene of recent killing, burning, and looting in Darfur,” said Daniel Bekele, Africa director at HRW. “Reason not clear” HRW affirms that the Sudanese government has repeatedly downplayed its responsibility for the violence in Darfur, saying it does not have the capacity to control inter-ethnic fighting. The report confirms that original disputes between the warring communities stem from tribal disputes. However, it suggests Khartoum took no steps to protect civilians and allowed security forces and equipment to take part in the attacks. “The reason for the government’s support for one side in the fighting is not clear,” HRW says. Observers consulted by the organisation suggest that Sudanese leaders wanted to appease ethnic Misseriya and Al Taaysha men who fought in the pro-government “Janjaweed” forces during the Darfur conflict in the mid-2000s, and consider the Salamat to be Chadian nationals. Some people who fled the attacks told HRW that the attackers had accused them of being “tora bora” or rebels against the government, suggesting another possible motivation for the attacks, the report continues. “Yet members of all ethnic groups involved in the fighting have reportedly joined various Sudanese rebel groups.” “The evident role of security forces in the Umm Dukhun attacks indicates that serious crimes were committed with government knowledge,” Bekele said. “The authorities should fully investigate these crimes and hold all those responsible to account.” The United Nations Security Council is to be briefed by the ICC prosecutor on 5 June. The Security Council should call on Sudan to surrender Kosheyb to the ICC immediately, HRW said. Failure to Protect Neither Sudan’s regular armed forces nor the African Union-United Nations peacekeeping force, Unamid intervened to protect civilians from the April attacks in Darfur, said HRW. While a few dozen soldiers of the Sudanese Armed Forces provided protection to some civilians, many police and other security forces fled. After the fighting began, Sudanese military officials sealed the area. They instructed the forces mixtes, the tri-partite force established by Sudan, Chad, and Central African Republic to monitor their shared border, to steer clear of the fighting, saying it was an internal matter, Chadian members of the force told HRW. Sudanese authorities also kept Unamid from the area. They twice denied access on security grounds, then allowed one inter-agency visit to the town of Umm Dukhun in late April but not to other affected areas nor to the insecure border zone. The government’s refusal to allow Unamid patrols also suggests government complicity in the attacks on civilians, HRW said. “The Sudanese government’s claim that it cannot protect civilians from inter-ethnic fighting rings hollow when it denies access to those peacekeepers who could help,” Bekele said. “Preventing the peacekeeping mission from carrying out its mandate only gives the impression Sudan is condoning the unlawful attacks.” Related: Central Darfur war: ‘genocide’ led by ICC Ali Kushayb, government –source (14 April 2013)