Sudan denies North Darfur mass rape reports, UN demands access

Sudan’s special prosecutor for crimes in Darfur has denied reports about a mass rape in Tabit, North Darfur, calling the reports in the media ‘propaganda’. The United Nations and the UK are still calling upon the government to allow investigators “immediate and unhindered access” to the area. The Sudanese Minister of Justice ordered special prosecutor Yasir Ahmed Mohamed to probe these allegations immediately, Mohamed said in a statement on Saturday. As a result, he inspected the situation on the ground on Saturday, where “they verified the inaccuracy of what has been circulating in social media, and some of the local radio stations”. To the Sudan Media Center, Ahmed Mohamed said: “Mass rape in the area (is) propagated over electronic media.” The prosecutor further indicated he contacted the North Darfur state officials, adding that “all confirmed that the area is free of complaints in this regard”. UN ‘unable to access, verify’Radio Dabanga reported exactly one week ago that members of the Sudan Armed Forces (SAF) invaded Tabit, 60 km south-west of El Fasher city, and raped many women and girls in the town, at 8 pm on 31 October. The husbands and men were dispersed and forced to stay outside. At 4 am on Saturday, the soldiers moved back to the nearby military garrison, leaving behind the wounded victims. According to a Sheikh in Tabit, about 200 women were raped, including many minors. A verification patrol sent by the Unamid was prevented access to Tabit and the reported victims on Tuesday. Sudanese military stopped the patrol at the outskirts of Tabit, the Unamid stated a day later. International demand for probe “It is critical that in the process of verifying the facts, the safety of survivors is of paramount concern,” the United Nations Special Representative of the Secretary-General on Sexual Violence in Conflict, Zainab Hawa Bangura, said in a statement issued last Friday. She expressed her concern about the media reports of the mass rape and called on the government of Sudan to allow UN investigators “immediate and unhindered” access to Tabit. Bangura underscored that her office “stands ready to cooperate with the African Union in line with the UN-AU Framework of Cooperation on Prevention of Conflict-Related Sexual Violence in Africa”. On the same day, the British Foreign Minister, Philip Hammond, said that he is “deeply concerned by the emerging reports from North Darfur”. He also called on the Sudanese government to allow the UN-AU peacekeeping mission in Darfur (Unamid) full access to the affected areas and reported victims. The NGO Waging Peace UK has issued strong condemnations of the reported mass rape by Sudanese soldiers. Director Olivia Warham said: ” These allegations are absolutely sickening. The systematic rape of Darfuri women is standard practice for Sudan’s armed forces.” She stressed the need to verify the reports and put pressure on the Sudanese government, as well as the UN, to report factually. “Let’s use what leverage we do have to ensure that allegations are investigated and any perpetrators are brought to justice.” Archive photo Related: Arab coalition calls for fair inquiry into North Darfur mass rape (6 November 2014) Commander admits to mass rape by soldiers in North Darfur (3 November 2014)