- The security situation in the war-torn Darfur region of Sudan, has deteriorated in the wake of attacks that claimed the lives of five peacekeepers, the joint African Union-United Nations peacekeeping mission in the area (UNAMID) reported on Sunday.
The mission's forces carried out dozens of patrols, including routine and humanitarian escort patrols, covering 50 villages and camps for internally displaced persons.
The five blue helmets from Rwanda were killed in separate incidents on Friday and Saturday, bringing the total number of peacekeepers who have lost their lives in Darfur since UNAMID deployed at the start of 2008 to 22.
In July 2007 a joint police and military patrol from the preceding AU mission was ambushed by at least 200 attackers, leaving seven peacekeepers dead and 22 wounded.
The recent attacks follow the shooting and wounding of three other peacekeepers, also by unidentified gunmen, in West Darfur in October, and the killing of another in South Darfur in May, as well as the kidnapping of two UNAMID civilian staff members in August in West Darfur. They are still being held.
In his latest report on UNAMID last month, Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon said increased threats to international staff, including “extremely alarming” kidnappings, military action by Chad, Sudan and rebels, and government limits on peacekeepers’ movements continued to hamper efforts to stabilise the Sudanese area torn apart by nearly seven years of war.
At least 300,000 people are estimated to have died and 2.7 million more have been driven from their homes in the fighting between the Government, its militia allies and various armed groups.
Almost two years after being set up, UNAMID has still only reached 69 percent of its authorised troop strength - 14,638 military personnel out of the total 19,555, and 4,449 police - and still lacks key military elements, including two medium transport units, a level II hospital, an aerial reconnaissance unit, and 18 medium utility helicopters.
Meanwhile the International Criminal Court (ICC) has said indiscriminate bombings, rape and other crimes are continuing in Darfur, while noting that the Government of Sudan still refuses to cooperate with the office the Prosecutor and its indicted President and other suspects remain at large.
The ICC, which is based in The Hague, issued an arrest warrant for President Omar Al-Bashir in March for alleged war crimes and crimes against humanity committed in Darfur, where estimated 300,000 people have died since 2003 due to fighting between Government forces and allied Arab militiamen, known as the Janjaweed.
Soon after the warrant was issued the government expelled 13 international non-governmental organisations (NGOs) and revoked the permits of three local groups, dealing a blow to humanitarian efforts in the region.
Briefing the Security Council on the latest developments, ICC Prosecutor Luis Moreno-Ocampo said that attacks against civilians in Darfur are continuing. In an incident on 25 November, militia reportedly attacked two villages in North Darfur, where they captured civilians, beat villagers and looted property.
“President Al-Bashir, instead of stopping the crimes, is stopping the information about the crimes,” he told the Council.
“The decisions to expel humanitarian workers and silence others by threats of expulsion, or the attempts at restricting the freedom of movement of UNAMID are part and parcel of this policy to reduce the monitoring capacity of the international community.”
Mr Moreno-Ocampo said that efforts in recent months have focused on encouraging Sudan to respect its responsibilities as a UN Member State and to put an end to crimes and arrest people indicted by the Court.
He noted that Mr Al-Bashir has been unable to travel to certain states where he may be arrested. “This process of marginalisation of indicted criminals, if maintained steadfastly, is a way towards the ultimate implementation of the arrest warrants issued by the Court.
“Respect for the Court decision to issue an arrest warrant against President Al-Bashir sends a clear message: President Al-Bashir will face justice. Any leader committing crimes will face justice. Power does not provide immunity,” he added.
The Prosecutor also stressed that he needs the Security Council’s full support to ensure that the attention remains on the need to arrest the indicted suspects and to end crimes in Darfur.
Speaking to reporters after the meeting, Mr Moreno-Ocampo said, “President Al-Bashir is not managing one Kalashnikov. He manages an entire State to commit the crimes. So he uses some people to attack the civilians. He uses other people to finance and uses other people to cover up the crimes. Any of those who are voluntarily making a contribution to these crimes could be criminally responsible.”
The Prosecutor also stressed that he needs the Security Council’s full support to ensure that the attention remains on the need to arrest the indicted suspects and to end crimes in Darfur.
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