DarfuriWomen.org

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Physicians for Human Rights calls for immediate end to Sudan’s obstruction of humanitarian operations

(Cambridge, Mass.) — Physicians for Human Rights (PHR) welcomes the renewed sense of urgency and purpose contained in President Obama’s new policy on Sudan, but remains skeptical that the genocidal regime in Khartoum can fulfill the role of trusted partner envisioned in the policy.

“The new policy relies heavily on offering incentives to the Bashir regime to improve the situation on the ground and to advance peace, but the regime has shown no willingness to make positive change since the crisis began,” said Frank Donaghue, PHR’s CEO.

“Effective incentives are fine but the Administration and international community should be maintaining strong multilateral pressure on the regime and giving a higher priority to the accountability for genocide and atrocities, which it acknowledges are necessary for reconciliation and lasting peace,” said Susannah Sirkin, PHR’s Deputy Director, who has coordinated the organization’s work on Darfur.

PHR Calls for End to Impunity for Genocidal Campaign, Including Rape

As an independent medical organization which has documented, from 2004 to 2009, the Sudan government’s mass killing and rape, pillage, forced displacement and destruction of all means of survival for hundreds of thousands of Darfuri civilians, PHR calls for an end to impunity for this genocidal campaign.

An immediate goal for US policy which is not explicitly addressed in the new comprehensive approach is an end to the gender-based violence occurring inside and outside camps in Chad and Darfur and an end to impunity for the crime of rape.

In line with US Strategic Objective #1, “A definitive end to conflict, gross human rights abuses, and genocide in Darfur,” UNAMID and all UN agencies must be tasked with specific reporting on the problem of gender-based violence and must be free to report without obstruction by local authorities. The current system, which discourages women from reporting rape and seeking justice, must be reformed and existing rape laws must be strengthened.

The US and UN must also immediately demand a commitment from the Government of Sudan to cease impeding support programs for victims of gender-based violence and remove any obstacles to gender-based violence programming in technical agreements between the government and humanitarian NGOs. It is essential that the US monitor the ongoing situation on the ground in Darfur and not allow Omar al-Bashir’s government the opportunity to further deceive the international community over human rights abuses. The Government of Sudan must accept an independent fact-finding mission to assess the human rights situation in Darfur, and the State Department should immediately encourage a high-level congressional delegation to perform this role, according to PHR.

As the US engages with the Government of Sudan and international partners to attempt to reinvigorate the peace process, US policy must remain committed to safely return refugees in Chad and displaced in Darfur to their homes and rebuilding of their villages and livelihoods. This goal should not be lost in efforts to achieve short-term forward progress in the peace process and immediate improvements in humanitarian assistance to the millions of displaced Darfuris.

The renewed commitment by the Obama Administration to end the conflict in Darfur and move forward with implementation of the North-South Comprehensive Peace Agreement must not deter the US from supporting the UN Security Council and the ICC in pursuit of justice by enforcing the arrest warrant for President Bashir.

“Lasting peace cannot be achieved in Darfur without a process that brings justice for war crimes and genocide,” said Sirkin. “It will undermine long term prospects for peace if President Bashir and others alleged to be responsible for genocide and crimes against humanity in Sudan are let off the hook so that they can participate in a process of negotiations with uncertain results.”

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

Media Contact:
Jonathan Hutson
jhutson [at] phrusa [dot] org
Tel: (617) 301-4210
Cell: (857) 919-5130

Physicians for Human Rights (PHR) welcomes the decision of the International Criminal Court (ICC) to issue a warrant for the arrest of Sudanese President Omar al-Bashir. This marks an important first step towards bringing the perpetrators of genocide in Darfur to account, and achieving a measure of justice for victims. PHR remains concerned about the physical security of aid workers and internally displaced persons in Darfur in the wake of the arrest warrant, in case of a likely spike in violent attacks, and urges the United Nation’s Security Council to take all measures to ensure that they are protected.

“PHR has documented the terror and devastation that Bashir has ordered and overseen against his own people in Darfur,” said Frank Donaghue, PHR’s Chief Executive Officer. “The Darfuri refugees with whom PHR spoke hold their President personally responsible. One woman told us ‘if Bashir is arrested, old women in Darfur will get up and dance’.”

PHR’s research has also established that the Government of Sudan created conditions that make life unsustainable, by driving people from their villages and depriving them of food and shelter. PHR’s analysis laid the groundwork for the charge of genocide under Article II (c) of the Genocide Convention used by Chief Prosecutor Moreno Ocampo in his request for Bashir’s arrest in July 2008. While not issuing the arrest warrant on the genocide count today, the Judges stressed that if additional evidence is gathered, today’s decision would not prevent the Prosecution from requesting an amendment to the warrant to include the crime of genocide. PHR hopes that the Court will remain open to this possibility.

Any renewed efforts by Sudan’s allies to delay the trial for a year (by invoking Article 16 of the Rome Statute) must be opposed. The process of justice must not be held hostage to politics and maneuvering. President Bashir has shown such disregard for the international community’s efforts to bring peace, and ensure justice that a year’s delay would make ‘peacebuilding’ even more unlikely.

While justice is a critical first step, there are many others that must be taken to ensure that Darfur is peaceful enough for the return of all of its citizens. First, there must be sincere efforts to bring all relevant parties to peace negotiations so that a fair and representative peace is built. Second, survivors must be monetarily compensated for their losses by the perpetrator (the Government of Sudan), and given health care, legal services and job training to allow them to rebuild their lives.

“Trials are to hold perpetrators accountable. But they are also about bringing justice for the victims,” said Frank Donaghue. “We must not forget that they are individuals – nearly 2.5 million of them – whose lives have been utterly torn apart. It is the responsibility of the Government of Sudan as well as the international community, to help them rebuild Darfur.”