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Amnesty International sez Sudan better stop arming Janjaweed
Human rights group Amnesty International demanded on Tuesday that Sudan stop arming an Arab militia accused of atrocities in the revolt-wracked western Darfur region.
| "Or you're really gonna get it!" |
Amnesty and rebels in remote Darfur say Khartoum is using the "Janjaweed", a horse or camel-mounted militia, as a proxy force to crush the revolt. The Sudanese government has not commented on the allegation. "There is clear evidence of cooperation between government forces and government-aligned militia," London-based Amnesty said in a statement. "The Sudanese government should cease all support and supplies to the Janjaweed or establish a clear chain of command and control over them, including making them accountable for abuses of international humanitarian law."
| Ahah! A stern warning! That'll do it, by Gum! |
Government officials were not immediately available for comment in Khartoum, where Tuesday was a public holiday. "Civilians have become hostages to the situation in Darfur," Amnesty said, adding whole villages were being destroyed to forcibly displace the local population. Amnesty said Khartoum had largely failed to condemn the killings, maiming, torture, abductions and arbitrary arrests in Darfur. "The silence of the authorities regarding the atrocities committed by the Janjaweed suggests that their actions are condoned, if not encouraged, by the government," Amnesty said.
| Gee. Golly. Y'think? I am so surprised. |
According to a witness account in a 43-page Amnesty report, Janjaweed militiamen attacked civilians telling them: "You are opponents to the regime, we must crush you. As you are black, you are like slaves. The government is on our side. The government plane is on our side, it gives us ammunitions and food."
Posted by: Dan Darling 2004-02-04 |
