4-29-05, 9:14 am

Arbitrary arrest, torture and killings continue in the Darfur region of the Sudan, human rights advocates report, despite a negotiated peace settlement, international condemnation, and plans for a UN peacekeeping intervention. People who did return to their homes after peace agreements were announced and international attention focused on Darfur promised to stop the violence, did so 'without adequate food, or proper health and education services,' reports the IRIN news agency.

Food and water shortages are compounded by exposure to weather, poor access to health care, and overpopulation due to the presence of tens of thousands of displaced persons. World Health Organization experts estimate that infant mortality in the southern parts of the Sudan, where the conflict has been mainly focused, is about 20 percent higher than in the north.

While humanitarian problems have received some attention, atrocities seem to have slipped under the radar. The Sudan Organization Against Torture (SOAT) reports that from mid-March into late April, arrests and torture by Sudanese government officials aimed at people they believe to be supporters of the political opposition continued.

SOAT reported kidnappings and beatings by military intelligence in Nyala in Southern Darfur of refugee men suspected of aiding the Sudan Liberation Army. SOAT described the arrests as 'arbitrary' and the use of torture as 'systematic.'

SOAT also reported that despite the UN’s condemnation of the Janjaweed’s activities, it continued its operations as well. Members of the Zaghawa tribe in Nyala, Darfur were kidnapped, beaten, and shot to death by Janjaweed forces at a government military camp.

At least one victim who was not killed was brought to a Sudanese military camp where he was tortured and charged with supporting the political opposition and handed over to the police. These events show the continuing cooperation between the Janjaweed and the Sudanese government – even after the UN Security Council condemned the atrocities in Darfur.

Just days after these events, SOAT reports, on April 7th a Janjaweed band of about 200 attacked and looted the Hejair Tono Village in Nyala, Darfur. A number of civilians were killed and wounded. One wounded man was later arrested by government security officers and has been held in custody without charges.

In mid-April, the Sudan Human Rights Organization publicized secret military trials of Sudanese military officials who apparently were arrested, possibly tortured, detained without access to lawyers, tried, and sentenced to life imprisonment for sympathy for the victims of the mass killings of Darfurians. The trumped-up charges were that the imprisoned people were plotting to overthrow the government.

Continuing reports of atrocities and humanitarian crisis has led some human rights activists in the US to call for urgent intervention 'in Darfur to protect the people and facilitate the urgent delivery of humanitarian assistance.'

This view was adopted by Africa Action as it announced continued public protests against the failure to act to stop what it calls 'ongoing genocide in Darfur.' Africa Action predicts that as many as 1 million people may die by the end of the year without urgent and immediate intervention in support of the African Union’s operations.



--Reach Joel Wendland at jwendland@politicalaffairs.net.