Chadian Opposition Forces Commit Serious Human Rights Abuses in Darfur

Contact: Osman Hummaida, Executive Director at
Phone: +44-2032872745
E-mail: osman@acjps.org

(5 January 2010) Chadian rebel groups which had moved into North Darfur in early November have been committing a series of attacks against the civilian population reminiscent of the tactics employed by the janjaweed militias and government forces early in the Darfur conflict. Villages have been raided, property looted, and women raped.

On 3 December, Chadian opposition forces entered the city of Malit, causing panic before moving out into the Alsuyah area. On 9 December, they attacked and burned four villages. The destroyed villages are:

• Um Za’at,
• Um Shurbak,
• Takous, and
• Hilat Awlad Mahmoud

Over four days, from 10-14 December, they attacked a series of farms north of Alsuyah, occupying them temporarily. Property, including firewood, was looted.

On 22 December, they attacked a citizen of Um Touma, beating him up and taking all of his property, including his watch, his money and all his clothes.

On 24 December, the Chadian rebels attacked Imthameina village mosque during prayers and beat the worshipers.

On 25 December, there was an attack on the women of the Um Za’at village west of Alsuyah area.  Nine women were injured and transferred to the Alsuyah medical centre. Despite the fact that there were no doctors in that facility, and one of the women had a fractured skull, the women were not able to be transferred to the Malit hospital because of the insecurity in the areas caused by the Chadian rebels.

On 27 December, nine women were raped in Kololo village west of Alsuyah area. Three were severely injured and taken to the hospital in Malit. A group of 50 rebels were reported to have been responsible. On the same day, three Chadian rebels raped an orphaned 11 year old girl.

On 28 December, Chadian rebel groups attacked a village call Dagor, seriously injuring Ibrahim Haroun Zakaria. On the same day, five women were raped in Singir village, north of Alsuyah. Later in the same day, 20 women were attacked. One woman, Zahra Abdullah Omar, who was eight months pregnant, died as the result of her injuries.  The victims also included five underage girls.

On 30 December, Chadian rebels looted a Landrover, beating and abducting the driver and three others. Those abducted were Fadil Abdudallah Annour, the driver, Mohammed Abu Zoku, a student, Ibnsadiq Farah Aldur, merchant, and Alhadi Ahmed Abaz, student.

On the same day, they attacked Boumar village and looted the property of Haroun Alzaki Makki, a caretaker of the primary school. The village of Kandarnaq was also raided and the property of Adam Moustafa was looted.  The village of Mou was also attacked the same day and the market was completely looted. In all of these incidents, the attackers arrived by car.

On the 3 of January, the Chadian rebels raided the villages of Dain, Azragati, and Labdna, Sindi, and Um Hashaba. Property was looted, the people were beaten, and ten women were raped.

The African Centre for Justice and Peace Studies believes that these acts may constitute war crimes and call on the government of Sudan and relevant UN representatives to the initiate a full and thorough investigation. The perpetrators should be held accountable. At the same time, the international community should do more to ensure that civilians are protected, including ensuring full logistical and political support for the joint United Nations-African Union hybrid peacekeeping force (UNAMID) and pushing it to take robust action.