Archives: Statements

Two weeks ago on July 17th, a violent artillery attack on the Sortony camp for Internally Displaced Persons (IDPs) in the Kabkabiya locality killed 17 people and severely injured 9 more. Thousands were forced from their homes without any international or domestic aid. In the days following the barbaric attack, hundreds of protestors in El Fasher decried the attack against vulnerable men and women and demanded that recently appointed wali (governor) of North Darfur, Nimir Mohamed Abdelrahman, and Prime Minister Hamdok swiftly bring those responsible to justice. In the wake of devastation left by the assault which left thousands without shelter or aid, the interim government has utterly failed to either protect civilians, respond to protesters demands or hold those attackers responsible. With only a public expression of regret from Governor Nimir Mohamed Abdelrahman, the interim government of Sudan has disgracefully attempted to sweep this massacre under the rug. Consequently, on July 30, in the neighboring Tawila locality, an armed attack on IDPs from the Zamzam camp left one person injured, five children missing, and hundreds displaced from their homes. Locals described the heavy artillery shelling that killed internally displaced men, women, and children and wiped out a place they called home for years as carried out by government forces. Left with no place to seek shelter, four displaced children between the ages of seven and eight died from exposure in the unforgiving climate. 

It is well known that no armed tribal groups in Darfur have access to the heavy artillery used in the Sortony attack, providing strong evidence for state-sponsored groups to be the perpetrators. 

These attacks are not isolated incidents; they’re the most recent in a systemic pattern of state-backed genocidal policy that has raged across Darfur for two decades. The Rapid Support Forces (RSF) have a long, bloody history of perpetrating or being complicit in attacks against innocent civilians. They are also among the few groups capable of such an attack. The RSF, commanded by politically ambitious and corrupt General Hemedti, are rooted in the janjaweed militia which was nationalized under former President Omar al Bashir in order to perpetrate his genocidal campaign in Darfur. In the first seven months of 2021 alone, the RSF have been explicitly implicated or named responsible for 388 casualties throughout the Darfur region. Many suspect them of being accountable for hundreds more or for arming militant tribes with the intention to encourage and enable attacks on the people of Darfur. DWAG condemns the RSF in the strongest terms for their undeniable role in perpetrating the Darfur genocide. While General Hemedti and his forces remain unchecked by the interim government and international community, any hope of peace or security is impossible for the people of Darfur.

From just May through July of this year, DWAG has recorded 30 violent incidents across Darfur and the Two Areas, resulting in at least 165 civilian casualties. In all but two of these incidents, it was reported that no government intervention was enacted to protect innocent civilians. The grotesque pattern shows that this interim government has very little interest in protecting the people of Darfur or stopping the genocide. Instead, Prime Minister Hamdok and his government actively silence the people of Darfur while they regain the favor of the international community through diplomatic gestures and shallow economic reform. 

In the attack on the Sortony camp, seven women and five children were among the 17 casualties. Women, especially displaced women, remain the most vulnerable population in Darfur. COVID-19’s strain on humanitarian aid has made waiting in bread lines and gathering firewood pandemic a breeding ground for rampant sexual assault and abuse according to the most recent UNFPA study on gender-based violence in Sudan. While numbers are impossible to estimate due to stigma and fear of retribution, women and children are targeted at a grossly disproportionate rate to men. The strategic choking of resources and destruction of fragile IDP communities seeks to undermine the security of Darfur communities and terrorize families. DWAG calls upon the interim government to not only ensure security for women in IDP camps, but to provide essential and confidential health and counseling services to victims of sexual violence.

These attacks continue to take place even after al-Bashir’s removal because of the inaction by the international community and the disgraceful decision by the United Nations Security Council (UNSC) to prematurely withdraw UN forces without any alternative or a reliable civilian protection force in Darfur. The situation in Darfur is a crisis of a global magnitude – millions remain unable to return home and have been forced to settle outside of Sudan. It is dismaying that the international community assumes that the interim government, led by the generals who forced the people of Darfur out of their homes, would one day change their heart and protect their victims. The presence of UN forces in a crisis as internationally known as Darfur and Sudan is extremely important not only to protect civilians, but also to help in creating an enabling environment for justice, peace, and the safe return of IDPS and refugees.

DWAG condemns the interim government in their complicity as perpetrators of the Darfur genocide deepen their foothold in the interim government and refusal to bring those responsible to justice. 

• DWAG thus calls upon international and regional actors and the United States to hold the interim government of Sudan accountable to their promises as they vowed to protect civilians in Darfur. 
• DAWG calls on the UNSC to include civilian protection force in their mission in Sudan to be deployed to Darfur to ensure that peace can be realized
• We call on the United States to not normalize the relationship or provide financial or military support for the regime in Sudan unless they stop their forces from attacking innocent civilians in Darfur and across Sudan.
• We call on the Biden administration to make clear to the interim government that ending of violence and accountability for genocide committed in Darfur is a prerequisite to their normalization of relation
• DWAG calls upon Secretary of State Anthony Blinken and the US Government to pressure the interim government of Sudan to compel them to uphold their mandate to protect all people of Darfur against military forces working in destabilizing Darfur.

As the US prepares to name the first US Ambassador to Sudan since 1996 to assist the political transition to civilian-led democracy, President Biden must withhold this diplomatic appointment until the interim government is fully led by a civilian government and divested from malignant remnants of the previous regime. An ambassador must not be named until the interim government can meet their promise of accountability and security in Darfur and Sudan at large.

DWAG urges our supporters to speak up and to echo our demands to compel the Biden administration to organize their policy in Sudan around prioritizing the protection of human rights and accountability for the most serious international crimes committed in Sudan. The perpetrators must know that impunity for such crimes is not an option and will not defy our commitment to justice. We ask our supporters to share this statement with your social media network to bring attention to the ongoing attacks and to not let the perpetrators get away with murder without accountabilty. Together, we must demand that our international leaders uphold their legal and moral obligation to protect genocide victims in Darfur or wherever they are and hold those responsible accountable 

Thank you for your never-ending solidarity with the suffering people of Darfur and Sudan at large. With our collective effort and action we can end the suffering and the long impunity enjoyed by perpetrators of crimes in Darfur. 

Sincerely,

Niemat Ahmadi

DWAG president

Administrator Power’s speech: https://www.usaid.gov/news-information/speeches/aug-3-2021-administrator-samantha-power-new-generation-giving-speech-university 

Darfur Women Action Group (DWAG) recognizes the actions taken by Samantha Power, Executive Director of the United States Agency for International Development (USAID), in her visit to Sudan from July 31 – August 4. During the first day of her visit, Power visited El Fasher and the Zamzam IDP camp in North Darfur. Both sites have been experiencing a surge in deadly attacks and displacement in recent weeks. Power then travelled to Khartoum, where she met with Prime Minister Hamdok to discuss democratic reforms and how the US will continue to support a transition to civilian-led democracy. During her time in Khartoum, Power also met with youth activists and women journalists to address obstacles to justice for atrocities committed during the 2019 coup, women insecurity across Sudan, and government restriction to free media. DWAG commends her efforts to hear and address the concerns of women and the displaced community 17 years after her last visit to the region as a journalist. 

Following her visit, USAID announced a $700 million grant to assist Sudan’s transition to democracy, build capacity of civilian security in Darfur, and increase access to humanitarian aid. The grant gave an additional $4.3 million to support the electoral process and the establishment of an independent electoral commission to prepare for elections in 2024. In Administrator Power’s speech, linked at the top of this article, she announced an additional $56M “of life-saving assistance to help people throughout Sudan’s periphery with emergency healthcare and nutrition; water, sanitation, and hygiene programs; and funds to seek to protect the country’s most marginalized populations.”

DWAG appreciates Administrator Power’s prioritization of aiding and speaking with women and other displaced people in Darfur. DWAG strongly urges Ambassador Power and the US government to understand that accountability, human security, and deep-seated institutional reform throughout and beyond the transition period are prerequisites for stability in Sudan. The US must exert pressure on the interim government to do their own due diligence before seeking US assistance. Without security on the ground there will not be peace. DWAG recognizes and appreciates the pledge made by Administrator Power, however we also wish to remind the US government that peace cannot be sustainable if Sudan can’t take responsibility of protecting the human right of their own citizens or removing those who perpetrated genocide from power. Sudan must pursue accountability for past and present crimes to pave the way for sustainable peace in Darfur and across Sudan. 

https://www.dabangasudan.org/en/all-news/article/usaid-head-700-million-to-support-sudan-s-complex-and-daunting-transition 

https://www.altaghyeer.info/en/2021/08/02/hamdok-meets-usaid-exec-samantha-power/

https://twitter.com/powerusaid/status/1421524439422967809?s=24

https://sudantribune.com/spip.php?article69893

https://sudantribune.com/spip.php?article69888

https://sudantribune.com/spip.php?article69886

https://twitter.com/powerusaid/status/1422588502894653440?s=12

Darfur Women Action Group (DWAG) is pleased  to share with  our dedicated supporters that the Council of Ministers unanimously passed a draft law for Sudan’s ratification of the Rome Statute of the International Criminal Court. While the draft law must now go to a vote before the Transitional Sovereignty Council, DWAG is encouraged that the interim government of Sudan has signaled its commitment to establish a sustainable foundation for  justice and accountability not only for the crimes committed against the people of Darfur but across the Sudan. In a statement made via social media, Prime Minister Hamdok noted that “justice and accountability are the firm foundation of the new Sudan committed to the rule of law that we all seek to build.” Perpetrators of the genocide al-Bashir, Harun, and Hussein are now one step closer to facing the International Criminal Court and the people of Darfur are one step closer to receiving the justice they’ve waited so long for. Our tireless fight has just begun to see light. We have a long way to go and millions of steps more in our endeavor to see justice take its course in Sudan. Thank you for taking this daunting journey with us and for your continued support.

On July 17, a violent artillery attack on the Sortony camp in the suburb of Kebkabiya left 17 people dead, including seven women and five children. Nine people were hospitalized with severe injuries, including seven women and two children. Nearly 300 shops were looted and many houses were burnt to the ground in the attack. The residents of the camp sought refuge in the caves of Jebel Marra or were left without shelter in East Rokero. Darfur Women Action Group (DWAG) strongly condemns this barbaric attack and calls on the interim government and the state’s authority to take immediate and necessary measures to provide protection for the vulnerable and hold the responsible accountable. 

The Coordination of Displaced Persons and Refugees in North Darfur reported that the telephone network was offline during the attack, leaving residents unable to contact those outside the camp or effectively count the victims. The coordination accused regular and unspecified peace-signed forces of perpetrating the attack that lasted for two days. Hundreds of protestors gathered in El Fasher, the capital of North Darfur, to decry the violence and march in solidarity with the displaced. DWAG amplifies their demands for the state government to bring those responsible to justice and protect Sortony as well as the other Internally Displaced Person (IDP) camps overrun by violence and insecurity. In wake of UNAMID withdrawal, the interim government of Sudan has promised peace and protection only to give false hope to the suffering people of Darfur and the international community. Civilians across Darfur have see neither peace nor protection 

The most recent attack on Sortony is the latest in a litany of violent incidents within the displaced community in Darfur. The Kebkabiya locality currently hosts thousands of IDPs, the majority of them women and women-headed households. The Sortony camp was formed near a UNAMID base and after UNAMID withdrew on January 1, 2021, thousands of displaced people have been left vulnerable to attacks. A clash in El Sareif during April forced nearly 3,500 Darfuri from their homes, many of them relocating to the Sortony camp. The BBC reported yesterday on the surge in violence across Darfur and have implicated RSF and other armed forces in contributing to the violence, rather than actively seeking peace and disarming unregulated militias as they promised in the peace agreement. Insecurity devastates the intentionally unprotected displaced populations in Darfur – a pattern which culminates into an organized effort to destabilize camps in Darfur. These attacks are a clear sign of abhorrent negligence by the state government to provide security to vulnerable populations in Darfur. Furthermore, the implication of state-sanctioned forces in the slaughter is unquestionable evidence of the complicity of the interim government in continuing to enable the perpetration of the Darfur genocide.

DWAG urgently demands Prime Minister Hamdok and recently appointed wali (governor) of North Darfur, Nimir Mohamed Abdelrahman, to respond to the IDPs and protestors with immediate action. They must thoroughly investigate local and national forces and hold responsible parties accountable for the attack. 

DWAG calls upon the Chargé d’Affaires Brian Shukan, Secretary of State Anthony Blinken, and the US government to press the government of Sudan and ensure that the interim government holds into account any political or military forces who endanger civilians’ lives and to bring them to justice. 

• The US must not condone the unrelenting insecurity in Darfur nor deny the role of the interim government in their ongoing oppression of the people of Darfur.
• The US must make every support or normalization of relations with Sudan hinge on the condition of effective civilian protection, protection of human rights and accountability for the past and present crimes committed against innocent civilians in Darfur and across Sudan.
• DWAG further calls upon UNSC members to review UNITAMS’s mandate and authorize a civilian protection force to be deployed into Darfur and Sudan at large to provide adequate, uncompromised civilian protection throughout the interim period. With a civilian protection mandate, the UN has the ability to ensure that peace and stability can take root in Darfur, the two areas and across the Sudan.

DWAG urges our supporters to speak up for the people of Darfur and demand that their leaders take concerted action that will end the long suffering in Darfur. Please help us spread the word by sharing this statement to raise alarms and put pressure on both the interim government and international community. We must compel them to meet their obligation for civilians protection and attain a lasting end to genocide in Darfur.

Yesterday Radio Dabanga reported that more than 20 people died and dozens more were injured in the wake of tribal clashes in the Sirba locality of West Darfur. Fighting broke out on July 1 and has lasted for at least four days；news of death and violence continues to come in. The armed assailants have burned and destroyed more than five villages including Kafani, Karkar, Krekar, and Ammar Jadeed and displaced many people to the Azeri region. There has been no indication of local police or military intervening to protect civilians or to stop the violence — a dereliction of duty that Darfur Women Action Group condemns.

This report comes on the heels of a disputed Displacement Tracking Matrix Emergency Event Tracking update from the International Organization for Migration (IOM) from June 27 reporting that nearly 44,500 internally displaced persons (IDPs) in and around El Geneina returned to their location of origin in the past month. The update credits a more stable security situation for the return of the majority of returned IDPs. These numbers were gathered by a joint rapid verification exercise conducted by the IOM and the government-run Humanitarian Aid Commission (HAC) from May 27 to June 12. The Association of Displaced Persons and Refugees from Dar Masalit has expressed skepticism of the statistical criteria used, given that their independent committee did not find evidence of the reportedly 15,000 returned IDPs.

The death toll and the displacement from violent  clashes over the weekend in Sirba  reinforces the call of the association for a revaluation of IOM’s IDP estimates. The security of the people of West Darfur remains in a dire state. While the mobility tracking method used by IOM to arrive at this number can be used  to provide estimates of displacement movements on a more frequent basis however it shouldn’t be used in measuring IDPs return as  the UNHCR has advised this methodology shouldn’t be used for accuracy or verification purposes. The alleged underestimation of IDP numbers poses a troubling opportunity for the interim government to justify misleading interpretations of the security situation and general stability of affected West Darfur communities. Disputed numbers without verification by bodies independent of the interim government must not be readily accepted by the international community.

DWAG stands in Solidarity with the people of West Darfur and urgently  calls on the interim government to immediately intervene to stop fighting and disarm militias in the Sirba locality and across Sudan. The UNAMID withdrawal last year came at the conclusion that local authorities could protect civilians against intercommunal violence and the genocidal attacks. However the surge of violent attacks in West Darfur since January has proven the opposite. The resounding indifference of local authorities to the slaughter of the people of Sirba has been the latest tragedy in a pattern of neglect. The interim government must not abandon their promise to protect the civilians of Darfur if peace is ever to be achieved.

DWAG is deeply troubled by the lack of attention by international and domestic media sources on the people of West Darfur. We strongly caution the international community against accepting the false  assurances of the interim government at face value. Increasing international acceptance of the interim government diverts attention from the suffering of the people of Darfur. The genocide has not ceased. The interim government is inextricably intertwined with actors of the previous administration intent on the continued persecution of the indigenoue Darfuris who were long targeted during the former regime’s rule. DWAG calls upon the Biden administration and the US Secretary of State Anthony Blinken to hold the interim government accountable for devastating insecurity across Darfur. 

We call on our supporters to speak up and ensure that we must continue to shine light on these atrocities and hold our leaders accountable for their silence in the face of these ongoing tragic situation in Darfur. WE must keep all eyes on Darfur and hold the  interim government responsible for failure to protect civilians. 

As her historic tenure comes to a close, Darfur Women Action Group (DWAG) would like to extend its gratitude to International Criminal Court (ICC) Chief Prosecutor Fatou Bensouda for her tireless and comprehensive work in the pursuit of justice. We are particularly grateful to Ms. Bensouda for advancing investigations of sexual and gender-based crimes to secure justice for survivors and for her dedicated work on the Darfur proceedings.

Prosecutor Bensouda assumed office as ICC Chief Prosecutor in June 2012. From the beginning of her nine-year term, Prosecutor Bensouda committed the ICC Office of the Prosecutor (OTP) to enhancing the effectiveness of the prosecution of sexual and gender-based crimes. In June 2014, Prosecutor Bensouda launched the landmark Policy on Sexual and Gender-Based Crimes, in which she expanded the ability of the Office to obtain the evidence required to secure convictions for sexual and gender-based crimes. As a result, the OTP adopted a gender perspective analysis in order to fully understand the role of gender and gendered experiences of individuals and communities involved in a particular crime scenario. The policy also was a significant contribution to international criminal law as it included an extensive list of sexual and gender-based crimes to the Rome Statute, the treaty that established the Court. The development of this policy has allowed survivors of sexual and gender-based crimes to seek justice when their domestic options are limited, a mechanism that is essential to survivors around the world, including in Darfur.

The United Nations Security Council (UNSC) referred the Darfur situation to the ICC in March 2005, which resulted in the ICC issuing three indictments, but due to lack of cooperation, limited progress was made. Despite the numerous challenges that Prosecutor Bensouda faced and
many actors around the world forgetting about Darfur, she showed resilience and stood in solidarity with its people by ensuring the Court remained committed to ensuring that justice would prevail for survivors of the atrocities in Darfur. Prosecutor Bensouda continued to appeal to the UNSC for help with the investigations in Darfur and called upon the Assembly of State Parties to allocate sufficient resources for Darfur investigations.

Prosecutor Bensouda made her first visit to Khartoum in October 2020. During this visit, Prosecutor Bensouda emphasized the necessity of a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) between the OTP and the interim government of Sudan. In February 2021,  the interim government signed the MoU, allowing the OTP to deploy an investigation team to collect evidence that could lead to the prosecution of Ali Muhammad Ali Abd-Al-Rahman known as Ali Kushayb. DWAG once again commends Prosecutor Bensouda on her commitment to fighting alongside the people of Darfur, which culminated in the Ali Kushayb confirmation of charges hearing in May.

During the last days of her term, Prosecutor Bensouda visited Sudan, traveling across the country to meet with the interim government and to call for the genocide perpetrators to be transferred to ICC custody to be tried. She also traveled to Darfur and met with internally displaced persons (IDPs) and victims of the genocide. Upon her arrival at Kalma camp, she was met with cheering and chanting in support of the Court and for the transfer and prosecution of all Sudanese ICC indictees. In her final statement to the UNSC on the Court’s progress on the situation in Darfur, Prosecutor Bensouda said her trip was “a strong reminder that we should
stay focused on achieving justice for the victims and finding lasting peace for the people of Darfur.” DWAG strongly supports Prosecutor Bensouda’s remarks to ensure full accountability of the perpetrators and restore justice for the people of Darfur.

DWAG expresses our team’s sincere gratitude for Prosecutor Bensouda’s unrelenting work for the people of Darfur and victims of sexual violence in her nine year term. We would also like to thank the Prosecutor for her continued collaboration with our organization, actions that prove her commitment to lifting up the voices of those who suffer through the world’s worst crimes. DWAG urges her successor, Mr. Karim Khan, to continue her efforts to hold the perpetrators of the Darfur genocide accountable by securing direct and full participation of the victims and
continuing to advocate for the transfer of all of the indicted officials from the Bashir regime. We remain confident, however, that Prosecutor Bensouda’s legacy and impact on the international mechanisms for justice will live on with the Court far beyond her tenure.

16 DAYS OF ACTIVISM TO END VIOLENCE AGAINST WOMEN

 DEMAND JUSTICE FOR CRIMES COMMITTED AGAINST WOMEN IN DARFUR

 From November 25th to December 10th (International Human Rights Day), 2019, Darfur Women Action Group (DWAG) will launch a campaign to mark the 16 Days of Activism Against Gender-Based Violence Campaign – a worldwide initiative to shed light on violence against women and girls.

During these 16 days, DWAG invites you to join us in demanding justice for the victims of violence as well as accountability for perpetrators of crimes committed against women in Darfur and across Sudan. We will use this opportunity to bring attention to the long-standing genocidal attacks against women in Darfur and to recognize the courage, resilience, and resolve of these women, who continue to rise up despite their unspeakable suffering. Darfuri women have endured unimaginable pain over the last 16 years and, yet, have demonstrated outstanding leadership as they stand up for themselves and their people who continue to live in makeshift camps for 17 years today.

To participate in our campaign, share our LEARN and LISTEN, messages on social media to bring awareness about this issue and then TAKE ACTION to help the women in Darfur.

THE SITUATION IN DARFUR

Since 2003, violent attacks, rape, arrests, and torture have devastated the lives of the innocent civilians of Darfur. By 2006, over 300,000 civilians had been killed, 4 million had been forced from their homes, and over 5000 villages had been completely destroyed. To this day, government forces continue to use rape as a weapon of war with total impunity and as a method of terrorizing women and girls.

Despite the recent developments in Sudan, 3 million people continue to be without their homes with the overwhelming majority of the internal camps’ population being women and children. Nothing has improved for them, as their plight has not been a priority for Sudan’s interim government

As a result of the impunity for crimes committed in Darfur, the government of Sudan has extended its use of rape to other regions. On June 3, 2019, when Rapid Support forces stormed the protesters during a sit-in, killing over 150 people, an estimated 70 women were raped or sexually assaulted – and the perpetrators have yet to face any consequences.

Sudanese President al-Bashir has been the person chiefly responsible for these horrific crimes and is wanted by the International Criminal Court (ICC) on three counts of genocide, two counts of war crimes and five counts of crimes against humanity. President al-Bashir, although recently ousted from the Presidency, his military apparatus still actively pursuing his genocidal policy in Darfur and other regions of Sudan despite these warrants and continues to victimize women with impunity as the international community fails to bring him to trial.

World leaders have faced the situation in Darfur in silence.

Because Darfur now lacks the attention of the world, many think the genocide is over. Reports from Darfur confirmed that during this year alone there have been over 157 violent incidents against civilians and the Sudanese Government has destroyed 60+ villages. Over 3 million people who were displaced are still unable to return home in fear for their lives. Many Darfuri now live in internally displaced and refugee camps in Sudan and Chad – where the overwhelming majority (about 80-95%) are women and children. At the same time, rape continues to be a systematic tactic and deliberate policy of the regime and is used as a weapon of war and means of intimidation, even after the ousting al-Bashir.

 WE NEED YOU, YOUR VOICE, AND YOUR SUPPORT

 We need to mobilize the masses to shed light on this dire situation and take further action towards tangible change. It only takes one person for positive change to begin. DWAG will remain vigilant and refuse to condone the silence of the international community. We say NO to the silent conspiracy on Darfur and YES to empowering survivors and ordinary citizens to speak up.

JOIN US IN OUR #16DAYSCAMPAIGN  #JUSTICEFORDARFUR #JUSTICEFORWOMEN

 LEARN.  Make an effort to understand the situation in Darfur, the ongoing genocide, and how it affects women and girls. We will be sharing stories and reports and provide you with more opportunities to learn.

LISTEN.  Hear and share the stories of Darfuri women, their suffering, and outstanding resilience.

TAKE ACTION.  Join us in taking at least once action that will help end violence against women in Darfur:

• Use the hashtag #JusticeForDarfur to send a message to the member states of the ICC and call their attention to the ongoing plight and demand that they bring al-Bashir and other Sudanese suspects to trial.
• Raise awareness by sharing our campaign content on social media using the hashtag #16DaysCampaign #JusticeForDarfur.

Donate to DWAG to support a rehabilitation center for women survivors of sexual violence in Darfur.

Share our campaign with 5-10 people in your network and help us spread the word

• Join our Rapid Response Network, a group of community members who are on standby to help us with campaigns and petitions.

Send a solidarity message that we can share with our supporters and the women in Darfur: campaign@darfurwomenaction.org

Thank you for your continued support

Truly yours,

Niemat Ahmadi, President