Darfur village 'abandoned'

2007-07-20 20:48

Geneva - The Sudanese government has abandoned a village in the strife torn region of Darfur to attacks by men in military uniform despite UN appeals for protection, the United Nations human rights office said on Friday.

UN High Commissioner for Human Rights Louise Arbour urged Khartoum to restore police presence to protect the 4 500 people in Bir Dagig from beatings, abductions and sexual abuse by the armed group, spokesperson Jose Diaz said.

"A number of human rights abuses are said to have been committed in the village of Bir Dagig mostly by armed men in military uniform since July 1," Diaz told journalists.

"We're worried this case is symptomatic of either the inability or the unwillingness of the authorities to protect the civilian population in Darfur," he added.

'There's no police presence'

UN human rights monitors were forced to leave the village 30km from Geneina in west Darfur on Wednesday, after it was surrounded by the armed men on horseback or camels.

The men were sent by a neighbouring "Arab" community, which claims residents of Bir Dagig stole its livestock, according to the United Nations.

Diaz said the villagers have denied the claim and complaints of abuse, especially against women and girls, dated back to January.

"The government initially deployed extra police to the village only to withdraw them completely in April, so there's no police presence in this village now," he added.

Khartoum's pledges to redeploy police and investigate both the allegations of thefts and of violence, had failed to materialise, Diaz said.

Sporadic attacks by armed militiamen

"These things have not been done so far and the human rights abuses persist."

"The High Commissioner is urging the government to act immediately on its pledges," Diaz added. There were no reports of killings.

According to UN estimates, at least 200 000 people have died from the combined effect of war and famine since the conflict between local rebels and government forces and allied militia in Darfur erupted in February 2003.

The UN has repeatedly complained that sporadic attacks by armed militiamen on local civilians are continuing despite current peace efforts.

- AFP