SOAT

Sudan Organisation Against Torture

SOAT Press Release: 11 November 2004

Kidnap of Women and Girls from Kalma IDP Camp

As the conflict in Darfur continues unabated, abuses committed against women and girls have become a vital component of the conflict with many girls and women being subjected to sexual violence and kidnapping. On 2 November, SOAT received information on the kidnapping of 13 Internally Displaced women and girls (IDPs) from Kalma IDP camp, 17 kilometres east of Nyala, southern Darfur state. The women and girls were kidnapped whilst fetching fire wood outside the camp. Although the kidnappers are unknown, people at the camp alleged that kidnappers were the Janjaweed militias. The details of the girls and women are as follows:

SOAT expresses fears for the safety of the women and is calling on the GoS to give assurances that these cases will be investigated and the perpetrators brought to justice.

SOAT condemns sexual violence against women and girls under any conditions and urges all parties to the conflict to cease perpetrating violence against girls and women and the continued violations of the ceasefire agreement and all subsequent agreements. SOAT urges the government of Sudan to:

Immediately cease attacks on civilians and adhere to it commitments under the ceasefire agreement

Investigate the kidnapping of the 13 women and girls and bring the perpetrators to justice

Disarm the Janjaweed militias immediately and any outlaws operating in the western Darfur region.

End impunity for crimes committed by the Janjaweed militias in order to bring them to trial and apply the penal and/or administrative sanctions as provided by law.

Guarantee respect for human rights and fundamental freedoms throughout the country in accordance with national laws and international human rights standards.

SOAT also urges the United Nations, African Union and the international community to:

To have expand the mandate of the African Union peace keeping forces to include the protection of civilians

To investigate allegations of continued attacks on civilians. Including, allegations of rape or any other form of sexual violence

To continue to exert pressure on all parties in the conflict to come to a peaceful settlement

Guarantee respect for human rights and fundamental freedoms throughout the country in accordance with national laws and international human rights standards.

The above recommendations should be sent in appeals to the following addresses:

His Excellency Lieutenant General Omar Hassan al-Bashir
President of the Republic of Sudan
President' s Palace
PO Box 281, Khartoum, Sudan
Fax: + 249 183 783223

Mr. Ali Mohamed Osman Yassin
Minister of Justice and Attorney General
Ministry of Justice
Khartoum, Sudan
Fax: + 249 183 788941

Mr. Mustafa Osman Ismail
Minister of Foreign Affairs
Ministry of Foreign Affairs
PO Box 873, Khartoum, Sudan
Fax: + 249 183 779383

Dr. Abdelmuneim Osman Mohamed Taha
Advisory Council for Human Rights
PO Box 302
Khartoum, Sudan
Fax: + 249 183 770883

His Excellency Ambassador Mr. Mohamed Al- Hassan Ahmed Al-Haj
Permanent Mission of the Republic of Sudan to the United Nations in Geneva,
PO Box 335,
1211 Geneva,
Switzerland,
Fax: +4122 731 26 56,
E-mail: [email protected] [2].

SOAT is international human rights organisation established in the UK in 1993. If you have any questions about this or any other SOAT information, please contact us:

Argo House
Kilburn Park Road
London NW6 5LF, UK
Tel: +44 (0)20 7625 8055
Fax: +44 (0)20 7372 2656
E-mail: [email protected] [3]
Website: www.soatsudan.org [4]

END.