UN fears that referendum will worsen conflict Darfur

15/11/2010 13:16

(By Radio Dabanga)The United Nations is concerned that the referendum is affecting the situation in Darfur. The European Union also is worried about the situation and condemns the wave of arrests of Darfuri human rights activists, lawyers and journalists. “These arrests appear to be part of a broader pattern of harassment and intimidation of Sudanese civil society actors,” stated the spokesperson of Catherine Ashton, High Representative of the Union for Foreign Affairs and Security Policy and Vice President of the Commission. Ibrahim Gambari, the head of the peacekeeping mission in Darfur, UNAMID, said on Sunday during a press conference that the dispute and tension concerning the referendum on the potential independence of South Sudan will affect the war in Darfur. He said he is concerned about the “spill-over effect”. “We have enough security problems in Darfur without the complications arising across the border with south Sudan,” he said.

(By Radio Dabanga)
The United Nations is concerned that the referendum is affecting the situation in Darfur. The European Union also is worried about the situation and condemns the wave of arrests of Darfuri human rights activists, lawyers and journalists. “These arrests appear to be part of a broader pattern of harassment and intimidation of Sudanese civil society actors,” stated the spokesperson of Catherine Ashton, High Representative of the Union for Foreign Affairs and Security Policy and Vice President of the Commission.
Ibrahim Gambari, the head of the peacekeeping mission in Darfur, UNAMID, said on Sunday during a press conference that the dispute and tension concerning the referendum on the potential independence of South Sudan will affect the war in Darfur. He said he is concerned about the “spill-over effect”. “We have enough security problems in Darfur without the complications arising across the border with south Sudan,” he said.
He said southern leaders might try to strengthen their hand against the North by building links with Darfur rebel groups. “Historically there have been some alliances between the SPLM (the ruling party in the south) and some of the movements in Darfur. My fear is that those old alignments might be rekindled as a result of the fighting and will complicate an already complicated situation in Darfur,” he said. He added that a southern vote for secession would also aggravate a dispute over the position of Darfur’s border with the south.
The spokesperson of Catherine Ashton, High Representative of the Union for Foreign Affairs and Security Policy and Vice President of the Commission, issued a statement last Wednesday that has not been widely published. She said: “Catherine Ashton condemns the recent arbitrary arrest and detention of Darfuri human rights activists and journalists by the Sudanese authorities. Over the last few days 13 Sudanese staff of Radio Dabanga and the organization Human Rights and Advocacy Network for Democracy (HAND) are reported to have been arrested in Khartoum.
 
“She is concerned for the welfare of these individuals and call for their release and for the Government of Sudan to abide by its obligations under international human rights law.
 
“These arrests appear to be part of a broader pattern of harassment and intimidation of Sudanese civil society actors. The EU is also concerned about the harassment and detention of individuals in Darfur following the recent visit of the UN Security Council. It is essential that human rights and basic freedoms are respected for there to be a peaceful resolution of the Darfur conflict.”