{"id":190468,"date":"2011-06-08T22:56:00","date_gmt":"2011-06-08T22:56:00","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/dabangasudan.preview.websight.nl\/icc-prosecutor-genocide-continues-unabated-in-darfur\/"},"modified":"2011-06-08T22:56:00","modified_gmt":"2011-06-08T22:56:00","slug":"icc-prosecutor-genocide-continues-unabated-in-darfur","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.dabangasudan.org\/en\/all-news\/article\/icc-prosecutor-genocide-continues-unabated-in-darfur","title":{"rendered":"ICC Prosecutor: \u2018genocide continues unabated in Darfur\u2019"},"content":{"rendered":"

The Prosecutor of the International Criminal Court (ICC) reported to the United Nations Security Council in New York on Wednesday that \u201ccrimes against humanity and genocide continue unabated in Darfur.\u201d In remarks delivered at the invitation of the Council, Prosecutor Luis Moreno Ocampo said that air attacks on civilians and \u201cdirect killings\u201d of members of the Zaghawa, Fur and Massalit ethnic groups continued over the last six months. The Government of Sudan denies the allegation of genocide. Sudanese officials typically attribute the situation in Darfur to tribal conflict or resource-based conflict. According to Ocampo, on the other hand, the government targets specific ethnic groups including civilian populations. \u201cMost of the Fur, Zaghawa and Massalit now live in IDP camps. These millions of victims displaced are still subjected today to rapes, terror and conditions of life aimed at the destruction of their communities, constituting genocide,\u201d he stated Wednesday.<\/p>\n

EFFORTS TO DESTROY THE IDPS<\/p>\n

The prosecutor described incidents of direct killings and bombings targeting civilian populations. He also reiterated his theory that the Government of Sudan is seeking to impose conditions to destroy the displaced population at large. In a written report submitted to the Council, Ocampo detailed efforts by the Government of Sudan that he considered deliberate efforts to \u201cinflict conditions of life calculated to bring about physical destruction\u201d of the displaced. He noted that the government suspended the work of several international NGOs during the initial months of 2011, denied flight clearance to dozens of UN flights, imposed travel restrictions on NGO workers, arrested a dozen immunization workers, and detained IDP community leaders.<\/p>\n

 \u2018GENOCIDE BY RAPE\u2019<\/p>\n

A standing charge upheld by the Judges of the International Criminal Court is that President Bashir is criminally responsible for a government-orchestrated policy of widespread rape in Darfur, constituting the \u201ccrime of genocide by causing serious bodily or mental harm, as provided for in article 6(b) of the [Rome] Statute.\u201d Ocampo reiterated this charge today, saying that \u2018genocide by rape\u2019 continues in Darfur. \u201cGender crimes remain the weapon of choice of the Sudanese Armed Forces and its reserve force, the Militia\/Janjaweed,\u201d he wrote.<\/p>\n

CONCEALING INFORMATION ON CRIMES<\/p>\n

\u201cPresident Al Bashir has not stopped the commission of genocide against the displaced, but he aims to block the dissemination of information about their fate,\u201d said the ICC prosecutor, citing denial of access to patrols of UN peacekeepers, impediment of the release of nutrition surveys by the UN Children\u2019s Agency, and arbitrary arrests of human rights activists. According to Ocampo, the expulsion of the international NGOs in March 2009 — which demonstrated \u201cgenocidal intent\u201d on the part of President Bashir — was followed by silence on the part of the NGOs that chose to continue their operations in Darfur. \u201cThere has been no independent, publicly available and comprehensive impact assessment of such NGO expulsions,\u201d noted the prosecutor.<\/p>\n

Ocampo stressed in particular that the Government of Sudan is actively trying to suppress information about rape cases. He said that that victims of sexual and gender-based violence report cases less frequently because \u201cthey know they will suffer retaliation for doing so.\u201d The international NGOs that used to provide treatment, psychosocial support, and referral services for rape victims were expelled in March 2009. None of those services have been restored. This fact was acknowledged by the US Government during testimony of Special Envoy Scott Gration before the US Congress in 2009.<\/p>\n

President Omar Al Bashir of Sudan is wanted for arrest on charges of genocide, crimes against humanity and war crimes. He refuses to appear before the International Criminal Court, saying it has no jurisdiction.<\/p>\n

—<\/p>\n

Read the Prosecutor’s spoken remarks here<\/a>.<\/p>\n

Read Prosecutor’s full written report here<\/a>.<\/p>\n