THREE GIRLS RAPED IN MORNY, STATE OF WEST DARFUR

April 20, 2005

In the Darfur region of Sudan, Janjaweed militiamen use rape and other sexual violence against women as a weapon against the civilian population. The large number of such incidents indicates that the attacks are not isolated events, but indeed are part of a widespread pattern of sexual violence. Furthermore, rape is a particularly traumatizing atrocity, because in Darfur it is culturally unacceptable for women to have sexual relations outside of marriage. The Janjaweed's actions have been well documented in reports given by the United Nations and numerous human rights groups, including the Damanga Coalition for Freedom and Democracy. 1 Damanga's sources reported the following attack.

On 23 November 2004, three girls under the age of 18 were raped by at least four Janjaweed militiamen while gathering firewood outside the displaced persons camp by the town of Morny. The attack occurred within sight of the camp and is corroborated by three sources. One source found the girls immediately after the attack, one spoke to them later, and all three spoke with the girls' families.

PSEUDONYM is from the village of Tunifuka and PSEUDONYM and PSEUDONYM are from the village of Ashmara.2 In 2003, government forces and the Janjaweed militia began launching coordinated attacks on these villages, as well as on others in the surrounding area. Government forces first attacked using aircraft, and they were followed by the Janjaweed, who invaded on camel and horseback. Many of the villages' inhabitants fled to Morny camp, including PSEUDONYM, PSEUDONYM, PSEUDONYM, and their families. Many Darfurians have been and continue to be forced from their homes in a similar fashion, and currently, the total displaced population in the region exceeds 2.0 million.3

Because Morny camp and much of Darfur lack electricity, women collect wood on a daily basis to use as their primary source of fuel. Women from the camp also regularly pick mangos, oranges, and wild fruits to supplement their diets. The area around Morny is hilly, is known for its fruit trees, and is more wooded than other, more arid, areas of Darfur. One of the common local trees is the "aweer," which has broad, supple leaves.

PSEUDONYM, PSEUDONYM, and PSEUDONYM did not see the Janjaweed militiamen approach them, although they did see camels and a horse tied to a nearby tree. The men raped the girls and then pushed aweer leaves into their vaginas to stem the outflow of blood and semen, in order to increase their chances of becoming pregnant. The men then left on camel and horseback.

The girls fell when they attempted to walk, so they tried to crawl away. One was able to crawl closer to the camp, and someone heard her crying. Members of the camp followed the sound of her voice and located her and the other two girls who were unable to leave the scene of the rapes.

The girls told their families and Damanga sources that the rapists were Janjaweed. They identified them by their accents when speaking Arabic, the type of weapons they carried, and their mode of transportation – in this area of Darfur, almost no one other than the Janjaweed has camels and horses. The Janjaweed frequently conduct attacks while riding these animals.

When the girls' families took them to the medical clinic in Morny, they were refused treatment. They were told to first file reports with the police. However, when the families sought to do so, the police refused to issue a report and thus prevented the girls from receiving medical treatment at the clinic. The families were forced to return to the camp and treat the girls' injuries on their own.

1) For example: Report on the International Commission of Inquiry on Darfur to the United Nations Secretary-General, January 25, 2005, available at: http://www.reliefweb.int/rw/rwb.nsf/0/8c4c1f817792841f85256f9b00767828?OpenDocument, accessed on 20 April, 2005; Sexual Violence and its Consequences among Displaced Persons in Darfur and Chad, April 12, 2005, available at: http://hrw.org/backgrounder/africa/darfur0505/, accessed 20 April, 2005 [HRW, Sexual Violence in Darfur]; Sudan Surviving Rape in Darfur, 9 August, 2005, AI Index: AFR 54/097/2004 , available at: http://web.amnesty.org/library/Index/ENGAFR540972004?open&of=ENG-SDN, accessed 20 April 2005.

2) Damanga has the names of the victims, but used pseudonyms given the sensitive nature of these atrocities.

3) Estimates of the total vary; many reputable sources now put the total at more than 2 million; see, for example, HRW, Sexual Violence in Darfur.