Sudan 's Top Leaders and Foreign Forces behind Worsening Crisis in Western Sudan (1/8/2004)

Sudan 's Islamic fundamentalist dictator Omar Bashir recently announced that military force would solve the rebellion in Darfur . He made the comments in a speech to the dreaded Popular Defence Forces and other loyal fighters from the Friendship Palace in Khartoum on December 31 st 2003 and January 1 st 2004 . Shortly after, a massive deployment of government soldiers and fighters from several Arab countries was begun throughout Western Sudan .

The Sudanese government deployment of forces in Western Sudan has been facilitated by the ceasefire in the south of the country. Big planes have been used to relocate soldiers and military hardware from the south to the west. Geneina town is believed to host over ten thousands troops at the moment. Moreover, key military and security officials have been dispatched to Western Sudan to oversee the operations of these forces. Key government officials who held meetings in the region recently include General Abbas Abdalla Arabi from the Ministry of Defence, Ahmad Mohamad Haroun from the Ministry of Interior and Salah Bus from the security department. A number of intellectuals from the region were arrested and detained in unknown locations in recent weeks. We are concerned that they are being subjected to torture and other forms of ill-treatment. The names of the detained are:

1. Adam Mohamed Osman (nicknamed Adam Zol), a Massaleit trader.

2. Bishara Bashar, a Zaghawa trader.

3. Mohamed Abdalla Bargo, Zaghawa civil servant.

4. Mohamed Abaker Idris, a retired army sergeant.

5. Mohamad Abdalla Addoma, a lawyer and former minister of local government.

6. Assadig Hassan, a lawyer,

7. Ismail Omer, a lawyer (disappeared).

Since the beginning of the year, the government army, Jangaweed and foreign fighters have embarked on extensive pogroms against civilians in many villages. Moreover, fighter planes were used to drop bombs on villages and to drop paratroops. Whole villages were reduced to rubble, and whatever property survived was looted. Civilians of all ages, including women and children were killed without discrimination. The exact number of the dead is not known, but estimates are well over 600. The worst affected areas extend from Nyala to Jebel Marra, and villages around Geneina. Some of the displaced persons fled to camps in Morny, Habeela, Keno and other locations. The humanitarian situation of the displaced is desperate, and many people are bound to starve to death or die of illnesses unless immediate assistance is provided.

The following are names of some of the dead from Alhila Gedida-Brakat, Seasi-Karbo, Nury, Markoba, Askanita, Tarchana, Defor, Bembechy, Geilo, Tero and other villages.

1. Adam Mohamed Haroun (or Sheikh Gamea).

2. Yousif Mohamed Haroun (a brother of Sheik Gamea).

3. Musa Yousif Mohamed Haroun (son of Sheik Gamea).

4. Ali Abderhaman Haroun, a teacher.

5. Ahmed Abdalla Yagoub.

6. Abdel-Aziz.

7. Gumaa Khamis.

8. Abaker Hassan Ishag.

9. Mahmoud Mohamed Zakaria.

10. Saleh Ibrahim Sherfedin.

11. Sheikheldin Haroun Arbab.

13. Asafi Mohamed Adam Abdalla.

14. Abderhaman Khamis.

15. Mohamed Abdalla.

16. Hassan Omer (Sheikh in Mosque).

17. Mohamed Omer (brother of Sheik).

18. Osman Abaker.

19. Alhadi Attom.

20. Ishag Idris Adam.

21. Barra and two of his brothers.

22. Azein and three of his brothers.

23. Ahmed Abaker.

24. Ramadan Barra.

25. Abderhaman Osman.

26. Gumaa Adam.

27. Ahmed Mohamed Abderhaman.

28. Abdalla Mohamed Guma.

29. Abaker Adam.

30. Muhedin Mohamed Hussein.

31. Ali Mohamad Abdalla.

32. Zakaria Yahya.

33. Yagoub Abderhman.

34. Abdalla.

35. Mohamed Shareif.

36. Niema (a 4 year-old).

37. Samira Abaker (a 2 year-old).

38. Mariam Mohamed (a 10 year-old).

39. Nora Adam Abdalla.

We urge the international community to pressure Sudanese leaders to respect the rights of Sudanese without distinction on the bases of race or religion. Also, we appeal to the international community to intervene to stop the ethnic cleansing in western Sudan .