SUDAN: Villagers blame Janjaweed for atrocities after government attacks in western Darfur

Record ID: 353350

  • Title: SUDAN: Villagers blame Janjaweed for atrocities after government attacks in western Darfur
  • Date: 14th February 2008
  • Summary: (SOUNDBITE) (Arabic) BRIGADIER, ABDALSLAM ABDLAHAMEED SAYING: "The rebels always exploit civilians. Here we have found strong resistance in which rebels wear civil uniform, always they used citizens as human shelter and this is something well known to us and to them. They began to use this continuously and there is fire exchange between JEM and the Sudanese army."
  • Embargoed: 29th February 2008 12:00
  • Keywords:
  • Location: Sudan
  • Country: Sudan
  • Topics: International Relations
  • Reuters ID: LVA7FYT8X7AUE0S1LAK9RMLMN1ME
  • Story Text: Villagers in western Darfur are caught up again in fierce fighting between rebels and government forces in Darfur, with witnesses accusing pro-government Janjaweed militias of atrocities.
    The stench of burning still hung in the air of Sirba town in West Darfur on Tuesday (February 12), but much of the population had returned home if only to find all their worldly belongings in a charred pile and that they had no food to eat.
    Sudan said it attacked the three remote West Darfur towns of Sirba, Abu Surouj and Suleia to force the Darfur rebel Justice and Equality Movement out of the area and reopen roads connecting the population to the outside world, closed since JEM occupied the area in December.
    A third of Sirba's straw huts were burned and the market looted with dead animals still lying in the sandy streets. Dust-covered children swung off scorched branches watching curiously as aid workers, journalists and U.N.-African Union peacekeepers inspected the damage.

    "They killed my husband," said 30-year-old Kultoum Abdallah who was left without a home or breadwinner to care for her three children.

    "I have nothing to eat, what I should do?" she pleaded, breaking into sobs and hiding her face in her bright blue robe. She spent two days in the bush after militias on horse and camelback looted, raped and burned.
    Haroun Esam Yehia said he saw the militia, known locally as Janjaweed, burn his home.

    "I still don't know where two of my sons are," he said. They are 15 and 12 years old.
    Local leader Abakr Suleiman Ibrahim said 10 girls were raped by militiamen, one as young as 10 years old. He estimated some 3,000 people were still missing.

    "We ask the government not to give any power to the Janjaweed. In the old days, the police and army were protecting civilians. The government must not take Dr Khalal as a reason to strike civilians and the area. Yes, JEM came here, caused problems and then left and did not stay with us. So if there is a rebel presence, the government can strike but it has no right to strike innocents," he said.
    A humanitarian team brought tents for some who lost their homes and on Tuesday a welcome first installment of food for 5,000 people as well as jerry cans and plastic sheeting arrived on white U.N. trucks.
    Residents and the governor of West Darfur said militias had killed 45-47 people in the attack and burned their houses but both said the Sudanese army, which entered later, had not touched them.
    They said they had buried them in mass graves.
    Residents argued fiercely with army and security officials over what had happened during Friday's attacks.
    The army said it was fighting JEM, who had hidden among the population dressed in civilian clothes. They showed dozens of rifles, heavy weapons and Israeli-made guns they said they found in houses in the town, which burned in the exchange of fire.
    They also found two cars belonging to an international aid group with JEM's logo written on them, full of empty bullet shells.
    But the military denied any links to the militia, saying criminal gangs who hear of an impending operation take advantage of the situation.
    The military said papers and identity cards they found inside the town was proof of JEM's presence.
    Many of those killed were men. In Sirba on Tuesday mostly women, elderly and children had returned to the town. JEM logos and slogans were scrawled all over the town's buildings.
    But residents insisted JEM had no permanent presence inside the town saying they painted the logos in December but never came back.

    "Dr. Khalil (JEM leader) did not kill one person when he came," Ibrahim said. "Why did the government arm these Janjaweed?"
    But he wanted more Sudanese army forces to come and protect them against all armed groups -- militias or rebels.

    "We are scared of anyone who has guns but the government."
    While the facts are disputed, what is clear is that the world's largest aid operation will have more work as civilians continue to be caught in the crossfire of Darfur's revolt, approaching its fifth anniversary.
    International experts estimate some 200,000 have died and 2.5 million driven from their homes since mostly non-Arab rebels took up arms in early 2003 accusing central government of neglect.
    Washington calls the violence genocide, a charge Khartoum rejects blaming Western media for exaggerating the conflict. Numerous peace efforts have failed because of rebel divisions and ongoing clashes.
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