Lawlessness, Riots Continue To Plague Sudan

The United Nations Security Council will meet today to take swift action on the current crisis in Sudan based on the recommendations by the Special Representative to the region, Mr. Haile Menkerios. 

Menkerios will underscore the bold message issued by the Secretary-General Ban Ki Moon last week which called for rapid deployment of UN peacekeeping and mission personnel to the region to stop the violence in oil rich Abyei, which lies between the North and South. Northern Sudanese troops took over the Abyei region last week.

Tens of thousands of people in Abyei have fled the violence. Many are in desperate need of food, water and housing. Some 150,000 people have been displaced.

Citing the Sudanese government’s unwillingness to mitigate the violence, several groups including Human Rights Watch have immediately called on the UN to provide for more adequate protection of civilians.

Said Jehanne Henry, Sudan researcher from Human Rights Watch: 

“The protection of civilians may well be the responsibility of the government of Southern Sudan, but this does not change the fact that it has little to no capacity to protect civilians from violence in many instances.”

Many groups have expressed shock at the UN’s inability to stop the recent take-over of Abyei by SAF (Sudanese Armed Forces) last week in breach of internationally upheld agreements underscored in the CPA (Comprehensives Peace Agreement) and signed by both parties in the North and South. 

“The Sudanese government’s recent military attack on Abyei and the serious human rights violations we are witnessing there show all too clearly why the United Nations peacekeepers need a strong protection of civilians mandate. The UN needs the capacity to quickly respond to violence, and act as a deterrent to abuses, including looting and destruction of property. It should also have a strong human rights investigation, monitoring and reporting function” added Henry.

The Security Council is expected to take up Menkerios’s recommendations which also call for immediate North-South talks.