In recent years, the International Criminal Court has brought numerous rape charges against the orchestrators of mass rape in conflict zones such as Darfur.  And just this week, former Ivorian President Laurent Gbagbo was turned over to the International Criminal Court after being indicted on charges of crimes against humanity (including rape and murder) committed in the aftermath of contested elections in Cote d’Ivoire late last year.

In Libya, allegations of sexual violence by pro-government forces drew international attention last spring when a woman was arrested after speaking to international journalists about her rape. The International Criminal Court is now working to conduct investigations into the involvement of Gaddafi regime officials, who may have been involved in organizing the hundreds of other rapes reported over the last 9 months during the revolution there.

In other post-conflict regions, justice and accountability have been slow in coming. The recent trial of former Bosnian soldier Sasa Baricanin made headlines in November when he was convicted for war crimes – including murder, enslavement and rape – that he committed during the conflict in Bosnia. The conflict and ethnic cleansing campaign in Bosnia in the 1990’s became notorious for the soldiers’ strategic use of sexual violence. The UN estimates that there were as many as 50,000 rapes during the course of the war, but the trial of Sasa Baricanin marks only the 30^th conviction on charges of rape since the conflict ended nearly two decades ago.

Yesterday, the UNSC placed a militia leader in the Democratic Republic of Congo under international sanctions for his role in organizing mass rapes in Eastern Congo. However,  rape is an epidemic problem in Congo, where on average 1,100 rapes are reported each month, and over 200,000 women have been raped during the conflicts there.

While we welcome every trial and conviction of perpetrators of rape, in too many conflicts around the world the organizers and perpetrators of sexual violence are still allowed to operate with impunity. A report commissioned by the UN Human Rights Council released earlier this week, found evidence of the use of sexual violence by Syrian Security forces against women and children, including young boys. Meanwhile, in Burma, where the government has a reputation for using rape as a weapon — particularly in villages known to oppose the current government regime — more than 80 rapes have been reported to human rights groups in the past year.

The advances that we have seen in recent years are only the tip of the iceberg. We need to continue to push for justice for the victims of sexual violence in conflict. The human rights community must continue to raise awareness about these issues and the international community must demand that proper investigations are conducted when there are reports of the use of mass strategic rape. We can put an end to impunity enjoyed by those who use rape as a weapon of war.

Last Thursday was a busy day for the United Nations Human Rights Council (UNHRC), as it adopted more than a dozen resolutions on the human rights situations in Yemen, South Sudan, and Libya. Among these resolutions, was a resolution concerning the expiration of the mandate that appointed an independent expert to Sudan tasked with investigating and reporting on human rights conditions.

The UNHRC began by praising Sudan for its past cooperation with the United Nations Mission in Sudan (UNMIS), the UN-African Union joint mission UNAMID, and with Mohamed Chande Othman, the current Independent Expert assigned to Sudan, despite the fact that Othman has criticized the Government of Sudan for restrictions on these missions. But UNHCR also expressed concern about the humanitarian crises being caused by battles between the Sudanese Armed Forces and the Sudan People’s Liberation Movement-North.  As a result of these continuing humanitarian crises, UNHRC renewed the mandate of the independent expert on human rights for one more year.

Sudan’s ambassador to United Nations expressed satisfaction with the renewal of the mandate and pledged the government’s continued cooperation, but in actuality Sudan has been extensively lobbying other countries behind the scenes asking them to vote against the mandate’s renewal.  The Sudan Tribune reports that the Sudanese government resented the scrutiny by the UN-appointed independent expert and had in fact been lobbying to have the mandate ended.

Mohamed Chande Othman has been critical of Sudan’s human rights record in the past, and has called attention to press censorship, illegal detentions, and lack of free speech.  More recently, Othman stated that the Sudanese government must address the problem of impunity in active conflicts zones in order to improve its human rights record.

Libya: The Qaddafi regime appears to be on its last legs, as TNC forces have entered Tripoli.  Fighting continues in the center of the city, and there is no information on Qaddafi’s location.  Despite reports that his sons, Saif and Mohammed, were in TNC custody, both appear to have escaped.

According to the Turkish Foreign Minister, NATO will continue its military campaign until stability is achieved throughout Libya. The Dutch government will release 100 million Euros to be used to purchase medicine from the World Health Organization.  It is likely that the pending TNC victory may lead to the unfreezing of additional blocked assets for reconstruction.

Syria: According to the UN, at least 2,200 Syrians have been killed during the anti-Assad uprising. In a briefing before the UN Security Council, High Commissioner for Human Rights, Navi Pillay, stated that Syria may have perpetrated crimes against humanity in its crackdown against demonstrators. In response to the ongoing violence, the EU and U.S. are drafting a UN resolution designed to impose additional pressures on the Syrian regime, including sanctions.

Policy Objectives:

• Push the UNSC to adopt a strong resolution that includes sanctions on perpetrators of crimes against civilians, an arms embargo and a referral to the International Criminal Court
• Push the European Union to adopt strong and comprehensive sanctions on Syria’s oil sector
• CRN(Conflict Risk Network): Encourage corporate actors operating in Syria’s oil sector to:
  • Urge companies to either immediately halt operations or make public or private statements to the Syrian regime to condemn the violence
  • Call for companies to establish clear policies and procedures for ensuring non-complicity in similar crises in the future

Sudan: In Southern Kordofan, a new round of fighting was reported. In Abyei, it is estimated that over 100,000 people have been displaced by violence. In Darfur, there is a sustained level of violence and human rights abuses, and humanitarian access continues to be restricted.

Sudan will reportedly allow UN agencies to access areas within South Kordofan.

Policy Objectives:

• Push the UN to create a UN peacekeeping force for South Kordofan and Blue Nile states that has a human rights monitoring component and the ability to protect civilians
• Demand humanitarian access in South Kordofan to ensure delivery of much needed aid (food, medical assistance, etc.).
• Expand the existing UN arms embargo on Darfur so that it covers all of Sudan.
• Expand U.S. and UN sanctions to cover officials and militia leaders implicated in the violence
• Demand immediate full access for an independent investigation for war crimes, crimes against humanity and ethnic cleansing through the International Criminal Court

In response to these recent developments, GI-NET/SDC policy outcomes are

Sudan

• The United States and international community imposes consequences on those responsible for violence in Abyei, South Kordofan, the South, and Darfur and also pushes for a robust UN civilian protection and monitoring force in South Kordofan and Blue Nile
• Groundwork is laid for getting companies to take steps that ensure they are not harming civilians and are helping to protect them
• Raise awareness about Sudan crises among constituents, media and high level decision makers

Syria

• The UN passes a resolution implementing sanctions, an arms embargo, and referral to the International Criminal Court
• Companies disengage and pull out from Syria

The Assad regime’s crackdown on anti-government demonstrators in Syria continues apace.  This morning, government security forces reportedly fired upon protestors in the eastern city of Deir ez-Zour, killing an estimated 17 people since Wednesday.   These attacks add to the more than 2,200 deaths since mid-March.

As the death toll continues to grow, the United States and its European allies have circulated a draft UN Security Council resolution.  The current version of the resolution is noticeably stronger than the one circulated earlier this year.

It demands that the Syrian government immediately cease human rights violations and the use of force against civilian areas.  The resolution also imposes an arms embargo on Syria, as well as asset freezes and travel bans on designated members of the Syrian government.

These measures, if passed, would augment the broader economic pressures that the international community is preparing to deploy against the Syrian government, including a potential European embargo of Syrian oil.  These measures would add to the steps already taken by the United States and European Union to impose asset freezes and travel bans on senior Syrian government officials.

Two Ways You Can Take Action Today to Pressure the Syrian Regime

• Urge the European Union to Adopt Oil Sanctions: Avaaz has a petition that calls on the European Union to sanction Syrian oil.  Germany, France, and Italy are the three largest importers of Syrian oil.  Sanctions will show the Syrian government that western governments will not tolerate abuses perpetrated against civilians. Sign the Avaaz EU Sanctions petition here.
• Urge the United Nations Security Council to Pass a Strong Resolution: Citizens for Global Solutions (CGS) has a petition that calls on UN Security Council members to introduce and pass a resolution denouncing the Syrian regime and Bashar al-Assad’s criminal actions. The petition also calls for a referral to the International Criminal Court. Sign the CGS UN Security Council petition here.

As I told Radio France International in an interview (listen below), when I was in South Sudan in early July, I spoke with people displaced from the Nuba mountains and heard first hand all of the charges now confirmed in the UN report.

Listen to part of my interview with RFI:

It is high time that the report, which was leaked weeks ago, was officially released, and as attacks continue, the report is already out of date.  The initially reported 73,000 displaced people has been upgraded to over 200,000.

The UN report states the need for an independent investigation into the violence taking place in South Kordofan.  But it falls short of calling for a UN Security Council mandated investigation, ideally through the International Criminal Court.

What is truly needed is a UN civilian protection force in South Kordofan as well as in Blue Nile, a region described as equally tense as South Kordofan was just before violence broke out there.  The UN should also expand the current embargo on arms in Darfur to all of Sudan to take away the regime’s means for targeting civilians and should increase sanctions to hold those responsible for the recent violence accountable.

At the very least, there should be a strong demand for immediate access for humanitarian aid.  The violence has prevented the planting of crops and threatens to affect over 1 million people when the harvesting season comes and there is no food.

As the UN report states, there is ethnic targeting and bombing of civilians taking place in South Kordofan.  The same perpetrators, President Omar al-Bashir and Ahmed Haroun, are using many of the same methods used in Darfur.  The United States has condemned the violence, but actions speak louder than words.

The Obama administration deserves praise for its recent Presidential statement that preventing mass atrocities is a national security priority.  There is no stronger case for acting to live up to this commitment than the dire situation unfolding in South Kordofan.

More from my interview with Radio France International:

Protesters in Syria

Two Ways You Can Take Action Today to Pressure the Syrian Regime

• Urge the European Union to Adopt Oil Sanctions: Avaaz has a petition that calls on the European Union to sanction Syrian oil.  Germany, France, and Italy are the three largest importers of Syrian oil.  Sanctions will show the Syrian government that western governments will not tolerate abuses perpetrated against civilians. Sign the Avaaz EU Sanctions petition here.
• Urge the United Nations Security Council to Pass a Strong Resolution: Citizens for Global Solutions (CGS) has a petition that calls on UN Security Council members to introduce and pass a resolution denouncing the Syrian regime and Bashar al-Assad’s criminal actions. The petition also calls for a referral to the International Criminal Court. Sign the CGS UN Security Council petition here.

Violence in Syria has escalated dramatically in the last few weeks, with the Syrian military and security forces continuing to kill civilians and arbitrarily detain pro-democracy protesters. More than 2,000 civilians have been killed and tens of thousands have been arrested.

This week, Genocide Intervention Network, along with Freedom House and the Project on Middle East Democracy (POMED) sent a joint letter to President Obama calling on him call for the resignation of President Bashar al-Assad, and take more effective, targeted efforts to address the situation in Syria and prevent further atrocities.  The letter also commends the President’s new Directive on Mass Atrocities and urges him to utilize its mandate to take more direct action in regards to Syria.

On Wednesday, the US Government announced new sanctions against Syria, including the country’s biggest commercial bank and its largest mobile phone company.  Last week the Arab League condemned the Assad regime’s treatment of civilians, and a number of middle-eastern states, including Saudi Arabia, Bharain, and the United Arab Emirates have pulled their ambassadors.  Italy’s relations with Syria have also broken down, and diplomatic breaks with other western states are anticipated in the coming weeks if the Syrian government continues to target civilians.

The White House spokesman stated today that Syria would be “better off” without President Bashar al-Assad.  This follows previous statements by the President condemning the Syrian military’s abuse of peaceful protesters.

Despite pressure from the international community, the Syrian military continues to roll tanks into Hama, Homs, and Deir Ezzour and open fire on protesters. The UN Security Council has received criticism for its insufficient action on Syria, despite a statement release

Protesters Under Arrest

d this week.  Rights groups are calling for a resolution condemning the Syrian government’s treatment of its citizens. Increased diplomatic pressure in the form of sanctions is essential to impel the Bashar al-Assad to step down and enable the growth of democratic institutions in Syria.

Demonstrations in Hama

Human rights groups say that 1,600 civilians have been killed by government forces since protests began and up to 12,000 have been arrested. Given the Syrian government’s current record on civilian protection, those detained are at risk for torture and arbitrary detainment.

President Barack Obama came out with a statement on Sunday saying he was “appalled” by the Syrian government’s actions, and promised continued US pressure on the Syrian regime moving forward:

“Once again, President Assad has shown that he is completely incapable and unwilling to respond to the legitimate grievances of the Syrian people. His use of torture, corruption and terror puts him on the wrong side of history and his people.”

Today, the European Union extended sanctions, including asset freezes and travel bans, on five more government officials in response to the weekend’s violence, emphasizing further consequences if the Syrian government continues its brutal treatment of protesters.  Brazil, Russia, India, China and South Africa (BRICS) have come under fire for blocking action at the United Nations Security Council.  Despite continued resistance from the BRICS, Germany—which held the Presidency of the UNSC for the month of July—has scheduled a discussion of the violence in Syria at 5 p.m. today.

26 July 2011

Dear Ambassador,

We are very concerned about the ongoing conflict in Southern Kordofan that began on 5 June, and the devastating impact it is having on civilians. Mounting evidence that civilians are being deliberately targeted by Sudanese security forces is deeply disturbing, including the detailed information contained in an as-yet unpublished report by the UN Mission in Sudan (UNMIS) dated June 2011. The reported violations of international human rights and humanitarian law by the Sudanese Armed Forces (SAF) highlighted in the UNMIS report include:

• indiscriminate aerial bombing and artillery shelling of civilian areas
• extra-judicial killings, abductions, arbitrary arrest and detention based on people’s alleged political affiliation
• torture and other ill-treatment during detention
• arbitrary arrest and detention of UN personnel, and torture or other ill-treatment during their detention
• forced relocation of displaced people

The UNMIS report also provides compelling accounts of three separate mass graves, including details about their exact locations, and estimates that at least 73,000 people had been displaced by the crisis by the end of June.

There are also allegations that the Sudanese People’s Liberation Army has violated international humanitarian law.

If proven, these acts may constitute war crimes and crimes against humanity under international law. Independent investigation of these serious allegations is essential and must occur without delay, both as a step toward avoiding impunity, and to change the situation on the ground in which thousands of civilians remain in danger.

Unfortunately, the Government of Sudan has blocked access to the affected areas, preventing international humanitarian organisations from providing emergency humanitarian assistance to tens of thousands of people displaced in the Nuba Mountains, and limiting the available information regarding the dire human rights situation throughout Southern Kordofan. The closure of UNMIS at the request of Sudan on July 9 underscores the dangerous gap in monitoring that now exists.

The concerns that led the UN Security Council to press for an extension of the UNMIS mandate have now been borne out. The facts now known point to an urgent need for an international monitoring presence in Southern Kordofan and Blue Nile. The Security Council should come together to press Sudan to accept an international monitoring presence in Southern Kordofan and Blue Nile state, where tensions between the parties are also on the rise. The mission’s primary mandate should be to monitor and report on the human rights situation with a view to deterring further violations of international human rights and humanitarian law in these two key border states.

Without immediate intervention by the UN Security Council to ensure “eyes and ears” on the ground in Southern Kordofan, the grave risks to international peace and security presented by the ongoing crisis will remain unchecked, and the Security Council’s ability to protect civilians from further abuses will be substantially undermined.

While the Office of the High Commissioner for Human Rights hopes that the mission it is sending to Abyei this week will be able to assess the current human rights situation in Southern Kordofan, there is a strong likelihood that the Government of Sudan will not permit the mission to enter Southern Kordofan.

As an immediate step, the UN Security Council should mandate an assessment mission by the Office of the High Commissioner for Human Rights to Southern Kordofan to investigate all alleged violations of international humanitarian and human rights law by all parties with a view towards deterring further violations and avoiding impunity.

We welcome the UN Security Council’s public comments on 15 July, calling for a halt to the fighting in Southern Kordofan, urging all parties to allow humanitarian personnel timely and unfettered access to affected civilians, and encouraging the parties to resolve the crisis peacefully. We trust the Security Council will follow up on this important first step and not remain silent in the face of such deliberate attacks against the people of Southern Kordofan.

Sincerely,

1. African Centre for Justice and Peace Studies
2. Cairo Institute for Human Rights Studies
3. East and Horn of Africa Human Rights Defenders Project
4. Enough Project
5. Genocide Intervention Network/Save Darfur Coalition
6. Global Centre for the Responsibility to Protect
7. Human Rights Watch
8. Refugees International

UN Ambassador Susan Rice in South Sudan

President Obama

The White House Released a statement on July 9 officially recognizing the Republic of South Sudan and expressing support the new state:

Today is a reminder that after the darkness of war, the light of a new dawn is possible…we know that southern Sudanese have claimed their sovereignty, and shown that neither their dignity nor their dream of self-determination can be denied.

As Southern Sudanese undertake the hard work of building their new country, the United States pledges our partnership as they seek the security, development and responsive governance that can fulfill their aspirations and respect their human rights.

In addition to U.S. support, President Obama emphasized the urgency of seeking a solution to current hostilities:

Lasting peace will only be realized if all sides fulfill their responsibilities.  The Comprehensive Peace Agreement must be fully implemented, the status of Abyei must be resolved through negotiations, and violence and intimidation in Southern Kordofan, especially by the Government of Sudan, must end.

Secretary of State Hillary Clinton

In an official statement released by the State Department, Secretary Clinton said:

The United States will remain a steadfast partner as South Sudan seeks to peacefully meet these challenges and build a free, democratic and inclusive society. The strong ties between our peoples go back many decades, and we are committed to continuing to build on the partnership we have already established in the years ahead.

Also on July 9, the Secretary authored an opinion piece in the Washington Post.  She wrote, in part:

[North and South Sudan] must quickly return to the negotiating table and seek to complete the unfinished business of the Comprehensive Peace Agreement That means settling outstanding questions related to finances, oil and citizenship; demarcating remaining border areas; and fully implementing their agreement on temporary arrangements for the contested Abyei area, which lies along the border of Sudan and South Sudan, including the redeployment of all Sudanese military forces. The violence that has flared in Abyei in recent months cannot be allowed to return and jeopardize the larger peace.

In the op-ed, she went on to say:

One urgent step both sides must take is agreeing to a cessation of hostilities in the northern border state of Southern Kordofan, which started in early June. We are deeply concerned about the continued aerial bombardments, harassment of U.N. staff and obstruction of humanitarian relief efforts. The longer this fighting goes on, the more difficult it will become to resolve.

UN Ambassador Susan Rice

On July 9^th US Ambassador to the UN gave a speech in Juba honoring this momentous occasion and the challenges ahead.  On the road to independence she said:

No citizen of South Sudan should ever take their independence for granted. You have waged a righteous struggle to win your liberty and chart your own course among the community of nations. Let that always serve as a reminder to lift up those who are denied their rights, those who hunger for freedom, and those who suffer in places where hope seems to be forgotten.

She also commented on the full implementation of the Comprehensive Peace Agreement:

… But the Republic of South Sudan is being born amid great hopes—the hope that you will guarantee the rights of all citizens…be able to live in peace and justice with your neighbors, bind up the wounds of war, and work with the Government of Sudan to resolve swiftly and peacefully all outstanding issues in the Comprehensive Peace Agreement.

 

Moving forward, Ambassador Rice spoke about accountability and good governance in shaping South Sudan as a model for a successful African state:

All of this will demand leadership and accountability. For democracy and development rest on the foundation of good governance. Peace and prosperity rest on the foundation of strong institutions devoted to the public interest…South Sudan’s leaders, and the citizens who hold them accountable, now have the chance to create a state that stands out not for its flag or its currency but for the investments it makes in the development of its people.

 

Similar to comments made by the President and Secretary of State Clinton, Ambassador Rice reiterated America’s commitment to working to build lasting peace and prosperity in the region:

…know that the people of the Republic of South Sudan have a true and lasting friend and partner in the people of the United States of America as you work to strengthen the foundations of your democracy, promote human rights, and expand economic growth. Our support for the cause of peace for the Sudanese people has long been bipartisan and deep, and it will continue to be.

 
GI-NET/SDC also released a statement on South Sudan’s independence this weekend, and can be viewed here.  For more information on South Sudan, check out our blogs on what Congress and the human rights and humanitarian community have been saying as South Sudan embarks on its first days as a new state.