Rights of Women and Girls in Darfur Remain an Afterthought,
Charges Amnesty International in New Report
Mass Rapes Constitute War Crimes and Crimes Against Humanity

"Five to six men would rape us, one after the other, for hours during six days, every night. My husband could not forgive me after this, he disowned me."

- Quote from Sudanese refugee interviewed by Amnesty International

(AFRICAN AMERICAN NEWSWIRE)(New York) -- Girls as young as eight are being raped and used as sex slaves in western Sudan, despite the international focus on Darfur and guarantees by the Sudanese government to disarm the Janjawid militia, charged Amnesty International in a new 35-page report titled, Rape as a Weapon of War: Sexual Violence and its Consequences. The mass rapes ongoing in Darfur are war crimes and crimes against humanity that the international community is doing little to stop.

"While authorities in Khartoum publicly pledge to improve security for civilians in Darfur, the testimony of women from the region tells another story," explained Dr. William F. Schulz, Executive Director of Amnesty International USA (AIUSA). "The rights of women and girls in Darfur remain an afterthought, taking a back seat to politicking and public relations. The sad truth is that if the victims were our mothers, our daughters and our sisters there would be a more vigorous response from the international community."

The report reveals how women and girls are being raped, abducted and forced into sexual slavery by the Janjawid-who have acted with full impunity and with the full knowledge or acquiescence of the government army. Not a single member of the Janjawid or of the armed forces has been charged with committing rape or abductions.

Amnesty International delegates obtained testimonies from Sudanese refugees in three locations along the eastern Chadian border, including the names of more than 250 women and girls raped in Darfur. Information collected from testimonies of individuals represent only a fragment of those displaced by the conflict.

"The suffering and abuse endured by these women goes far beyond the actual rape," explained Adotei Akwei, AIUSA's Advocacy Director for Africa. "Rape has a devastating and ongoing impact on the health of women and girls, and survivors now face a lifetime of stigma and marginalization from their own families and communities. There are also reports that rape is being used to change the ethnic makeup of communities in the region."

In many cases the Janjawid have raped women in public, in the open, in front of their husbands, relatives or the wider community. Rape is first and foremost a violation of the human rights of women and girls. In Darfur, it is also used to humiliate the woman, her family and her community.

"Women and girls are being attacked, not only to dehumanize the women themselves but also to humiliate, punish, control, inflict fear and displace women and to persecute the community to which they belong," stated Akwei.

Women in Darfur who have undergone female genital mutilation are at an even greater risk of injury and face higher risks of infection by HIV/AIDS and other sexually transmitted diseases. The lack of medical and psychological care facilities to aid rape survivors in the refugee camps in Chad and the many more victims in the internally displaced persons settlements in Darfur further compound this situation.

"The international community needs to take the issue of rape far more seriously and strenuously," said Amnesty International. "Trained medical professionals must be sent immediately to care for survivors."

Amnesty International is also calling for:
--All parties to the conflict to stop and publicly condemn the use of rape as a weapon of war and to put adequate mechanisms in place to ensure the protection of civilians;
--The Janjawid militia to be disarmed and disbanded and placed in a position where they may no longer attack the civilian population;
--An international Commission of Inquiry to be established immediately to examine evidence of war crimes, crimes against humanity and other violations of international humanitarian law including rape, as well as allegations of genocide;
--The perpetrators of attacks on civilians, including sexual violence against women, to be brought to justice in trials that meet international standards of fairness. The safety of victims and witnesses must be protected.

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The report, Rape as a Weapon of War, Sexual Violence and its Consequences, is based on interviews with Sudanese refugees in camps in Chad. To view a copy of this report, visit: http://www.amnestyusa.org/countries/sudan/index.do.

To learn more about Amnesty International's global campaign to Stop Violence Against Women, visit: http://news.amnesty.org/mav/actforwomen

 

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