By Elizabeth Costner
Impunity Watch Senior Desk Officer, Africa

KHARTOUM, Sudan – South Africa is leading the voice of concern over the deteriorating situation in Sudan.  Deputy Foreign Affairs Minister Aziz Pahad commented on a UN report citing a “dramatic deterioration” in the security situation in Darfur and that the joint UN-AU peacekeeping force is seriously behind schedule. 

Under-Secretary-General for Peacekeeping Operations Jean-Marie Guehenno has already appealed to the Security Council for help in speeding up the delivery of units and equipment and to promote the political process to ensure full deployment of the desperately needed peacekeepers. 

Mr. Pahad expressed concern over Guehenno’s statements, and said that “it is clear the situation is deteriorating not just beyond the borders but also in the Darfur region.”  He also voiced concern over the recent attack by the Sudanese Army on a UN-AU Mission in Darfur (UNAMID) convoy of more than 20 vehicles.  The convoy had been carrying rations for UNAMID personnel when it came under fire.  The convoy did not return fire. 

The Sudanese government has confirmed its commitment to ensuring the security and safety of UNAMID personnel and to the full implementation of the UN resolution approving the force. 

Recently, the rebel group Justice and Equality Movement (Jem), has accused the Sudanese government of bombing rebel positions in West Darfur.  According to Jem, there have been several civilian casualties as people flee the villages.   International sources confirmed with Reuters that government planes had been seen in action on Sunday, however there has been no confirmation from the government regarding the attacks.

Meanwhile, the situation is being further complicated by hostilities involving Chadian elements. There are numerous media reports that the Chadian government may have engaged Chadian rebels in Sudanese territory on a number of occasions.   Further reports state that the Chadian Air Force may have bombed some locations south of Darfur. 

Over 200,000 people have died during Sudan’s 5-year conflict and more than 2 million have been displaced from their homes. 

For more information, please see:

AllAfrica.com – Rebel Positions Bombed in West Darfur – 16 January 2008

AllAfrica.com – SA Concerned Over Deteriorating Sudan Situation – 16 January 2008

VOA News – Darfur Rebels Say Sudan Military Bombed Two Villages – 15 January 2008

BBC News – Sudan ‘bombing rebels in Darfur’ – 15 January 2008

By Meryl White
Impunity Watch Reporter, Western and Central Africa

ABUJA, Nigeria –  Forty years after the end of the Nigerian conflict, rebel fighter soldiers who fought for a breakaway state have been given their pensions. Emeka Ojukwu, a Biafran separatist, was one of the ex rebels fighters who had received payment for his retirement. Mr Ojukwu, who is now 74, was pardoned in 1980. After receiving his pension check, he was perturbed and stated that It was “an insult for people to address me as a Lt Col.”

According to a 2000 BBC report, Ojukwu felt no remorse for the civil war. Ojukwu was quoted in a 2000 saying “Responsibility for what went on – how can I feel responsible in a situation in which I put myself out and saved the people from genocide? No, I don’t feel responsible at all. I did the best I could.”

The Nigerian government has pardoned 63 rebels in an attempt to show that the country has come along way since the civil war. In 1967, the eastern region of Nigeria tried to break away from the country, and the conflict resulted in millions of death. Many of the deaths resulted from famine, and inadequate medical care and aid.

In 2007, at the 40th anniversary of the commencement of the Biafran war, Emeka Ojukwu reported to the BBC that the Igbo community, who reside in south-east Nigeria, still felt excluded and marginalized from Nigerian society.

For more information, please see:

BBC – Pensions Paid to Nigerian Rebels  – 15 January 2008

BBC- Biafra: Thirty Years On  – 13 January 2000

All Africa – Nigeria: Ojukwu – ‘I’m a General… Calling Me Lt Col is an Insult’ – 15 January 2008

By Myriam Clerge
Impunity Watch Reporter, Eastern and Southern Africa

NAIROBI, Kenya – Today, several schools in Kenya were reopened after weeks of shutdown due to rioting and looting following the December 27 presidential election. Children walking to school were a positive sign of normality in Kenya, despite the deep tension within the nation. Unfortunately, the image of progress may fade within next couple of days.

On Tuesday, the newly elected parliament is expected to meet and sit since the election. This is the first time the feuding parties will meet diplomatically. President Mwai Kibaki’s party, Party of National Unity (PNU), won 43 seats in parliament. His rival, Odinga’s Orange Democratic Movement (ODM) won 99 seats. Political analysts worry the country may continue to stand still since, Kibaki must get his bills passed through a parliament whose majority believes his administration is illegitimate.

Some opposition officials have vowed to occupy seats by force if necessary.

In response to Tuesday’s parliamentary assembly and the possibility of violence, the police, who have been accused by human rights workers of killing protesters, plan to barricade streets in the area to block any trouble outside.

Meanwhile, former U.N. Secretary-General Kofi Annan is on his way from Geneva to Kenya to assist in mediation. Kibaki and his cabinet have already expressed their disinterest in outside mediation, after the United States and African Union failed to resolve the issue last week. Before leaving Geneva, Annan appealed to Kenya to remain calm during Tuesday’s assembly and the three day nationwide ODM rally due to start on Wednesday, despite the ban by police.

Western governments, including the United States, Britain and France, have expressed belief that the presidential ballot was flawed.  Kibaki’s rejection of outside mediation may continue to tarnish Kenya’s previous close relationship with the West.

Today, the European Union (EU) announced that it may suspend all aid and impose sanctions if mediation efforts to resolve the crisis failed. During 2002 and 2007, the EU provided 290 million euros ($431.1 million) in aid to Kenya. Another 383 million euros was planned for 2008-2013.

For more information please see:

Reuters: Africa – EU Could Cut Aid to Kenya- Senior Official – 14 January 2008

Reuters: Africa – Kenya’s Feuding Party Face Parliamentary Shutdown – 14 January 2008

Yahoo News (AP) – Kenya Minister Rejects Annan’s Mediation – 14 January 2008

By Elizabeth Costner
Impunity Watch Senior Desk Officer, Africa

THE HAGUE, Netherlands – Former Liberian President Charles Taylor sits on trial before the Special Court for Sierra Leone in The Hague for 11 counts of war crimes, including murder, rape, mutilation, and terrorizing the population for his involvement and control of the Sierra Leonean Revolutionary United Front (RUF) rebels.  Sierra Leone was involved in a brutal civil war throughout the 1990s, with the RUF rebels committing widespread atrocities, including their trademark “amputations” of hacking off limbs to breed terror among the citizens. 

The first prosecution witness this week was Canadian “blood diamond” expert Ian Smilie who testified that these abuses were designed to spread terror and were partially designed to allow the rebels to mine diamonds without a population around to disturb them.  These “blood diamonds” where then used to fuel and fund the war for the rebels. 

The second prosecution witness was a rural pastor, the Reverend Alex Tamba Teh who testified as to the numerous atrocities allegedly committed by the RUF.   The Reverend Teh recalled a mass murder by machine gun of unarmed civilian men and the brutal dismemberment of a civilian boy.   

The defense immediately objected to such evidence provided by the Reverend, and British Queen’s Counsel Courtenay Griffiths argued that such evidence played to the heartstrings of the world and it was unnecessary to make people relive the events.   He said that it is “not contested that atrocities were committed” but that it “is not what this trial is about.”  Rather, the defense contests the main charge that Taylor backed the RUF and Griffiths says that is what the prosecution should concentrate on. 

After hearing arguments regarding the evidence, the panel of judges led by Justice Julia Sebutinde from Uganda admitted the evidence and stated they would determine its weight later. 

The third prosecution witness to testify was a former Liberian army commander, Varmunyan Sheriff.  Sheriff testified as to the role Taylor allegedly played in the brokerage of a dispute between Sierra Leonean rebel leaders Sam Bockarie and Issa Sesay, which resulted in Sesay becoming the new leader of the RUF and Bockarie traveling to Liberia with 350 RUF fighters on Taylor’s orders.    Sheriff also testified as to the alleged control Taylor had over the RUF rebels, as evidenced by two occasions where RUF fighters were deployed by Taylor.  Sheriff further alleged that Mr. Taylor ordered him to run guns and ammunition to the RUF rebels.

The prosecution also questioned Sheriff about the treatment of civilians by the RUF, the treatment of civilians in Liberia, and the use of child soldiers.   The prosecution also sought to establish that Mr. Taylor was on notice of the atrocities being committed through questioning Sheriff about Taylor’s access to radio and television which had broadcast programs regarding the “amputations” and use of child soldiers.

On cross-examination Mr. Griffiths worked to discredit Sheriff by establishing he had formerly been a commander for a Liberian rebel group that had fought Mr. Taylor and that his groups had been armed and backed by the Sierra Leonean government.  Mr. Griffiths also alleged that Sheriff is mentally unstable and that his testimony is therefore unreliable.

Taylor is the first former African head of state to appear before the international tribunal.  His trial is expected to last at least a year.

For more information, please see:

AP – Taylor Attorney Calls Witness Unstable – 11 January 2008

AllAfrica.com – Cross-Examination of Prosecution Linkage Witness, Defense Challenges Insider Status – 11 January 2008

BBC News – Taylor faces the past in court – 11 January 2008

AFP – Lawyers at Taylor trial aim to discredit witness – 11 January 2008

Newsweek – Trials Without Borders – 10 January 2008

By Myriam Clerge
Impunity Watch Reporter, Eastern and Southern Africa

NAIROBI, Kenya – African Union chief and Ghanaian President John Kufuor left Nairobi yesterday without resolving the standoff between President Mwai Kibaki and opponent Raila Odinga. The three-day conference, aimed at mediating the political conflict that has sparked a humanitarian crisis, ended disappointingly with trades of accusations rather than discussions of mediation. Both sides have however, agreed to finding an end to the violence that have left nearly 600 people dead, more than 250,000 displaced, and roughly 500,000 in need of humanitarian aid.

As President Kufuor and the AU chief leave the country, Former U.N. head Kofi Annan, Graca Machel, wife of former South African President Nelson Mandela, and former Tanzanian leader Ben Mkapa are expected to take their place as mediators. In a report, Annan said “[w]e are not going to impose solutions but work together with [Kibaki and Odinga] to arrive at viable and long-lasting solutions to the problem in hopes of coming to a mediated settlement.”

However, a Kenyan government spokesman said that Kibaki is not interested in a mediated settlement but prefers a face-to-face talk with Odinga. Odinga has refused all invitations to sit down one-on-one with Kibaki, who he says robbed him of the presidency by rigging the December 27 presidential polls.

According to spokesman Alfred Mutua, although Kibaki welcomes anyone who will “facilitate dialogue” with Odinga, he has taken the position that a crisis does not exist that requires mediators.

Both sides have rejected the idea of a coalition government.

Kibaki has continued business as usual. On Thursday, Kibaki swore in 17 ministers as part of a partial cabinet and has recalled the parliament. Even the World Bank has recognized Kibaki as the leader of Kenya.

In an effort to keep the momentum of his movement, Odinga has called on a three-day nationwide protest. Despite the fact that police have banned all political rallies and past protests have led to riots, Orange Democratic Movement (ODM) secretary general Anyang’ Nyong’o says Kenyans have every right to protest peacefully.

The ongoing unrest has damaged Kenya’s reputation as east Africa’s most stable and booming economy. One local reporter wrote, “Our leaders are stuck in mortal combat, unable to rise above their ambitions and put the interests of the country and the people first.”

For more information please see:

AllAfrica.com- Kenya: Peace Talks Deadlock – 11 January 2008

Reuters: Africa- Kenya Opposition Calls Wave of Protests – 11 January 2008

Yahoo News- Kenya Crisis Talks Fail as Crisis Deepens – 10 January 2008