sudan
Senior Member
- Oct 17, 2012
- 266
- 11
- 51
The Sudanese Foreign Ministry announced the formation of a federal commission of inquiry headed by minister of state at the Ministry of Justice to investigate the events that took place this week in South Darfur city of Kass.
The diplomatic body accused the African Union-United Nations Mission in Darfur (UNAMID) of killing civilians and committing several mistakes since the start of the events.
Six people were killed and five others were injured from the "Zaghawa Um-Kmelty" tribe on Thursday at the hands of UNAMID peacekeepers on the road between Kass and Shangita.
In a statement yesterday, UNAMID insisted that its troops “returned fire but did not initiate any shooting; they only acted to protect themselves”.
The mission also said that the peacekeepers response was “appropriate and proportional” noting that they are in possession of evidence that the attackers, who were riding on horses and camels, were armed with AK-47 assault rifles with which they shot at the peacekeepers.
But the spokesman for the Ministry of Foreign Affairs Ali al-Sadiq issued a counter statement today saying that UNAMID’s account is devoid of facts and realities and "raises strong and legitimate questions about the intentions of the mission especially since it coincided with the arrangements relating to the preparation and implementation UNAMID exit strategy from Sudan".
Al-Sadiq called on the United Nations to take the necessary actions to compel its mission to adhere to the rules of conduct and respect the laws and regulations that exist in Sudan or else the government will “take steps it deems appropriate to preserve the rights of its citizens and protect their lives".
He asserted that UNAMID used excessive force and provoked citizens by shooting at them and did not follow the proper legal and criminal procedures required when killings occur.
The foreign ministry went on to say that UNAMID also violated rules of engagement and procedures set forth in the Status of Forces Agreement (SOFA) it signed with Khartoum and deliberately shot at citizens for the purpose of killing and not to subdue them.
It also slammed UNAMID for moving its forces to Kass despite an agreement with South Darfur government not to do so.
The statement also recounted the Foreign Ministry version of events saying that on Thursday evening, a UNAMID patrol in Kass went to fetch water from a nearby well and bring it back to the mission base.
When they got there, 5 gunmen stole a UNAMID vehicle after which a chase ensued and the peacekeepers failed to get hold of them.
In the middle of the chase, UNAMID encountered "Zaghawa Um-Kmelty" tribesmen who were out to get hold of stolen cattle when the peacekeepers fired at them killing five people including a elderly man.
The statement went on to say that on the evening of the same day, a large number of angry tribesmen gathered near the UNAMID base in Kass to protest the deaths of their loved ones, but the peacekeepers fired at them for the second time which led to the death of one person and injuring others some of whom are in serious condition including a woman called Um-Massar Adam Omer Suleiman.
Sudanese troops managed to recover the hijacked UNAMID and was handed over to the mission.
The statement said that on Friday morning, UNAMID sent reinforcements from Nyala to Kass base despite prior agreement between the mission and the state government not to move forces to avoid provoking citizens.
When the reinforcement arrived, they indiscriminately fired again at crowds around the base killing one civilian and injuring another.
On Saturday, the South Darfur governor acknowledged conflicting version of the Kass events and told UNAMID commander in South Darfur that a joint commission of inquiry need to be formed.
He called for swift payment of blood money and damages so as to preserve the government’s credibility.
But the UNAMID commander said that no disbursement of funds can be made without thorough analysis of the claims and submitting it to the UN leadership in New York and awaiting a response.
He called on the governor to calm the people while they wait for New York to respond.
The diplomatic body accused the African Union-United Nations Mission in Darfur (UNAMID) of killing civilians and committing several mistakes since the start of the events.
Six people were killed and five others were injured from the "Zaghawa Um-Kmelty" tribe on Thursday at the hands of UNAMID peacekeepers on the road between Kass and Shangita.
In a statement yesterday, UNAMID insisted that its troops “returned fire but did not initiate any shooting; they only acted to protect themselves”.
The mission also said that the peacekeepers response was “appropriate and proportional” noting that they are in possession of evidence that the attackers, who were riding on horses and camels, were armed with AK-47 assault rifles with which they shot at the peacekeepers.
But the spokesman for the Ministry of Foreign Affairs Ali al-Sadiq issued a counter statement today saying that UNAMID’s account is devoid of facts and realities and "raises strong and legitimate questions about the intentions of the mission especially since it coincided with the arrangements relating to the preparation and implementation UNAMID exit strategy from Sudan".
Al-Sadiq called on the United Nations to take the necessary actions to compel its mission to adhere to the rules of conduct and respect the laws and regulations that exist in Sudan or else the government will “take steps it deems appropriate to preserve the rights of its citizens and protect their lives".
He asserted that UNAMID used excessive force and provoked citizens by shooting at them and did not follow the proper legal and criminal procedures required when killings occur.
The foreign ministry went on to say that UNAMID also violated rules of engagement and procedures set forth in the Status of Forces Agreement (SOFA) it signed with Khartoum and deliberately shot at citizens for the purpose of killing and not to subdue them.
It also slammed UNAMID for moving its forces to Kass despite an agreement with South Darfur government not to do so.
The statement also recounted the Foreign Ministry version of events saying that on Thursday evening, a UNAMID patrol in Kass went to fetch water from a nearby well and bring it back to the mission base.
When they got there, 5 gunmen stole a UNAMID vehicle after which a chase ensued and the peacekeepers failed to get hold of them.
In the middle of the chase, UNAMID encountered "Zaghawa Um-Kmelty" tribesmen who were out to get hold of stolen cattle when the peacekeepers fired at them killing five people including a elderly man.
The statement went on to say that on the evening of the same day, a large number of angry tribesmen gathered near the UNAMID base in Kass to protest the deaths of their loved ones, but the peacekeepers fired at them for the second time which led to the death of one person and injuring others some of whom are in serious condition including a woman called Um-Massar Adam Omer Suleiman.
Sudanese troops managed to recover the hijacked UNAMID and was handed over to the mission.
The statement said that on Friday morning, UNAMID sent reinforcements from Nyala to Kass base despite prior agreement between the mission and the state government not to move forces to avoid provoking citizens.
When the reinforcement arrived, they indiscriminately fired again at crowds around the base killing one civilian and injuring another.
On Saturday, the South Darfur governor acknowledged conflicting version of the Kass events and told UNAMID commander in South Darfur that a joint commission of inquiry need to be formed.
He called for swift payment of blood money and damages so as to preserve the government’s credibility.
But the UNAMID commander said that no disbursement of funds can be made without thorough analysis of the claims and submitting it to the UN leadership in New York and awaiting a response.
He called on the governor to calm the people while they wait for New York to respond.
