On June 28, 2011, women and children refugees from the horror of extermination of central Sudan’s Nuba Mountains black, African people by the racist Islamist government demonstrated outside the UN Mission in Sudan compound and refugee camp in Kauda, Nuba Mountains. They are asking for the removal of the Egyptian UN “peacekeepers” who are collaborating with the Sudanese government against the SPLA and the people of Nuba Mountains. They delivered the following statement to the Head of Mission for the UN in Kauda:
Statement by Nuba Mountains/South Kordofan Women and Children on the current Humanitarian crises
The Nuba Mountains / South Kordofan State is one of the three contested areas in the Comprehensive Peace Agreement (CPA) that was signed between the ruling National Congress Party (NCP) and Sudan People’s Liberation Movement / Army (SPLM/A) in 2005.
The National Congress Party (NCP) started the serious violation of CPA by delaying the result of South Kordofan population census for one year in anticipation of rigging the electoral constituencies and final result of the election which reflect the (NCP) ill intention to practice the ethnic cleansing, genocide and depopulation of the Nuba inhabitants and replacing them by Arabs and other ethnicities loyal to NCP.
During the election process the (NCP) reinforced its troops on the ground and threatened either to win the election or fire ammunitions.
Against the above mentioned background the (NCP) sparked the war on 5th June, 2011 to disarm SPLA by force violating the security arrangement protocol leading to great humanitarian crises in the state.
United Nations Mission in Sudan represented in (Egyptian Mission) as peacekeeping forces who are mandated to protect civilian has failed to provide protection to civilian in South Kordofan. These forces are not neutral as they have been indirectly cooperating with the security, SAF and militia forces of the NCP.
The collaboration and connive of Egyptian Forces with NCP has started before the war by:
- Submitting inaccurate and misleading reports to the international community about SAF movement
- Movement and deployments of SAF forces under their cover
And during the war:
- UNMIS-Egyptian Forces have availed its support in form of:
- Transporting of Central Reserve Forces and allied militia using their armored personnel carriers to Al Hamra (South East Kadugli)on 15th June 2011
- Egyptian and SAF Joint attack against JIU(SPLA) at Tafari Complex
- Allowing Central Reserve Forces in using UNMIS- Egyptian Forces Facilities in El Shaeer (North Kadugli)
- Allowing Central Reserve Forces, Security and militia to enter UNMIS Camp arresting and executing the civilian from Nuba and SPLM supporters.
- Conniving with Air Forces in bombing villages, civilians and institutions that are providing humanitarian aid e.g Kauda Air Strip and Krongo, Chat, Buram, Umdorain, Umsirdiba, Jau, Julud, Salara, Dilling, Um Barambita, Talodi, Dalami and Tongoli villages and many other which led to the death of 560 civilians 280 children, 213 women and 67 men and leading to the displacement of 425,933 civilians in sixteen localities creating terror and horror among women and children.
- Collaborating with security organs of NCP in detaining the following UN staff from Nuba at Kaduglii airport the presense of UNMIS-Egyptian Forces and they are: 1. Nasir Ibrahim Kuku 2. Khidir Abdul Aziz Kuku 3. Fadul Jibril Sulieman 4. Aymen Fadul Lalu 5. Daleel Sulieman Kodi 6. Haseeb Ahmed Ramadan.
- Preventing the landing of UN flights for delivering Humanitarian aid and using the airport for military purposes and the UNMIS- Egyptian Forces remained silent.
- UNMIS-Egyptian Forces have been repeating to Brigadier / Mohana Basheer who is under protection of UNMIS to be transported to either Kauda or Juba, raising worries and concern towards his safety.
- The government took over WFP food stores and denied its staff access and UNMIS-Egyptian Forces failed to take action against them which deprive the IDP from accessing food.
- Failure of UNMIS-Egyptian Forces to provide basic services such as water, food, healthcare and shelter to its personnel and IDPs who took a refuge at the compound.
- Sexual harassments and raping of females by UNMIS-Egyptian Forces, militia and other security agents of NCP in the presence of UN Personnel
All these violations of UNMIS-Egyptian Forces exposed civilians’ lives who fled their homes due to war to ethnic cleansing and execution either by direct shooting, aerial bombardment, starvation, thirst or lack of health service and Trauma specially women and Children. This clearly shows that the UNMIS-Egyptian Forces has failed to meet its obligations and mandate as stipulated in chapter VI in the United Nation Convention for providing peace and security to civilians.
We the children and women of South Kordofan /Nuba Mountains have realized the UNMIS-Egyptian Forces supporting the NCP polices in execution of its plans and shows lack of neutrality against its mandate. Therefore, we appeal to the international community to take the following:
- Immediate termination of UNMIS-Egyptian forces mission in South Kordofan / Nuba Mountains to be replaced by trusted western forces.
- Restrict movement of UNMIS-Egyptian Forces outside their compound for their safety
- UNMIS must handover the detained UN personnel from Nuba mentioned above including the Brigadier / Mahana Bashheer to Kauda or Juba, otherwise the UNMIS-Egyptian Forces should bear the consequences that might be caused.
- UNMIS-Egyptian Forces must handover Brigadier / Mahana Basheer to Kauda or Juba before their departure.
- We request the UN Secretary General to send an investigation team to the ground to verify the above mentioned facts.
Failure of the international community to arrest Omer Al Basheer and Ahmed Haroon whom have been indicted by the ICC on committing War Crimes, Crimes against Humanity and Genocide encourage them to replicate the crimes in Nuba Mountains. Therefore, we urge the Security Council and the international community to:
- Accelerate the ICC warrant of arresting Al Basheer and Haroon to stop them from killing more civilians
- Replace the UNMIS mandate from chapter VI to VII for civilian protection and aid workers.
- UN and international community must interfere to stop NCP aerial Bombardment and introduce no fly zone.
- Place South Kordofan State/Nuba Mountains under international custody to protect civilian.
- Provide and allow unlimited access for humanitarian aid to reach civilians in all areas in South Kordofan / Nuba Mountains and open safe corridors.
From the above mentioned it has become obvious that the UNMIS-Egyptian Forces contributed to the failure of protecting the civilians due to the lack of will and neutrality and their indirect support to NCP against Nuba People and SPLM supporters, we the women and children of Nuba Mountains urge the international community and the permanent members of UN Security Council to consider our appeal and response positively to protect the civilians of South Kordofan / Nuba Mountains who indigenous people in Sudan.
Women and Children of Nuba Mountains / South Kordofan – Sudan
28 /06/2011
To:
H.E Secretary General of the United Nation
Security Council
South Sudan President
African Union
European Union
USA President
France President
IGAD
Thabo Mbeki
Italia Prime Minister
Norway Prime Minister
United Kingdom Prime Minster