Other ceasefire violations by government forces and rebel groups

Incursions into north- and south-eastern Chad

Numerous cross-border incursions by government-backed militias and other armed groups took place along the border between Sudan and Chad in the Sinet and Korok areas, near Birak in north-eastern Chad, in recent months. Human Rights Watch documented at least a dozen incidents in June 2004 alone.

A member of one of the village self-defense groups who witnessed an incursion into Farida in late-June, 2004 said that Janjaweed militias and government forces “entered the village at about 4:00 a.m. They had vehicles but the vehicles stayed on the border whilst about 150 Janjaweed came across, about 7 km into Chad….All the Janjaweed wore khaki uniforms and forage caps.” ⁶⁵ The militias killed three villagers and reportedly stole 200 camels before returning to Sudan.

Human Rights Watch researchers visited Tomasalaat village, located on the border, two days after it was attacked. In the village were three fresh graves, those of the dead. A member of the one of the deceased’s family described what happened in the village:

The Janjaweed came into the village, from the south, at about 8 o’clock in the morning. There were about 150 Janjaweed…wearing khaki camouflage uniforms. Each was riding a horse but four were on camels. There were four officers, one was ‘abu salah’ [shaven headed or bald]. There were no GoS soldiers with them – I didn’t see any soldiers.⁶⁶

The Janjaweed stole livestock. The livestock were all around the village, in eight enclosures…The dead men were all together. They did not have guns. One, he heard the sound of the Janjaweed coming, came out of his hut and started running and was shot, at close range. ‘Sit down, sit down” said the Janjaweed, and they killed the man.⁶⁷

Incursions have also taken place south of Adré along the south-eastern border between Darfur and Chad.  Typical of the incursions in this area was an incident which occurred on June 14, 2004, just a day before Human Rights Watch visited the area. A string of villages are located to the west of, and slightly above, Wadi Kaja, the river-bed that traces the border between Chad and Sudan. Four villages were attacked in succession, in a concerted operation on June 14, 2004.  One witness said, “they were Janjaweed – I know, I’ve seen them many times!....They worked together with the army, moving from village to village in a single operation, taking in three or four settlements. They were all mixed up, but there were more Janjaweed.”⁶⁸

The operation began from the north at about 9 a.m. with the incursion moving southwards from Jerkariya, Andabirtu, Abuartar and then Bir Bira:⁶⁹ Initially, “two helicopters came from Sudan, across the border. They were low……and circled probably twice, looking at the people.”⁷⁰  The helicopters were followed by ground attacks:

After this the camels and horses came. They came into Chad. This was at Jerikariya. The Janjaweed don’t have planes but they came after [the helicopter], so we know they were working together [with GoS]. There were many of them, about 100. There were Sudanese, ‘tashmil’ [combined] or ‘mulakhbat’ [mixed], they were mixed, working together. The people riding the camels were wearing trousers and shirts, khaki, just like the army. The Sudanese army came with the Janjaweed. They came with cars….Land cruisers, army Landcruisers, army-colored, with ‘dushka’ on the roof. There were two vehicles but many camels.⁷¹

One witness claimed that a presumably Sudanese ‘three star’ officer was present, who was also wearing yellow epaulettes.⁷² Four men died in the attack, at least one of whom was reportedly armed and a member of a self-defense militia. A man who was injured in the attack said, “the Janjaweed only shot at men. There were maybe about 200 Janjaweed. The shepherds ran away from the livestock and the Janjaweed took the livestock.”⁷³

Abuses by rebel forces

Human Rights Watch has attempted to document violations of international humanitarian law by rebel groups operating in Darfur, however this information is incomplete due to lack of access into government-controlled areas of Sudan, where most alleged victims and witnesses of rebel abuses would be present. Human Rights Watch researchers have submitted applications for visas to the government of Sudan but to date have not received authorization to travel to government-controlled areas of Darfur.

Certain abuses and ceasefire violations by rebel forces have been reported. The Sudanese government has apparently reported over 100 alleged ceasefire violations by rebel forces to the African Union.  In June 2004, SLA forces temporarily detained 16 humanitarian workers while they were conducting an assessment in North Darfur, but released them unharmed after U.N. intervention.⁷⁴ 

Human Rights Watch also raised the issue of the need to distinguish rebel forces from civilian refugee and displaced camps in a meeting with representatives of the two rebel movements in June 2004, and urged them to take every measure to ensure that rebel forces remain separate from civilian locations. Yet clearly there is rebel presence among, for instance some populations of refugees in Chad. In March 2004, a Human Rights Watch researcher witnessed the presence of combatants among the refugee population in Bahai, Chad, although it was unclear whether these individuals were armed.

On a more recent visit to the refugee camps and settlements in Chad in June, it was clear that the refugee population in Bahai is also a source of recruitment for the rebel forces.⁷⁵  Allegations of contacts with the rebel movement and the presence of arms within the refugee camps have also been made with regard to the recent violence in Farchana and Bredjing camps, in which two refugees were killed by Chadian troops.⁷⁶ While Human Rights Watch believes that there are contacts between the refugee population and the rebel movements, it remains unclear whether there are active armed elements within the camps.

This situation should be closely monitored by the UNHCR and the Chadian authorities, however, to ensure that the civilian character of the refugee camps is maintained.