Report of a Fact-Finding Mission to Khartoum, Sudan

Total Page:16

File Type:pdf, Size:1020Kb

Report of a Fact-Finding Mission to Khartoum, Sudan Report of a fact-finding mission to Khartoum, Sudan Conducted between 10 and 17 August 2018 Published: November 2018 This project is part funded by the EU Asylum, Migration Contentsand Integration Fund. Making management of migration flows more efficient across the European Union. Contents Background .......................................................................................................... 5 Purpose of the mission ....................................................................................... 5 Methodology ............................................................................................................. 5 Research standards ......................................................................................... 5 Identification of sources ................................................................................... 5 Arranging and conducting interviews ............................................................... 6 Notes of interviews/meetings ........................................................................... 6 FFM team observations ................................................................................... 6 Terminology ..................................................................................................... 6 Structure of this report ..................................................................................... 7 List of abbreviations ............................................................................................ 8 Executive summary .................................................................................................. 9 Demography and ethnicity ............................................................................... 9 Darfur ............................................................................................................... 9 Treatment of non-Arab Darfuris in Khartoum ................................................. 10 Freedom of movement ................................................................................... 11 Government monitoring ................................................................................. 12 Returns .......................................................................................................... 12 Synthesis of notes ................................................................................................. 13 1. Demography and migration ........................................................................ 13 1.1 Size of the population ............................................................................. 13 1.2 Non-Arab Darfuri groups in Darfur .......................................................... 13 1.3 Non-Arab Darfuri population in Khartoum............................................... 14 1.4 Darfuri community groups in Khartoum .................................................. 18 1.5 Darfuri employment profiles and representation across society ............. 20 1.6 Drivers of migration and routes out of Sudan ......................................... 23 1.7 Ethnicity and identification of non-Arab Darfuris ..................................... 26 Notion of identity and perceptions of the Darfur conflict ................................. 26 Identifying non-Arab Dafuris .......................................................................... 27 2. Darfur ............................................................................................................ 31 Page 2 of 181 2.1 Background to the conflict ...................................................................... 31 2.2 Security and political situation ................................................................ 32 2.3 Human rights and humanitarian situation ............................................... 37 3. Non-Arab Darfuris in Khartoum .................................................................. 38 3.1 Human rights - generally ........................................................................ 38 3.2 Discrimination ......................................................................................... 38 3.3 Arrest and detention - general ................................................................ 44 Treatment in detention ................................................................................... 46 Treatment of family members ........................................................................ 46 ‘Ghost houses’ ............................................................................................... 47 Arrest warrants and the death penalty ........................................................... 47 Demonstrations and arrests: January 2018 ................................................... 48 3.4 Profiles and specific groups .................................................................... 49 Students ........................................................................................................ 51 3.5 Socio-economic rights - general ............................................................. 57 Employment ................................................................................................... 60 Healthcare ..................................................................................................... 61 3.6 Access to ID numbers and cards ............................................................ 62 3.7 National service ...................................................................................... 66 4. Freedom of movement ................................................................................ 69 4.1 Exit process ............................................................................................ 69 Penalties for leaving without an exit visa ....................................................... 72 4.2 Entry process ......................................................................................... 73 4.3 Obtaining passports, ID numbers and cards .......................................... 74 Forged and fraudulently obtained documents ................................................ 75 4.4 Checkpoints and travel within Sudan ..................................................... 75 Movement in Sudan generally ....................................................................... 75 Travel between Darfur and Khartoum ............................................................ 76 Travel in Darfur .............................................................................................. 77 5. Government monitoring .............................................................................. 78 5.1 Monitoring and tracking .......................................................................... 78 5.2 Overseas - monitoring the diaspora ....................................................... 80 6. Returns ......................................................................................................... 80 6.1 Statistics ................................................................................................. 80 6.2 Returnees ethnic profile / place of origin ................................................ 83 6.3 Treatment of returnees ........................................................................... 83 6.4 Monitoring of returnees (and of human rights generally) ........................ 92 Page 3 of 181 Annex A: Terms of reference (ToRs) .................................................................... 96 Annex B: Questions based on the ToRs .............................................................. 97 Annex C: List of sources ..................................................................................... 100 Annex D: FFM background explained to sources ............................................. 101 Annex E: Notes of meetings with sources ......................................................... 102 Amjed Farid El Tayeb ....................................................................................... 102 A Sudanese political scientist and former DFID policy adviser ................... 105 A university professor from Darfur ................................................................ 111 Salih Mahmoud M Osman, Darfur Bar Association ....................................... 117 A UK official, Department for International Development (DFID)................. 122 Dr Enrico Ille ..................................................................................................... 124 Dr Ahmed Eltoum Salim, European & African Centre (EAC) ........................ 130 A UK FCO official ............................................................................................. 134 Second Secretary Political, British Embassy ................................................ 135 An official of Western Embassy A .................................................................. 139 International Organization for Migration (IOM) official ................................. 143 A civil society activist ...................................................................................... 148 An official of Western Embassy B .................................................................. 151 A Norwegian official ......................................................................................... 155 Siddig Yousef ................................................................................................... 157 A human rights defender ................................................................................
Recommended publications
  • Darfur Genocide
    Darfur genocide Berkeley Model United Nations Welcome Letter Hi everyone! Welcome to the Darfur Historical Crisis committee. My name is Laura Nguyen and I will be your head chair for BMUN 69. This committee will take place from roughly 2006 to 2010. Although we will all be in the same physical chamber, you can imagine that committee is an amalgamation of peace conferences, UN meetings, private Janjaweed or SLM meetings, etc. with the goal of preventing the Darfur Genocide and ending the War in Darfur. To be honest, I was initially wary of choosing the genocide in Darfur as this committee’s topic; people in Darfur. I also understood that in order for this to be educationally stimulating for you all, some characters who committed atrocious war crimes had to be included in debate. That being said, I chose to move on with this topic because I trust you are all responsible and intelligent, and that you will treat Darfur with respect. The War in Darfur and the ensuing genocide are grim reminders of the violence that is easily born from intolerance. Equally regrettable are the in Africa and the Middle East are woefully inadequate for what Darfur truly needs. I hope that understanding those failures and engaging with the ways we could’ve avoided them helps you all grow and become better leaders and thinkers. My best advice for you is to get familiar with the historical processes by which ethnic brave, be creative, and have fun! A little bit about me (she/her) — I’m currently a third-year at Cal majoring in Sociology and minoring in Data Science.
    [Show full text]
  • Humanitarian Situation Report No. 19 Q3 2020 Highlights
    Sudan Humanitarian Situation Report No. 19 Q3 2020 UNICEF and partners assess damage to communities in southern Khartoum. Sudan was significantly affected by heavy flooding this summer, destroying many homes and displacing families. @RESPECTMEDIA PlPl Reporting Period: July-September 2020 Highlights Situation in Numbers • Flash floods in several states and heavy rains in upriver countries caused the White and Blue Nile rivers to overflow, damaging households and in- 5.39 million frastructure. Almost 850,000 people have been directly affected and children in need of could be multiplied ten-fold as water and mosquito borne diseases devel- humanitarian assistance op as flood waters recede. 9.3 million • All educational institutions have remained closed since March due to people in need COVID-19 and term realignments and are now due to open again on the 22 November. 1 million • Peace talks between the Government of Sudan and the Sudan Revolu- internally displaced children tionary Front concluded following an agreement in Juba signed on 3 Oc- tober. This has consolidated humanitarian access to the majority of the 1.8 million Jebel Mara region at the heart of Darfur. internally displaced people 379,355 South Sudanese child refugees 729,530 South Sudanese refugees (Sudan HNO 2020) UNICEF Appeal 2020 US $147.1 million Funding Status (in US$) Funds Fundi received, ng $60M gap, $70M Carry- forward, $17M *This table shows % progress towards key targets as well as % funding available for each sector. Funding available includes funds received in the current year and carry-over from the previous year. 1 Funding Overview and Partnerships UNICEF’s 2020 Humanitarian Action for Children (HAC) appeal for Sudan requires US$147.11 million to address the new and protracted needs of the afflicted population.
    [Show full text]
  • 36 Csos and Individuals Urge the Council to Adopt a Resolution on Sudan
    Letter from 36 NGOs and individuals regarding the human rights situation in Sudan in advance of the 33rd session of the UN Human Rights Council To Permanent Representatives of Members and Observer States of the UN Human Rights Council Geneva, Switzerland 7 September 2016 Re: Current human rights and humanitarian situation in Sudan Excellency, Our organisations write to you in advance of the opening of the 33rd session of the United Nations Human Rights Council to share our serious concerns regarding the human rights and humanitarian situation in Sudan. Many of these abuses are detailed in the attached annex. We draw your attention to the Sudanese government’s continuing abuses against civilians in South Kordofan, Blue Nile and Darfur, including unlawful attacks on villages and indiscriminate bombing of civilians. We are also concerned about the continuing repression of civil and political rights, in particular the ongoing crackdown on protesters and abuse of independent civil society and human rights defenders. In a recent example in March 2016, four representatives of Sudanese civil society were intercepted by security officials at Khartoum International Airport on their way to a high level human rights meeting with diplomats that took place in Geneva on 31 March. The meeting was organised by the international NGO, UPR Info, in preparation for the Universal Periodic Review (UPR) of Sudan that took place in May.1 We call upon your delegation to support the development and adoption of a strong and action- oriented resolution on Sudan under agenda item 4 at the 33rd session of the UN Human Rights Council.
    [Show full text]
  • The Economics of Ethnic Cleansing in Darfur
    The Economics of Ethnic Cleansing in Darfur John Prendergast, Omer Ismail, and Akshaya Kumar August 2013 WWW.ENOUGHPROJECT.ORG WWW.SATSENTINEL.ORG The Economics of Ethnic Cleansing in Darfur John Prendergast, Omer Ismail, and Akshaya Kumar August 2013 COVER PHOTO Displaced Beni Hussein cattle shepherds take shelter on the outskirts of El Sereif village, North Darfur. Fighting over gold mines in North Darfur’s Jebel Amer area between the Janjaweed Abbala forces and Beni Hussein tribe started early this January and resulted in mass displacement of thousands. AP PHOTO/UNAMID, ALBERT GONZALEZ FARRAN Overview Darfur is burning again, with devastating results for its people. A kaleidoscope of Janjaweed forces are once again torching villages, terrorizing civilians, and systematically clearing prime land and resource-rich areas of their inhabitants. The latest ethnic-cleans- ing campaign has already displaced more than 300,000 Darfuris this year and forced more than 75,000 to seek refuge in neighboring Chad, the largest population displace- ment in recent years.1 An economic agenda is emerging as a major driver for the escalating violence. At the height of the mass atrocities committed from 2003 to 2005, the Sudanese regime’s strategy appeared to be driven primarily by the counterinsurgency objectives and secondarily by the acquisition of salaries and war booty. Undeniably, even at that time, the government could have only secured the loyalty of its proxy Janjaweed militias by allowing them to keep the fertile lands from which they evicted the original inhabitants. Today’s violence is even more visibly fueled by monetary motivations, which include land grabbing; consolidating control of recently discovered gold mines; manipulating reconciliation conferences for increased “blood money”; expanding protection rackets and smuggling networks; demanding ransoms; undertaking bank robberies; and resum- ing the large-scale looting that marked earlier periods of the conflict.
    [Show full text]
  • Armed Conflicts Report - Chad
    Armed Conflicts Report - Chad Armed Conflicts Report Chad (1965 - first combat deaths) Update: January 2009 Summary Type of Conflict Parties to the Conflict Status of Fighting Number of Deaths Political Developments Background Arms Sources Summary: 2008 In February, rebel forces attempted a coup d’etat in the capital N’Djamena. Although unsuccessful, the attempted coup resulted in several hundred deaths, displaced tens of thousands and prompted the Chadian government to declare a state of emergency. A joint-international mission was deployed in Chad, including an EU military component (EUFOR) and a UN humanitarian component, the United Nations Mission in Central African Republic and Chad (MINURCAT). However, the relative ineffectualness of these missions, in combination with rebel proxy violence in the Sudan/Darfur-Chad border regions, hampered potential developments towards security. The humanitarian situation deteriorated as insecurity hampered the efforts of aid organizations. Citing Chad’s continued failure to use oil revenues for poverty reduction, the World Bank finally ended its involvement there by recalling loans from the Chad-Cameroon oil pipeline. 2007 The governments of Chad, Sudan and the Central African Republic signed an agreement to not support rebels in their territory attacking the other signatories, however, cross border attacks continued in 2007 and led to the death and increased displacement of Chadian citizens as well as Sudanese refugees living in Chad. Despite the signing of a ceasefire agreement by the government and four main armed opposition groups, no lasting peace agreement has been reached and armed resistance to President Idriss Deby’s leadership continued to intensify. Ethnic violence also continued and led UN Secretary-General Ban Ki-Moon to propose two possible military operations for Chad, in combination with the European Union peacekeeping mission that is set to deploy in early 2008.
    [Show full text]
  • Sudan: Freedom
    SUDAN: FREEDOM, PEACE, AND JUSTICE “we have risen, against those who stole our sweat.” Prepared by: Laura Stevens | Daphne Wang | Hashim Ismail Cover Photo Credit: https://www.voanews.com/africa/sudan-activists-call-justice-killed-protesters Table of Contents 1 Executive Summary 1 Methods 1 Background 2 End User 2 Stakeholders 4 Fragility Risk Assessment 9 ALC Analysis 10 Scenarios 11 Policy Options 15 Bibliography 20 Annexes 20 Annex 1: Fragility in Sudan According to Different Indices 20 Annex 2: Definitions and Additional Readings 22 Annex 3: Timeline of Major Events in the Last Five Years (Trends and Trajectory) 23 Annex 4: History of Recent Conflicts 24 Annex 5: Further Detail on Stakeholders 27 Annex 6: Social contract 28 Annex 7: Agriculture as part of the economy 28 Annex 8: State Sponsor of Terrorism 29 Annex 9: Security and Displacement Figures 32 Annex 10: Household Economic Data 33 Annex 11: Donor Profile 34 Annex 12: ALC Assessment Graphic 34 Annex 13: Additional Policy Information 36 Endnotes Acronyms ACC Anti-Corruption Committee ALC Authority, Legitimacy, Capacity AU African Union CIFP Country Indicators for Foreign Policy CPA Comprehensive Peace Agreement CSO Civil Society Organization EU European Union FAO Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations FDI Foreign Direct Investment FFC Forces for Freedom and Change FY Fiscal Year GDP Gross Domestic Product GEF Global Environment Facility HD Human Development ICC International Criminal Court IDPs Internally Displaced Persons IMF International Monetary Fund INGO
    [Show full text]
  • Sudan: Interaction Between International and National Judicial Responses to the Mass Atrocities in Darfur
    SUDAN: INTERACTION BETWEEN INTERNATIONAL AND NATIONAL JUDICIAL RESPONSES TO THE MASS ATROCITIES IN DARFUR BY SIGALL HOROVITZ DOMAC/19, APRIL 2013 ABOUT DOMAC THE DOMAC PROJECT focuses on the actual interaction between national and international courts involved in prosecuting individuals in mass atrocity situations. It explores what impact international procedures have on prosecution rates before national courts, their sentencing policies, award of reparations and procedural legal standards. It comprehensively examines the problems presented by the limited response of the international community to mass atrocity situations, and offers methods to improve coordination of national and international proceedings and better utilization of national courts, inter alia, through greater formal and informal avenues of cooperation, interaction and resource sharing between national and international courts. THE DOMAC PROJECT is a research program funded under the Seventh Framework Programme for EU Research (FP7) under grant agreement no. 217589. The DOMAC project is funded under the Socio-economic sciences and Humanities Programme for the duration of three years starting 1st February 2008. THE DOMAC PARTNERS are Hebrew University, Reykjavik University, University College London, University of Amsterdam, and University of Westminster. ABOUT THE AUTHOR Sigall Horovitz is a PhD candidate at Faculty of Law of the Hebrew University of Jerusalem. She holds an LL.M. from Columbia University (2003). Ms. Horovitz worked as a Legal Officer at the United Nations International Criminal Tribunal for Rwanda, during 2005-2008. She also served with the Office of the Prosecution in the Special Court for Sierra Leone, in 2003-2004 and in 2010. ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS The author would like to thank the interviewees and the anonymous reviewer for their valuable input.
    [Show full text]
  • How to Implement Sudan's New Peace Agreement
    The Rebels Come to Khartoum: How to Implement Sudan’s New Peace Agreement Crisis Group Africa Briefing N°168 Khartoum/Nairobi/Brussels, 23 February 2021 What’s new? A peace agreement signed on 3 October 2020 paves the way for armed and unarmed opposition groups in Sudan to join the transitional government, dra- matically expanding representation of the country’s peripheries during the interim period before elections. The two most powerful rebel movements remain outside the accord, however. Why does it matter? Clinching the agreement was necessary for the country’s transition but implementation poses challenges. The agreement risks bloating the military and sets up a prospective political alliance between the rebels and Sudanese security forces, which could further sideline the government’s civilian cabinet and threaten to bury its reform agenda. What should be done? The interim government should negotiate with holdout rebels to bring them into the transition. Sudan’s international partners should press for security sector reform that decreases the size and political dominance of a newly expanded military while funding and supporting the authorities’ spending commit- ments in the peripheries. I. Overview Sudan’s October 2020 peace agreement, involving the interim government and rebel movements in Darfur and the Two Areas, among others, is an important step in the country’s transition after the ouster of former President Omar al-Bashir. The deal allows for representatives from armed groups in the country’s peripheries to take government posts and for significant public money to go to these areas. It is a way to rebalance the Nile Valley elites’ decades-long domination of Sudan’s political system.
    [Show full text]
  • Darfur and the Battle for Khartoum
    Institute for Security Studies Situation Report Date Issued: 04 September 2006 Author: Mariam Bibi Jooma1 Distribution: General Contact: [email protected] Darfur and the Battle for Khartoum Sudan’s western region of Darfur has frequently featured in the headlines since Introduction the outbreak of major violence there in 2003. Indeed, it often seemed that international interest would remain focused upon Darfur, given the scale of human suffering and the immensity of the challenges facing the African Union’s (AU) peacekeeping operations in that vast area. It was little surprise, then, that the signing of the Darfur Peace Agreement (DPA) on 5 May this year between the Government of Sudan and the Minni Arkoi Minnawi faction of the Sudan Liberation Movement (SLM) was greeted with such relief in the media. Developments since the signing of the DPA, however, suggest that the political commitment to implementing its terms remains extremely weak, and there is a continued polarisation of affected ethnic communities, particularly within displacement camps, sometimes with fatal consequences. This has happened despite the appointment on 7 August of Minni Arkoi Minnawi, as the Special Assistant to the Sudanese President. Moreover, the period between May and July 2006 has seen the highest number of fatalities among aid workers since the beginning of 2003.2 This is quite aside from the continuing killing of Darfurians on a daily basis. In this unpredictable environment, the local population has become increasingly cynical of the potential peacekeeping role of the African Union Mission (AMIS) deployed to observe the implementation of the 2004 ceasefire agreement. A growing number of fatalities suffered by AMIS troops themselves in Darfur suggests that the African Union’s role as mediator and guarantor for the implementation of the DPA is being overtly challenged.
    [Show full text]
  • The Sudan Flood Impact Rapid Assessment
    The Sudan 2020 Flood impact rapid assessment September 2020 A joint assessment with the Government of the Sudan The boundaries and names shown and the designations used on the map(s) in this information product do not imply the expression of any opinion whatsoever on the part of FAO concerning the legal status of any country, territory, city or area or of its authorities, or concerning the delimitation of its frontiers and boundaries. Dashed lines on maps represent approximate border lines for which there may not yet be full agreement. Cover photo: ©FAO The Sudan 2020 Flood impact rapid assessment September 2020 A joint assessment with the Government of the Sudan Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations Rome, 2020 Assessment highlights • Torrential rains and floods combined with the historical overflow of the River Nile and its tributaries caused devastating damages to agriculture and livestock across the Sudan. In the rainfed agriculture sector, around 2 216 322 ha of the planted area was flooded, representing 26.8 percent of cultivated areas in the 15 assessed states. • The production loss due to the crop damage by floods is estimated at 1 044 942 tonnes in the rainfed areas. Sorghum – which is the main staple food in the country – constitutes about 50 percent of the damaged crops, followed by sesame at about 25 percent, then groundnut, millet and vegetables. • The extent of the damage to planted areas in the irrigated sector is estimated at 103 320 ha, which constitutes about 19.4 percent of the total cultivated area. The production loss is under estimation.
    [Show full text]
  • Country Report Sudan at a Glance: 2003-04
    Country Report June 2003 Sudan Sudan at a glance: 2003-04 OVERVIEW The peace process between the government and the leading southern rebel force, the Sudan People’s Liberation Army, will be kept alive by international pressure, although little of substance will be agreed in the short term. A ceasefire remains in effect until the end of June, while talks have been suspended until July. A US presidential report to Congress on the commitment of the Sudanese government to peace avoided calling for sanctions, signalling US support for ongoing dialogue. A significant rise in oil exports and a recovery in non-oil exports in 2003 are expected to ensure strong real GDP growth of 5.9%, slowing marginally to 5.3% in 2004. The current-account deficit, however, will widen over the forecast period to US$1.74bn by end-2004 (9.6% of GDP). Key changes from last month Political outlook • With halting progress in the peace talks, the political outlook is dependent upon the continued commitment to negotiations. Many obstacles remain, not least the role of the opposition groups not included in the talks and the growing unrest in the west of the country. Economic policy outlook • The government will not veer from its commitment to IMF-led policies, although expenditure may stray beyond agreed limits. Economic policy will continue to centre on balancing the budget through subsidy cutting and raising taxes. These measures, combined with a revised oil price forecast, will result in a reduced budget deficit of SD5.5bn (US$21.1m; 0.1% of GDP) in 2003, which will then widen in 2004 to SD33bn.
    [Show full text]
  • The Chad–Sudan Proxy War and the 'Darfurization' of Chad: Myths and Reality
    12 The Chad–Sudan Proxy War and the ‘Darfurization’ of Chad: Myths and Reality By Jérôme Tubiana Copyright The Small Arms Survey Published in Switzerland by the Small Arms Survey The Small Arms Survey is an independent research project located at the Grad- uate Institute of International Studies in Geneva, Switzerland. It serves as the © Small Arms Survey, Graduate Institute of International Studies, Geneva 2008 principal source of public information on all aspects of small arms and as a First published in April 2008 resource centre for governments, policy-makers, researchers, and activists. All rights reserved. No part of this publication may be reproduced, stored in a Established in 1999, the project is supported by the Swiss Federal Department retrieval system, or transmitted, in any form or by any means, without the prior of Foreign Affairs, and by contributions from the Governments of Belgium, permission in writing of the Small Arms Survey, or as expressly permitted by Canada, Finland, France, the Netherlands, Norway, Sweden, and the UK. The law, or under terms agreed with the appropriate reprographics rights organi- Survey is also grateful for past and current project-specific support received zation. Enquiries concerning reproduction outside the scope of the above should from Australia, Denmark, and New Zealand. Further funding has been pro- be sent to the Publications Manager, Small Arms Survey, at the address below. vided by the United Nations Development Programme, the United Nations Institute for Disarmament Research, the Geneva International Academic Net- Small Arms Survey work, and the Geneva International Centre for Humanitarian Demining. The Graduate Institute of International Studies Small Arms Survey collaborates with research institutes and NGOs in many 47 Avenue Blanc, 1202 Geneva, Switzerland countries, including Brazil, Canada, Georgia, Germany, India, Israel, Jordan, Copyedited by Emily Walmsley Norway, the Russian Federation, South Africa, Sri Lanka, Sudan, Sweden, Thailand, the United Kingdom, and the United States.
    [Show full text]