HRW asks UN Secretary General to query UNAMID chief on attending
wedding with Bashir
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January 31, 2012 (WASHINGON) – The New York based Human Rights Watch
(HRW) sent a letter to United Nations Secretary General Ban Ki Moon
last Friday asking him to take action regarding the presence of the
head of the Darfur peacekeeping mission, United Nations - African
Union Mission in Darfur (UNAMID), Ibrahim Gambari at a wedding
attended by Sudanese president Omer Hassan al-Bashir.
JPEG - 32.3 kb
Sudanese President Omer Hassan al-Bashir (R) talks to UNAMID Joint
Special Representative (JSR) and Joint Chief Mediator Ibrahim Gambari
during the wedding ceremony between the daughter of tribal leader Musa
Hilal and Chad President Idriss Deby in Khartoum January 20, 2012
(Reuters)
This month Gambari attended the wedding of Chad’s President Idriss
Deby to the daughter of an alleged leader of Darfur Janjaweed leader
Musa Hilal. He was shown in photos exchanging talks with Bashir who is
wanted by the International Criminal Court (ICC) for allegedly
orchestrating war crimes and genocide in Darfur.
Hilal is also subject to travel and financial sanctions imposed by the
United Nations Security Council (UNSC) in 2006.
But Gambari told Agence France Presse (AFP) last week that he had no
apologies for attending the ceremony "in honor of the president of a
country [Deby] that is supportive of the peace process".
JPEG - 38.6 kb
UNAMID Joint Special Representative (JSR) and Joint Chief Mediator
Ibrahim Gambari (L) congratulates Musa Hilal, the father of the bride,
during the wedding ceremony between Hilal’s daughter and Chad
President Idriss Deby in Khartoum January 20, 2012 (Reuters)
However, Deby was absent from the wedding reception for unknown reasons.
In a letter signed by HRW executive director Kenneth Roth it was
recalled that UN guidelines limits interactions with individuals
indicted by international tribunals to “what is strictly required for
carrying out UN mandated activities”.
HRW said it understood that with regards to Bashir, UN rules state
that “interactions of a ceremonial nature with President Al-Bashir
should be avoided, including courtesy calls, receptions, photo
opportunities, attendance at national day celebrations and so on”.
“Discounting these guidelines brings the UN’s credibility in disrepute
and sends a terrible message to victims of heinous crimes in Darfur.
Indeed, images of Mr. Gambari embracing President al-Bashir have been
widely circulated, showing Darfuri victims that the head of UNAMID
socialises with suspected war criminals”.
The letter revealed that the UN Department of Peacekeeping Operations
(UNDPKO) told HRW that Gambari attended the wedding “at the invitation
of President Deby … [and had] no control over the guest list”.
“The UN’s guidelines seek to deny President al-Bashir, and others
wanted for serious international crimes, the legitimacy that may come
with such ceremonial interactions. UN officials should firmly adhere
to them. We trust that you will formally raise these concerns with Mr.
Gambari and take appropriate action to avoid a repetition of these
events”.
This is not the first time UNAMID officials interactions with Bashir
has generated controversy.
Gambari’s predecessor Rodolphe Adada was awarded the Nilein Order,
first class in recognition of his efforts in Darfur peacekeeping
mission.
Adada later said that he not only reports to UN but also to the
African Union which has its own opinion regarding the ICC warrant for
Bashir.
Rebel groups drawn mainly from Darfur’s non-Arab tribes rose up
against the Arab-dominated Khartoum government in 2003 and were
confronted by state-backed Janjaweed militia in a conflict that
shocked the world and led to allegations of genocide.
(ST)
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