Stepped up-GoS aerial bombardment of
civilians and humanitarian targets
Aerial bombardment of civilians by the
Government of Sudan (GoS) escalated during July with at least 250 bombs
dropped in more than 33 incidents. At the end of the month, five aircraft
chartered by aid agencies were bombed. A sixth such incident early in August
prompted the UN to suspend relief flights for about a week until the UN
received security assurances from GoS. Since then, bombing of civilians
has continued. On 22 August, 15 bombs were dropped near a relief agency
compound in south-east Sudan.
"The increase in bombing, risking the indignation of the international community, is perhaps due to the gains made by the SPLA on the ground," said JRS Eastern Africa director, Stephen Power SJ. "It also shows that the GoS have the nerve to get away with these terrorising tactics."
JRS Uganda director, Mike Foley CFX, writes: "In spite of the noble words spoken by the president of Sudan and the promise to respect the humanitarian work going on in the southern part of Sudan, government planes continue to bomb civilian targets. The simple fact is that the government perceives the people of southern Sudan as the enemy and humanitarian efforts in the south of the country are seen as aiding the enemy. Under intense diplomatic pressure, the GoS apologised for and gave assurances that bombings would not take place at sites to which clearance had been arranged for flights under the umbrella of Operation Lifeline Sudan (OLS).
"This very limited assurance offers no guarantee of protection for flights arranged by church groups or NGOs not working under OLS. In the past, it has been these groups that have been able to respond to unexpected crisis situations and have been responsible for saving thousands of lives. The UN operations often find themselves hamstrung by overwhelming bureaucracy and the political consideration of working with a government hostile to their humanitarian efforts."
Churches, humanitarian agencies, the UN Secretary General, the EU and a small number of governments protested about the bombing. On 29 August, Sudan's Roman Catholic bishops condemned Khartoum's continued bombing of civilian targets and called on the UN to monitor a cease-fire. In a statement (issued in Nairobi), the Sudan Catholic Bishops' Conference (SCBRC) expressed "deep and unanimous concern for the continued bombardment of civilian targets in the war-ravaged region."
In a statement released on 17 August, the Inter-Church Coalition on Africa (ICCAF) condemns the recent round of bombings of civilian centres by the Government of Sudan. "The purpose of the bombing is to terrorise civilians and drive them off their land," ICCAF coordinator Gary Kenny said. He added that, "the regime hopes that by dispersing local populations, support for the guerrilla movement will dry up and it (Khartoum) can freely exploit oil reserves that are found in southern Sudan."
Meanwhile, little headway has been made on a negotiated settlement to the problems in Sudan as the peace process sponsored by the Inter-governmental Agency for Development (IGAD) has been stalled for months. There are plans for a resumption of talks early in September. "Many are critical of what appears to be bad faith on the part of the parties involved in the IGAD peace process," Br Foley said. "Yet few observers are willing to examine the historical context leading to the present situation. Agreements have been reached before and have been abrogated in favour of religious and racial chauvinism and political expediency. What is now viewed as intransigence is a response to past good faith, which in fact, turned out to be little more than political naivete."
The GoS has made a statement on one of the key points in the Declaration of Principles, that of self-determination for the south, saying it is opposed to separation as it believes such a solution will not end the war. "The GoS has no right to give or deny secession", was the reply of the Sudan People's Liberation Movement/Army (SPLM/A). "The GoS now has the confidence of renewed support, it seems from Egypt, restating that it does not want Sudan divided and with the promise of the new economic power from the oil," Br Power said. "The GoS has become stronger in trying to control further the southern OLS operation, demanding a controlling presence in Kenya on the border."
The recently started oil development and export activities of the Sudan government have served to fuel the war. Sources said: "The oil now being exported by the GoS is found in highly disputed territory, especially in the south and is a stumbling block to any peace negotiations. The oil is definitely fuelling the war. Now that it is being exported, the government has more money to spend on the war. In fact, it recently announced it will start doing its own weapons."
The oil is also affecting the way governments look at Sudan. "The Sudan government has done a very good job on diplomatic relations: its ability to sell itself is improving greatly," sources said. "I am sure European governments are not fooled but it is convenient for them to hide behind it, to use it as an excuse to improve relations."
© 2000. Jesuit Refugee Service