Sudan: Amnesty to Publish Arms Supplies Evidence Fuelling the Conflict in Darfur

By Staff Writer

KHARTOUM—Amnesty International is to publish a new report, Sudan: No end to the conflict in Darfur on Thursday February 9. The report highlights new evidence of recent arms supplies to Sudan being used to commit serious human violations in Darfur, despite a UN arms embargo remaining in place.

A wave of ethnically targeted attacks in eastern Darfur by Sudanese government forces and militias against the Zaghawa community saw an estimated 70,000 people displaced in 2011.

The report is published a few days before governments resume crucial negotiations at the UN in New York on a future arms trade treaty.

The Darfur conflict has been a civil war which began in February 2003 when the Sudan Liberation Movement/Army (SLM/A) and Justice and Equality Movement (JEM) groups in Darfur took up arms, accusing the Sudanese government of oppressing non-Arab Sudanese in favour of Sudanese Arabs.

The Sudanese government and the JEM signed a ceasefire agreement in February, 2010, with a tentative agreement to pursue further peace. The JEM has the most to gain from the talks, and could see semi-autonomy much like South Sudan. However, talks have been disrupted by accusations that the Sudanese army launched raids and air strikes against a village, violating the February agreement. The JEM, the largest rebel group in Darfur, has said they will boycott further negotiations.