Probe army, says Human Rights Watch

Sep 20, 2005

Human Rights Watch (HRW) has asked the international Criminal Court (ICC) to probe the army and rebels for abuse of civilians in the north.

By Anne Mugisa

Human Rights Watch (HRW) has asked the international Criminal Court (ICC) to probe the army and rebels for abuse of civilians in the north.

HRW said it was not convinced that Sudan stopped supporting the LRA, despite the Sudan peace agreement.

The international human rights body released its report yesterday, saying the LRA and UPDF soldiers committed crimes against civilians.
It said the ICC should investigate and bring the guilty parties to book.
But the army has disputed the report, saying it is not accurate.

The report released by HRW East Africa/Sudan researcher, Rone Jemera, also blamed the UN and the US for deliberately keeping quiet as the abuses continued.

It accused the soldiers of impunity, saying the army never brought the errant soldiers to book, even when complaints were brought against them.

Jamera said UPDF soldiers raped, beat, illegally detained and killed civilians in camps. She said some civilians did not report, fearing reprisal.

Northern army spokesman Capt. Paddy Ankunda, however, said HRW was not sincere because the army had arraigned the soldiers who had committed abuses.

He said until yesterday, HRW had concealed the report from the army.

“We even compensate the aggrieved people. We have court martialled soldiers in the presence of the wronged civilians,” Ankunda said. He said they would investigate the allegations and respond.

The army said when HRW raised complaints, they gave a response that HRW ignored.

The army said most of the complaints were fronted by the opposition to malign the UPDF.

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