Madam, - The passing of the deadline set by the UN Security Council for the Sudan government to disarm the Janjaweed militia exposes yet again the failures of the international community. At a farcical "disarmament ceremony" held in Jeneina on August 27th the militia members were given back their guns as soon as the UN Special Representative had left.
Massive human rights violations including killings, torture, and rape are continuing. Even the police force, the very group sent by the government of Sudan to restore security in Darfur, has been accused of sexually exploiting displaced women and girls. In the designated "safe areas" around the camps, attacks, abductions, destruction of property, looting, and sexual violence carry on unchecked.
The UN Security Council should immediately suspend arms transfers to the Sudanese government, establish a commission of inquiry that will hold the Sudanese leadership accountable, and take all necessary steps to end human rights violations. - Yours, etc.,
COLM Ó CUANACHÁIN, Secretary General, Amnesty International Irish Section, Dublin 2.