A.U. Summit: Sudan Unfit for A.U. Presidency
A.U. Should Boost Protection for Civilians in Darfur, Extradite Habré
(New York)—African leaders rightly rejected Sudan’s bid for the African Union’s presidency this year, but should not
reward Sudanese President Omar al-Bashir with Africa’s leadership next year as long as the human rights disaster
continues in Darfur, Human Rights Watch said today.
The African Union announced today that Congo-Brazzaville would assume the A.U. leadership this year, but would be
followed by Sudan in 2007.
“The A.U. has taken the right decision to reject Sudan’s candidacy this year, but Darfur remains a disaster,” said Peter
Takirambudde, executive director of the Africa Division at Human Rights Watch. “If the atrocities in Darfur make Bashir
unsuitable to lead Africa this year, it's hard to see how he’ll be suitable next year unless he takes credible steps to
end the crisis in Darfur.”
Human Rights Watch said Sudan should not be given the A.U. presidency unless it disarms the government-backed Janjaweed
militias, allows millions of displaced Darfurians to return home in safety, and brings those involved in war crimes to
justice.
Sudan campaigned vigorously for the presidency of the African Union in the days leading up to the decision, which was
made today by A.U. heads of state at an annual summit in Khartoum. East Africa was scheduled to assume the rotating post
and until the last moment it was unclear whether Sudan, the only candidate from the region, would succeed in its bid.
Awarding Sudan the presidency would have been perceived as condoning the appalling record of war crimes and crimes
against humanity committed by Sudanese government forces and their allied militias in Darfur since 2003. A 7,000-member
African Union mission in Darfur must take tougher measures to protect civilians from the violence, which has escalated
in the past few months.
“The A.U. force in Darfur needs to be more aggressive in protecting civilians,” said Takirambudde. “The African Union
should do much more to promote human rights, protect civilians, and bring abusers to justice.”
The A.U. summit will also take up the case of former Chadian dictator Hissène Habré, who is wanted in Belgium to face
trial for crimes against humanity. In November the government of Senegal, where Habré has lived in impunity since 1990,
asked the African Union to decide how the former dictator should be brought to justice.
“A.U. leaders should recommend that Senegal extradite Habré to Belgium, or promptly arrange a fair trial for him in
Africa,” said Takirambudde.