Originally published on the CGS blog on September 6, 2007.
Our friends at Human Rights Watch just sent out this advisory on Ahmed Haroun.
“(New York, September 6, 2007) – Media reports indicate that the government of Sudan has nominated suspected war criminal Ahmed Haroun as co-chair of a committee responsible for investigating human rights complaints in Darfur. Haroun is wanted for war crimes and crimes against humanity by the International Criminal Court, which issued a warrant for his arrest on April 27, 2007. Human Rights Watch identified Haroun, former state minister of the interior responsible for the Darfur portfolio during the height of the conflict in 2003-2004 as one of those primarily responsible for the atrocities in the region.”
Richard Dicker, director of HRW’s IJ program got it right when he said:
“Coming during Ban Ki-moon’s visit to Sudan, Haroun’s nomination is a stunning affront. It is an insult to the Darfur victims who filed complaints with the vain hope that the government would take them seriously.”
The UN SG should view this, if confirmed, as a slap in the face and use it to gather international support to put serious pressure on the Sudanese. It is also tragic that it comes on the heels of the very important Chautaqua Declaration.
You may want to check out this report from HRW: “Entrenching Impunity: Government Responsibility for International Crimes in Darfur,” at:
