Darfur Victims Support Organization
Report on Grave Human Rights Violations Against Internally Displaced Persons in Darfur
16November 2024
Internally displaced persons (IDPs) in Darfur camps continue to suffer grave human rights violations at an increasing rate amidst ongoing armed conflict and escalating hostilities. These violations target vulnerable groups who sought safety in the camps but have once again become victims of direct and indirect assaults. The absence of both international and local protection has exacerbated the humanitarian crisis, rendering the situation catastrophic on all levels.
Rights of Internally Displaced Persons
According to the United Nations Guiding Principles on Internal Displacement, IDPs are entitled to fundamental rights that must be respected and protected, including:
1. Protection from arbitrary and direct attacks: IDPs must not be targeted under any circumstances.
2. The right to life and security: Physical and personal security must be ensured for IDPs against all forms of violence.
3. Access to humanitarian aid: All parties to the conflict must allow unhindered access for humanitarian assistance.
4. The right to voluntary return: IDPs have the right to return to their areas of origin under safe and dignified conditions.
Documentation of Violations
1. Use of IDPs as Human Shields:
Military forces have established positions within IDP camps, transforming these camps into battlegrounds and making IDPs direct and indirect targets of attacks.
2. Assassination of Unarmed Civilians:
• On 8 November 2024, IDP Abdelqader Abdelrazek Hassan Abdelkarim (aged 24) was killed in Mokjar Camp – Crofta Neighborhood after being intercepted by armed assailants on motorcycles while returning from Friday prayers. When he refused to hand over his bag, he was shot dead.
• On 9 November 2024, IDP Isaac Dowalbeit Mohamed (aged 22) was killed in Kalma Camp – Center 7 after being shot by armed militias south of the camp.
3. Abduction and Forced Recruitment:
In Shangil Tobay camps, armed forces have abducted young men, subjecting them to torture and coercing many into forced recruitment under threats.
4. Destruction of Livelihoods:
The area has witnessed the complete destruction of IDP farmlands by armed pastoralists, exacerbating the dire living and humanitarian conditions.
Obligations of Warring Parties
Under international humanitarian law and international human rights law, warring parties in Darfur have primary responsibilities toward IDPs, including:
1. Avoid targeting civilians: Combatants must refrain from direct or indirect attacks on IDPs or using them as human shields.
2. Ensure humanitarian aid access: Warring parties must allow the safe passage of humanitarian organizations to deliver necessary assistance.
3. Prohibit forced recruitment: It is strictly prohibited to forcibly recruit or threaten civilians during armed conflicts.
4. Protect property: Destroying IDP livelihoods constitutes a flagrant violation of fundamental human rights.
Recommendations
1. To the Warring Parties:
• Withdraw all military positions from IDP camps and remove any military presence within them.
• Respect civilian rights and provide the necessary protection for their safety.
2. To the International Community:
• Exert political and diplomatic pressure on warring parties to end the war immediately.
• Activate international mechanisms to protect IDPs and ensure the delivery of humanitarian aid.
3. To Humanitarian and International Organizations:
• Increase financial and logistical support to meet the urgent needs of IDPs.
• Provide emergency health and nutritional services, particularly in light of the spread of infectious diseases in camps.
4. To Donors:
• Support long-term relief efforts and allocate additional resources to address the health and educational conditions of IDPs.
Conclusion
The ongoing violations against IDPs in Darfur constitute a stain on humanity’s conscience. The Darfur Victims Support Organization calls for urgent international action to ensure the protection of IDPs, hold perpetrators of these crimes accountable, and work toward ending the conflict that exacerbates the suffering of innocents. IDPs in Darfur need not only aid but also just peace that guarantees their safe and dignified return to their homes.
