afrol News, 2 March - A top militia leader says the Sudan government backed and directed Janjaweed activities in northern Darfur, according to a videotape released today. Widely regarded as the top Janjaweed leader in Darfur, Musa Hilal was interviewed over the course of several hours by human rights researchers in Khartoum, where he said he got his orders from the government.

Janjaweed leader Hilal was interviewed by the New York-based group Human Rights Watch, which earlier has claimed there was a link between the Janjaweed and the Khartoum government. The US human rights group today released a videotape with the statements of Mr Hilal that widely confirm these earlier assumptions.

Mr Hilal states that the government of Sudan directed all military activities of the militia forces he had recruited. "All of the people in the field are led by top army commanders," he told Human Rights Watch on videotape. "These people get their orders from the Western command centre, and from Khartoum."

- Musa Hilal squarely contradicts the government's claim that it has 'no relationship' with local militias, said Peter Takirambudde of Human Rights Watch. The Janjaweed militia is accused of terrible war crimes comparable to genocide, but the Khartoum government has maintained it had no powers to stop the militia's operations in Darfur.

The Sudan government has said that any atrocities in Darfur are the fault of Janjaweed "bandits" and are the result of recurring ethnic clashes in Darfur in which the government is "neutral." According to Mr Takirambudde, "we now see that the two parties responsible for crimes against humanity in Darfur are pointing the finger at each other."

- Musa Hilal is a dangerous man for the Sudanese government, added Mr Takirambudde. "His testimony could be very interesting to the International Criminal Court" (ICC). There is a growing international agreement to have the ICC involved in the investigations of the systematic war crimes in Darfur in a case that would not spear any Sudanese leader.

Although many eyewitnesses have named Musa Hilal as a leader of militia forces responsible for some of the most brutal attacks in Darfur, in the videotape he denies any leadership role and says his followers have not committed atrocities.

However, several eyewitnesses interviewed by Human Rights Watch described how Musa Hilal came to the central market in Kebkabiya in North Darfur twice in January 2004 with his forces, and addressed the crowds about his militia forces' great "victories" in outlying areas against the rebel forces. The eyewitnesses said that Mr Hilal was not only uniformed and armed, but also claimed to have led his followers to these military victories.

Mr Hilal's forces were initially recruited from among his tribesmen in North Darfur, and have been active for several years around the Kebkabiya area, where Human Rights Watch conducted research in October 2004.

Many witnesses in Kebkabiya told the human rights group about the location and activities of Mr Hilal's forces. They reported that Misteriya town is the location of his militia camp near Kebkabiya, where he and Hassim Mangari of the Sudan army are commanders. Mr Hilal is known for taking women prisoners and holding them at Jebel Jur - meaning "hunger mountain" - west of Misteriya. Many of the women have not returned to date.

Some witnesses spoke of militia members who committed atrocities in the name of Mr Hilal. Others said that their former Arab neighbours and Janjaweed militia prevented them from returning to their fertile farming land outside Kebkabiya. One group of women trying to return in Merguba, outside of Kebkabiya, were allegedly told by their former Arab neighbours, "This [Merguba] is the land of Musa Hilal. You must not go and take anything from there."

Human Rights Watch further claims to be in possession of Darfur government documents, referring to official Sudanese government support for Mr Hilal. In a memo dated 13 February 2004 from the office of a sub-locality in North Darfur, authorities urge all "security units in the locality" to "allow the activities of the Mujahedeen and the volunteers under the command of Sheikh Musa Hilal to proceed in the areas of [North Darfur] and to secure their vital needs."

The memo allegedly continues, "We also highlight the importance of non-interference so as not to question their authorities and to overlook minor offences by the Mujahedeen against civilians who are suspected members of the rebellion."

By staff writers

© afrol News

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