FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE:
Contact:
Jonathan Hutson, [email protected], +1 202-386-1618
WASHINGTON – New photos provide evidence of organized ransacking and razing in Sudan’s Abyei town, which is currently being occupied by the Sudan Armed Forces and northern-aligned armed militias.
The exclusive photos, obtained by the Enough Project, appear to show northern soldiers standing by as militia members load trucks full of looted food and other goods. Other photos show traditional round huts called tukuls and other structures in Abyei town on fire. The photos were taken on Monday, May 23, as northern forces invaded the disputed border region of Abyei.
“The Sudan government army provides protection for militias that are looting and burning Abyei,” said Enough Project Co-founder John Prendergast. “The ultimate strategy is to ethnically cleanse Abyei, similar to what the regime has done in parts of Darfur. The international community must respond with more than appeals for calm and mild reproaches. The time has come for serious consequences for the commission of war crimes, or they will continue.”
View or download the photo set on the Enough Project’s Flickr account: http://www.flickr.com/photos/
###
Enough is a project of the Center for American Progress to end genocide and crimes against humanity. Founded in 2007, the Enough Project focuses on crises in Sudan, eastern Congo, and areas of Africa affected by the Lord’s Resistance Army. Enough’s strategy papers and briefings provide sharp field analysis and targeted policy recommendations based on a “3P” crisis response strategy: promoting durable peace, providing civilian protection, and punishing perpetrators of atrocities. Enough works with concerned citizens, advocates, and policy makers to prevent, mitigate, and resolve these crises. For more information, please visit www.enoughproject.org.