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By Toby Collins
December 28, 2011 (LONDON) - Mohammad Ahmed Mustafa al-Dabi, a Sudanese general headed an Arab League (AL) mission to monitor the human rights atrocities being committed by Bashar al-Assad’s Syrian regime in Homms on 26 December, despite allegations of his involvement in Sudanese atrocities.
- Mohammad Ahmed Mustafa al-Dab (Foreign Policy)
The AL team are monitoring the situation in Homms, one of Syrian’s hotspots for violent uprising against a Syrian government widely accused of committing human rights atrocities against its own people.
In November the UN estimated 5,000 people to have been killed and 15,000 – 40,000 detained in the violence.
These protests are part of wider insurrection in the region in recent months, which has seen the fall of the Egyptian and Libyan governments.
Dabi is believed to have been instrumental in the founding of the Janjaweed – a militia operating in Darfur which has been accused of committing multiple atrocities. His appointment to the AL position received widespread condemnation from human rights organisations.
There is speculation that Dabi’s appointment is reward to Sudan for supporting Qatar’s opposition to the Gaddafi regime in Libya and its tough stance on Syria.
Dabi is a staunch supporter of the Sudanese president, Omar al-Bashir – wanted by the International Criminal Court (ICC) for war crimes and crimes against humanity in Darfur.
The UN estimates the conflict in Darfur has resulted in the death of 300,000 and the displacement of 3 million.
Dabi told Reuters on Wednsday the situation in Homms, "seemed reassuring so far … Yesterday was quiet and there were no clashes. We did not see tanks but we did see some armoured vehicles. But remember this was only the first day and it will need investigation. We have 20 people who will be there for a long time."
Activists are distributing footage purporting to show AL monitors taking cover as heavy fire rings out across Homms and being shown the corpse of a boy killed in the fighting on Wednesday.
Syria is receiving widespread condemnation for the way it has been dealing with civil unrest which has seen protesters taking to the streets to call for regime change.
In December the head of the UN, Ban Ki-moon called on others countries to intervene in Syria.
Dabi served as an army officer for 30 years as well as: head of military intelligence; head of the foreign intelligence agency; chief of military operations against South Sudan insurgency; ambassador to Qatar; Darfur region’s, point man for UNSC resolution 1591.
The intensification of AL rhetoric directed at Syria could pave the way for more affirmative action from the UN Security Council.
(ST)
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