Fact Sheet
Bureau of African Affairs
Washington, DC
August 8, 2003
Sudan: The Civilian Protection Monitoring Team PDF version
[Available in PDF format]
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The Government of Sudan (GOS) and the Sudan People’s Liberation Movement/Army (SPLM/A) signed an "Agreement to Protect Civilians from Military Attack" in March 2002. This agreement was the result of one of Special Envoy for Peace in Sudan Senator John Danforth’s "tests" of the parties’ will for peace. The agreement ultimately led to the creation of the U.S.-led Civilian Protection Monitoring Team (CPMT), tasked with monitoring and investigating attacks against civilians. | |
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Agreement to Protect Civilians
The “Agreement to Protect Civilians from Military Attack” provides, among other things, that the parties:
- Refrain from targeting or intentionally attacking non-combatant civilians;
- Refrain from endangering the safety of civilians by intentionally using them as ‘human shields’;
- Take all precautions feasible to avoid incidental loss of civilian life.
Organization and Funding
The team became fully operational in October 2002 and is now headed by U.S. Army Brigadier General Charles H. Baumann, a retired officer with extensive African and peace-keeping experience. While the funding for the CPMT comes primarily from the United States, international monitors and operations-support come through a contract with a private U.S. professional services company. CPMT operations are independent of the GOS and the SPLM. The CPMT is based in Khartoum and Rumbek. The team’s capacity is currently at some twenty monitors and three fixed-wing aircraft. |
Investigation of Allegations
The CPMT has received and investigated dozens of allegations of attacks against civilians. Though many allegations are unsubstantiated, a number of allegations have been substantiated, including:
Reports that a December 2002 / January 2003 GOS offensive in Western Upper Nile resulted in the abduction and death of civilians.
Reports that GOS soldiers along the oil road from Mirmir to Payak looted poles and thatching from civilian structures;
Reports that GOS soldiers from Rubkuai garrison gang-raped and killed a boy aged 14-15 years;
Reports that the SPLM/A seized a humanitarian convoy directed by a GOS state minister in May 2003;
Reports that the SPLM/A abducted 45 civilians from Todag in September 2002;
For further details on investigations, please see the CPMT web page.
Links
Civilian Protection Monitoring Team - http://www.cpmtsudan.org/
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