Janjaweed chief named presidential advisor

A Sudanese militia leader accused of committing crimes against humanity and war crimes in Darfur has been appointed as special advisor to President Omar al-Bashir of Sudan, Human Rights Watch reported on Monday.
Musa Hilal is a "notorious" janjaweed militia leader and he and his men have perpetrated serious crimes, Richard Dicker, director of the International Justice Program at Human Rights Watch, said.

"Rewarding him with a special government post is a slap in the face to Darfur victims and to the U.N. Security Council," according to Dicker.

In April 2006, the U.N. Security Council imposed a travel ban and asset freezes against Hilal and in 2004 the U.S. State Department named him as "one of the six militia leaders alleged to be responsible for serious crimes in Darfur," Human Rights Watch reported.

For Dicker, his appointment as a presidential advisor is "a clear rejection and slap in the face at the international expectations, and at the same time it is a way in which the Sudanese government can measure the intensity of response from the international community." Read more >>>>>>>>>>>