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A Ukrainian weapons company has been shipping arms to rebels fighting in Sudan’s Western region of Darfur, according to a Russian newspaper.
February 16, 2010 (KHARTOUM) – A Ukrainian weapons company has been shipping arms to rebels fighting in Sudan’s Western region of Darfur, according to a Russian newspaper.
Vremya Novostei reported that according to the data that appeared in Kiev, Ukrainian company Ukrspetsexport supplied artillery systems and small arms with assistance of intermediaries through the territory of Eritrea.
The report if true would be a violation to UN Security Council (UNSC) resolution 1556 and 1591 adopted in 2004 and 2005 respectively which prohibited the sale or supply of arms and military equipment to all warring parties in Darfur.
A UN panel of experts revealed last year that an increasing portion of ammunition and military-adapted vehicles used by all parties to the conflict was produced within the past two to three years — after the arms embargo was imposed.
This demonstrates "an increasing rate of violation" of the embargo, it said.
The newspaper further said Sudanese government will receive this month 100 T-72M tanks from Ukrspetsexport. The latter is shipping the tanks to Port Sudan in accordance with a contract signed in 2009 worth $70 million.
A batch of Ukrainian small arms and ammunition, as well as anti-personnel mines and antitank mines was delivered to Government of South Sudan (GoSS) through a private company registered in an offshore zone, the report claims.
In 2008 Somali pirates hijacked a Ukrainian ship carrying 33 Soviet-era T-72 tanks plus other weapons. Its seizure drew international attention, not only for its military cargo, but for a regional row over the destination of the tanks.
Kenya said it had bought the tanks for its army but foreign diplomats said the arms were bound for south Sudan.
The small arms survey said in a report last year that militaries in north and south Sudan are engaged in an arms race that risks plunging the nation back into civil war ahead of elections and self determination referendum.
Southern officials accuse their former civil war foes from the north of arming rival tribal militia to destabilize their region before the election and referendum. Khartoum denies it.
Some 2 million people died and 4 million fled between 1983 and 2005 as the Muslim north and mostly Christian south fought over differences in ideology, ethnicity and religion.
The report said China and Iran continued to be the main source of weapons that were adding to turmoil in the country.
The Kanwa Defense Review Monthly magazine said last July that China sold Sudan an unknown number of WS-2 multi-launch rocket systems. This is the first time this system is exported by China to any country.
(ST)