Bekele issued the call on July 27 after the expiration of the UN
peace-keeping mandate in Sudan. The mandate expired when southern Sudan
formally seceded from the Khartoum regime, said to be active in South
Kordofan, where fighting between Nuba militias and the northern army has
been raging for nearly two months.
"The [UN] Security Council should send a strong message now that those
responsible for these violations will be held accountable," Bekele said.
South Kordofan Gov. Ahmed Harun, himself wanted for war crimes by the
International Criminal Court, acknowledged heavy fighting in his province.
But Harun said the conflict was not an ethnic one, and that his government
was
cooperating with international agencies.
HRW disputed Harun's assertion. In a statement, the human rights group
said Sudan was blocking road and air access to South Kordofan and that
scores of civilians were being killed and more than 150,000 displaced by
Khartoum's air strikes.
"In addition, its bombing campaign has destroyed or damaged airstrips,
preventing humanitarian aid from reaching displaced people in the Nuba
mountains," HRW said. "With no eyes and ears on the ground, the Sudanese
government may believe it can continue this brutal campaign with total
impunity."