Sudan: Update to SDN24054.E of 12 July 1996 on whether recruits for the Popular Defense Force (PDF) volunteer or are forced to join; whether there is a draft age; consequences for failing to report for service in the PDF; and difference between service in the PDF and the regular army

In addition to the information on the Popular Defense Force (PDF) contained in SDN24054.E of 12 July 1996, training of PDF recruits also involves "patriotic and cultural education and ... religious indoctrination" (War Resisters' International 15 Sept. 1998, 263; Country Reports 1998 1999).

Several sources report that the Sudan military forces, including the PDF, forcibly recruit (ibid.; HRW 1998, 73; War Resisters' International 15 Sept. 1998, 263). Country Reports 1998 notes: "The Government officially requires that young men, typically of ages 17 to 19, must enter military service to be able to receive a certificate on leaving secondary school. Such a certificate is a requirement for entry into a university and the decree effectively broadened the conscription base" (1999).

Camps for vagrant children are also run by the government and "teenagers in the camps are often conscripted into the PDF" (ibid.). HRW also notes that people graduating from high school "were required to go to PDF camps for a two-month PDF training course before they could receive their certificate of graduation (necessary for university attendance and employment)" (1998, 73). War Resisters' International also claims that "those joining the PDF are urged, for religious reasons, to 'volunteer' for combat duty in the south" (15 Sept. 1998, 263).

War Resisters' International claims that "resistance against conscription seems to be growing, due to the ongoing civil war and the human rights violations which take place during forced recruitment" (ibid.). This claim is supported by HRW in its 1999 report:

The Sudan government's attempts to expand its armed forces and militia to a staggering 665,000 were set back by arbitrary conscription methods and brutality, and by rumors that draftees were poorly trained and disproportionately dying on the southern front.

In April 1998 over 50 conscripts were killed when attempting to escape from a training camp (Country Reports 1998 1999; HRW 1999, 76). However, War Resisters' International reported the shooting deaths of 55 escaping conscripts as occurring in May 1998 (15 Sept. 1998, 264), while HRW claims that more than 100 "were shot or drowned as they tried to escape" after soldiers shot into a crowd (1999, 76). HRW reports that the government claimed that "55 drowned in a 'boating accident'" (ibid.).

War Resisters' International states that avoiding military service is punishable by two to three year prison sentences (15 Sept. 1998, 264). However, quoting a September 1996 report by the Dutch section of Amnesty International:

Draft evasion and desertion seem to be widespread. In May 1995 the Ministry of Defence stated that since the introduction of the 1992 National Service Law only 26,000 conscripts (out of 2,500,000 liable) had reported for military service. Only about half of them had completed their military service.

Actually, military service seems to become increasingly popular due to the ongoing civil war, the brutality of forced recruitment and the risk of being sent to fight in the south of the country. The Ministry of Defence denies that conscripts are sent to serve in the south of the country but maintains they volunteer to do so.... (ibid.).

A 1993 report by the Dutch Ministry of Foreign Affairs says:

The government has devised several methods of monitoring draft evasion and desertion.

Those who respond to a call-up receive a booklet containing all details about military service, the date of call-up and completion of military service, and the possible reasons for postponement or exemption. ... (ibid.).

The Amnesty International report by the Dutch section states that:

the government turns to forced recruitment such as press-ganging. Evidently draft evaders and deserters may also be tracked down in this way and sent straight into the armed forces.

Not much is known about the punishment of draft evaders and deserters. According to one source, deserters, and those helping deserters, risk detention, ill-treatment and torture; those who have left the country and avoided military service risk interrogation and detention on return. Being sent to the war areas in the south might also be a possible punishment for draft evaders and deserters (ibid.).

In addition to the above, there are numerous other references to PDF members being sent into active duty in the south (The American Spectator Feb. 1997; Washington Post 7 July and 2 Aug. 1998; Time 27 July 1998).

This Response was prepared after researching publicly accessible information currently available to the Research Directorate within time constraints. This Response is not, and does not purport to be, conclusive as to the merit of any particular claim to refugee status or asylum.

References

The American Spectator [Arlington, Virginia]. February 1997. David Aikman. "Slavery in Our Time." [Internet] [Accessed 24 Mar. 1999]

Country Reports on Human Rights Practices for 1998. 1999. United States Department of State. Washington, DC. [Internet] [Accessed 25 Mar. 1999]

Human Rights Watch (HRW). 1999. World Report 1999. New York, NY: Human Rights Watch.

_____. 1998. World Report 1998. New York, NY: Human Rights Watch.

Time 27 July 1998. Bruce W. Nelan. "Why is This Happening Again?" [Internet] [Accessed 24 Mar. 1999]

War Resisters' International. 15 September 1998. "Refusing to Bear Arms: Sudan." London: War Resisters International.

The Washington Post. 2 August 1998. Francis M. Deng. "...And Ending its Cruel War." [Internet] [Accessed 24 Mar. 1999]

_____. 7 July 1998. Karl Vick. "Sudan's Famine Overwhelms Aid Effort." [Internet] [Accessed 24 Mar. 1999]