Sudan has appointed Musa Hilal, a man Washington accuses of coordinating Darfur's marauding militias, to a central government position, a move condemned by international human rights campaigners.Minister of Federal Affairs Abdel Basit Sabderat confirmed Hilal had been picked as his new adviser. The presidency had earlier denied the appointment. "Yes he is appointed ... adviser to the minister," Sabderat told Reuters, but gave no further details. Hilal is the leader of the Mahamied clan, part of the powerful Arab Rizeigat tribe in Darfur.
Hilal told Reuters he would be based in Khartoum, but said the post could require travel to outlying regions. The ministry coordinates regional administrations with central government.
Washington says Hilal is the coordinator of the Janjaweed militias accused of war crimes in Darfur. He denies atrocities and says he mobilised his tribesmen to defend their lands after a government call to "popular defense".
Human Rights Watch urged U.N. Secretary-General Ban Ki-Moon to press Sudan's President Omar Hassan al-Bashir to revoke the appointment and to investigate Hilal for crimes in Darfur. "Musa Hilal is the poster child for Janjaweed atrocities in Darfur," Richard Dicker, International Justice Programme director at Human Rights Watch, said in a statement. "Rewarding him with a special government post is a slap in the face to Darfur victims and to the U.N. Security Council," he added, noting that Hilal was subject to a U.N. travel ban for his role in Darfur.