Arms Sales to Sudan, 2004-2006 – Category 1: Direct Providers

Countries: A-R

The countries in this category voluntarily reported to official databases that they sold arms to Sudan since 2004. When Human Rights First requested clarification of the information, these countries failed to respond, with the exception of Cyprus.

Navigation:

Belarus

Belarus transferred forty-one armored combat vehicles (ACV) to Sudan since 2004, according to its report to the U.N. Register of Conventional Arms. Belarus names Russia as the country of origin of the ACVs, which were then re-exported to Sudan. Two of the Russian ACVs transferred in 2007 were modernized in Belarus before being sent on to Sudan. Belarus also exported twelve fighter jets to Sudan in 2008 which were reportedly of Russian origin. A representative of the Mission of Belarus to the U.N. claimed that the government was investigating the figures, however, they have not provided a response.

Source	Year of export	Weapon Types	Trade Value or # of Items
UN RoCA	2004	BMP-1 armoured combat vehicles	1
		BRDM-2 armoured combat vehicles	21
		BTR-80 armoured combat vehicles	7
		BTR-70 armoured combat vehicles	10
	2007	BTR-70 armoured combat vehicles	2
		Total	41
Other	2008	MiG-29 fighter-jets	12
		Total:	12

Navigation:

China

China self-reported over $700,000 worth of direct arms sales to Sudan since 2004 while Sudan reported having received almost $55 million worth of weaponry of Chinese origin. It is not certain that all of these weapons were transferred directly from China to Sudan, but whatever their route, $55 million worth of Chinese arms reportedly entered Sudan since 2004. Given the close economic ties and extensive military cooperation between the two countries, it is likely that China knowingly shipped a significant proportion of these arms to Sudan. Observers on the ground in Darfur have reported seeing Chinese weaponry, including grenade launchers and ammunition for assault rifles and heavy machine guns. Television footage from a military parade celebrating Sudan’s 52nd Independence Day in 2007 showed that Sudan had late-model battle tanks, infantry fighting vehicles, and military trainers from China. Sudan also reported to be in negotiations with China for the purchase of 12 Chinese FC1 Fighter aircraft.

Source	Year of export	Weapon Types (nes=not elsewhere specified)	Trade Value or # of Items
Comtrade – Sudan	2004	Tanks and other armoured fighting vehicles	$3,061,414
		Military weapons, other than hand guns, swords, etc	$1,015,973
		Military weapons, other than hand guns, swords, etc	$3,288,973
		Revolvers and pistols	$172,543
		Parts and accessories nes of weapons, nes	$3,798,843
		Munitions of war, ammunition/projectiles and parts	$16,321
	2005	Tanks and other armoured fighting vehicles	$7,094,565
		Telescopes for arms/other equipment, periscopes	$6,980
		Military weapons, other than hand guns, swords, etc	$11,153,406
		Arms nes, (spring, air or gas guns, truncheons, etc)	$45,495
		Parts and accessories nes of weapons, nes	$11,862,354
		Air gun pellets, parts of shotgun cartridges	$1,128,848
		Munitions of war, ammunition/projectiles and parts	$277,163
		Swords, cutlasses, bayonets, lances, scabbards, etc	$156,823
	2006	Tanks and other armoured fighting vehicles	$188
		Telescopes for arms/other equipment, periscopes	$45,885
		Military weapons, other than hand guns, swords, etc	$9,106,323
		Revolvers and pistols	$437,911
		Arms nes, (spring, air or gas guns, truncheons, etc)	$1,080,280
		Parts and accessories nes of weapons, nes	$2,007
		Air gun pellets, parts of shotgun cartridges	$915,329
		Swords, cutlasses, bayonets, lances, scabbards, etc	$1,092
		Total	$54,668,716
Comtrade – Self	2004	Telescopes for arms/other equipment, periscopes	$200
		Rifles, sporting, hunting or target-shooting, nes	$10,245
		Parts and accessories nes of weapons, nes	$166,000
	2005	Swords, cutlasses, bayonets, lances, scabbards, etc	$26,176
		Arms nes, (spring, air or gas guns, truncheons, etc)	$392,374
		Telescopes for arms/other equipment, periscopes	$10,741
	2006	Shotgun barrels	$5,214
		Arms nes, (spring, air or gas guns, truncheons, etc)	$91,552
		Rifles, sporting, hunting or target-shooting, nes	$33,370
		Total	$735,872
Other	2005	Military cooperation package, including two A-5 attackers, T-92 infantry fighting vehicles, T-96 main battle tanks, FN-6 portable ground-to-air missiles and six K-8 flight simulators	$80,000,000
		Dongfeng Military trucks of model EQ2100E6D and EQ1093F6D	222
	2006	K8 flight simulators	6
		Total (value)	at least $80,000,000
		Total (items)	Unknown

Navigation:

Cyprus

Cyprus self-reported a large amount of arms transfers to Sudan, while Sudan reported a smaller amount. The Permanent Mission of Cyprus to the U.N. explained that the items exported were “hunting and sporting rifles, their accessories and their ammunition” and stated that in April 2008, Cyprus amended its domestic legislation to include a prohibition on exports of sporting and hunting weapons to Sudan.

Source	Year of export	Weapon Types (nes=not elsewhere specified)	Trade Value or # of Items
Comtrade – Sudan	2004	Shotguns, shotgun-rifles for sport, hunting or target	$2,902
		Arms nes, (spring, air or gas guns, truncheons, etc)	$1,008
		Cartridges, shotgun	$1,913
	2005	Muzzle-loading firearms	$3,196
		Arms nes, (spring, air or gas guns, truncheons, etc)	$3,313
	2006	Arms nes, (spring, air or gas guns, truncheons, etc)	$203
		Cartridges for rivet etc tools, humane killers, etc	$2,500
		Cartridges, shotgun	$13,460
		Total	$22,904
Comtrade – Self	2004	Bombs, grenades, mines, missiles, ammunition, etc	$25,969
		Cartridges, shotgun	$25,969
	2005	Cartridges, shotgun	$25,301
		Arms nes, (spring, air or gas guns, truncheons, etc)	$622
		Signal pistols, etc, humane killers, etc	$1,398
		Shotguns, shotgun-rifles for sport, hunting or target	$5,740
	2006	Cartridges, shotgun	$46,194
		Shotguns, shotgun-rifles for sport, hunting or target	$1,366
		Total	$132,559
Eurostat	2004	Bombs, grenades, torpedoes, mines, missiles, cartridges and other ammo or projectiles or parts thereof	€ 20,779
	2005	Bombs, grenades, torpedoes, mines, missiles, cartridges and other ammo or projectiles or parts thereof	€ 20,366
	2006	Bombs, grenades, torpedoes, mines, missiles, cartridges and other ammo or projectiles or parts thereof	€ 36,886
		Total	€ 78,031

Navigation:

India

India self-reported exports of tanks worth over $200,000 to Sudan in 2006, while Sudan reported receiving Indian-made tanks valued at more than $1.5 million. In addition, independent reports suggest that Bharat Electronics Ltd, an Indian military technology firm, entered into contracts with the Sudanese government for over $16 million worth of communications equipment and 10 battlefield radar systems. Though it is not clear whether or not these items have been delivered to Sudan, the agreement in itself is counter to the spirit of the Darfur arms embargo.

Source	Year of export	Weapon Types (nes=not elsewhere specified)	Trade Value or # of Items
Comtrade – Sudan	2005	Tanks and other armoured fighting vehicles	$1,539,607
		Total	$1,539,607
Comtrade – Self	2006	Tanks and other armoured fighting vehicles	$222,049
		Cartridges nes, parts thereof	$193
		Total	$222,242
Other	2005	Battlefield surveillance radar	10
		Communication and night vision equipment	$16,820,000
		Total (value)	$16,820,000
		Total (items)	at least 10

Navigation:

Iran

Iran self-reported that it exported over $12 million worth of weapons to Sudan since 2004. The majority of the transfer, almost $8 million, consisted of armored fighting vehicles. Iran also sent $1.2 million worth of military weapons and almost $3 million in ammunition. Iran is one of the few countries that self-reported a higher value of weapons sales than the amount reported by Sudan, suggesting that it makes no attempt to disguise its exports to Sudan. In 2008, a rebel group in Darfur claimed to have shot down an Iranian unmanned aerial surveillance vehicle in use by the Sudanese government. Iran and Sudan entered into a military cooperation agreement earlier in 2008 to strengthen their military ties.

Source	Year of export	Weapon Types	Trade Value or # of Items
Comtrade – Sudan	2004	Tanks and other armoured fighting vehicles	$154,257
		Shotgun barrels	$158,581
		Military weapons, other than hand guns, swords, etc	$929,838
	2005	Tanks and other armoured fighting vehicles	$988,081
		Military weapons, other than hand guns, swords, etc	$452,069
		Air gun pellets, parts of shotgun cartridges	$207,031
	2006	Tanks and other armoured fighting vehicles	$2,888,477
		Military weapons, other than hand guns, swords, etc	$183,247
		Total	$5,961,581
Comtrade – Self	2004	Tanks and other armored fighting vehicles	$7,799,146
		Military weapons, other than hand guns, swords, etc	$1,206,597
		Shotgun barrels	$48,197
		Cartridges, shotgun	$209,284
		Air gun pellets, parts of shotgun cartridges	$18,595
		Munitions of war, ammunition/projectiles and parts	$2,988,499
		Total	$12,270,318
Other	2006	Rakhsh and WZ-501 armored vehicles	$2,000,000
		Total	$2,000,000

Navigation:

Kenya

Kenya’s self-reported arms exports to Sudan totaled over $30,000 since 2004. Over 50% of the transfers were armored combat vehicles or parts for ACVs. Since Sudan did not report receiving any weapons of Kenyan origin, Kenya’s reported transfers must reflect the value of weapons manufactured in other countries re-exported by Kenya to Sudan.

Source	Year of export	Weapon Types (nes=not elsewhere specified)	Trade Value or # of Items
Comtrade – Self	2004	Tanks and other armoured fighting vehicles	$5,554
	2005	Swords, cutlasses, bayonets, lances, scabbards, etc	$24
		Munitions of war, ammunition/projectiles and parts	$8
		Cartridges nes, parts thereof	$415
		Cartridges for rivet etc tools, humane killers, etc	$45
		Shotguns, shotgun-rifles for sport, hunting or target	$69
		Muzzle-loading firearms	$19
	2006	Parts and accessories nes of weapons, nes	$7,068
		Tanks and other armoured fighting vehicles	$17,082
		Cartridges nes, parts thereof	$683
		Arms nes, (spring, air or gas guns, truncheons, etc)	$839
		Telescopes for arms/other equipment, periscopes	$417
		Total	$32,223

Navigation:

Russia

In U.N. RoCA, Russia reported transferring thirty-three military aircraft to Sudan since 2004. In the Comtrade database, Russia self-reported only $5,567 in arms sales to Sudan. However, that figure does not include sales of aircraft – Russia reported higher figures in various aircraft categories, but since the categories do not distinguish between military and civilian aircraft, these figures have not been included in this study. Independent media reports confirm Russia has transfered combat aircraft to Sudan. Russian pilots reportedly operate MiG-29 fighters in Darfur and the Sudan Air Force has used Russian Mi-24 helicopter gunships in attacks on civilian areas.

Source	Year of export	Weapon Types	Trade Value or # of Items
Comtrade – Sudan	2004	Military weapons, other than hand guns, swords, etc	$182,875
		Total	$182,875
Comtrade – Self	2006	Telescopes for arms/other equipment, periscopes	$5,567
		Total	$5,567
UN RoCA	2004	Combat Aircraft	9
		Attack helicopters	4
	2005	Attack helicopters	12
	2006	Attack helicopters	4
	2007	Attack helicopters	4
		Total	33
Other	2004	MiG-29SE fighters	10
		MiG-29UB trainers	2
	2008	Training, advisers and pilots for MiG-29 fighter-jets ¹¹
		Total (items)	at least 12

Navigation:

The tables above contain information on exports of arms and related military material to Sudan since 2004, the year the United Nations arms embargo was first imposed in relation to the Darfur conflict. Total amounts for the period are given, as reported to each database. Information for 2007 and 2008 is included where available. The databases used in this enquiry were:

Comtrade – Sudan	United Nations Commodity Trade Statistics database, commodity export and import information reported by Sudan.
Comtrade – Self	United Nations Commodity Trade Statistics database, commodity export and import information self-reported by country.
UN RoCA	United Nations Register on Conventional Arms database, information self-reported by country.
Eurostat	Statistical database of the European Union, information self-reported by country.
Other	Media reports, other publicly reported information.

CRIMES AGAINST HUMANITY»

OUR WORK