Khartoum- Sudanese Interior Minister Khalil Pasha Sairin revealed in an exclusive interview with Al Jazeera Net that there are more than a million refugees from neighboring countries in Sudan despite the war conditions.
He said that the estimates of the Sudanese authorities and international organizations working in the field of migration and humanitarian aid settled on 8.2 million internally displaced people from the states affected by the war to the safe states, and 2.2 million Sudanese who took refuge in neighboring countries and other countries.
He described the international response to the humanitarian crisis in Sudan from the beginning of the war until now as very weak, as recognized by all relevant international organizations, and stressed that there is politicization of development support for Sudan.
He pointed out that freezing development support from all countries and organizations is negative, resulting in a deepening of the humanitarian crisis and an increase in the rate of internal displacement and asylum outside Sudan. He explained that the actual need for support during the year 2024 amounted to 4 billion US dollars.
He said that the return of some Sudanese refugees from neighboring countries and from Egypt in particular is a very positive indicator, and reflects a very high degree of reassurance about the situation in Sudan, especially in the areas that have become safe after the recent victories of the armed forces and other regular forces.
It is expected that the rates and pace of return of Sudanese refugees will increase as the circle of liberated and safe areas expands.
The Sudanese Minister of the Interior denied that there had been a decline in the contribution of the Central Reserve Forces to military operations and support of the armed forces, and confirmed their presence in all combat axes in all states witnessing combat operations.
The Sudanese Central Reserve Forces are police forces that were established in 1974 with the aim of maintaining security, resolving tribal disputes, and confronting riots.
Below is the text of the dialogue:
-
You recently addressed the effectiveness of the regional refugee crisis in Sudan and its neighboring countries in Geneva. How do you see the international response to the humanitarian crisis in Sudan after a year and a half of war?
The international response to the humanitarian crisis in Sudan since the beginning of the war until now is very weak, as recognized by all relevant international organizations. We referred to this in all of Sudan’s statements before the participants in the 75th annual meeting of the Executive Committee of the Program of the High Commissioner for Refugees, which was held from 14 to 18 October 2024 in Geneva, Switzerland, at the United Nations headquarters.
-
In your opinion, what is the impact of freezing development support from governments and the European Union to Sudan?
The impact of freezing development support from all countries and organizations is negative, and will result in a deepening of the humanitarian crisis, an increase in the rate of internal displacement, and perhaps asylum outside Sudan if the situation continues without change.
We see that there is a politicization of development support, so we called in our speeches before the participants in the annual meeting of the United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees not to politicize humanitarian aid and development support, and that political solutions to the crisis and war in Sudan be searched through other platforms, not the platforms of humanitarian organizations.
-
How much support does the Sudanese government need to reduce the humanitarian crisis and the influx of Sudanese refugees abroad?
Based on the results of field visits conducted by the High Commissioner for Refugees twice to Sudan during this year, and to neighboring countries hosting a large number of Sudanese refugees, the actual need for support during the year 2024 was estimated at 4 billion US dollars.
-
Are there still refugees in Sudan from other countries, despite the fact that millions of its people have sought refuge abroad due to the war? What are their numbers?
There are still significant numbers of refugees from neighboring and non-neighboring countries in Sudan despite the war conditions. The reason is that the majority of refugees were originally located in states that were not affected by the war, such as the states of White Nile, Kassala, Gedaref, Red Sea, River Nile, Northern, Sennar and Blue Nile. There are still more than a million refugees from other countries in Sudan.
-
Is it true that many refugees sided with the Rapid Support in the fighting?
The foreigners who joined the ranks of the Rapid Support Militia and participated in the fight against the army and the Sudanese people who hosted and honored them are not all refugees. Some of them are ordinary foreigners who do not meet the status of refugees.
Although their numbers are not large, this position contradicts the foundations, standards and provisions of international agreements that regulate the rights and duties of refugees.
If we have Sudanese citizens who have stripped of their patriotism and joined the ranks of the rebel militia, what do we expect from a foreign refugee in the face of the financial temptations offered to them by this rebel militia?
-
There is statistical controversy and disagreement regarding the numbers of displaced people and refugees as a result of the war in Sudan. What are your official estimates?
Statistics and figures on internal displacement, Sudanese asylum in neighboring countries, and foreign refugees in Sudan will remain unstable due to the continuation of the war and the weakness of the humanitarian aid provided to these three groups.
However, estimates by the Sudanese authorities and international organizations working in the field of migration and humanitarian aid have settled on 8.2 million internally displaced people from the states affected by the war to the safe states, 2.2 million Sudanese who have taken refuge in neighboring countries and other countries, and more than a million foreign refugees who are still in Sudan.
-
After a year and a half of war, do you see that the number of refugees is likely to increase or decline?
In my opinion, the increase or decrease in the number of refugees is governed by two factors: the continuation of the war and the weakness of the humanitarian aid provided to the refugees. As the area and area of the areas liberated from the militia expands and the distribution of necessary and developmental needs increases, the numbers will decrease and decline.
You saw waves of voluntary return of Sudanese refugees from Egypt as soon as Bahri locality was liberated and the Kadru region and its environs were declared free of rebellion.
-
Is it true that the Sudanese government blames some neighboring countries that received millions of their nationals earlier, for imposing high fees on the Sudanese who took refuge there because of the war?
Every sovereign state has the right and authority to implement its laws and regulations regulating the rights and duties of foreign refugees. Accordingly, there is no reason for reproach or protest as long as these procedures and fees do not violate the provisions of international agreements in the field of asylum and migration.
-
How do you view the beginning of the return of some refugees from neighboring countries, and from Egypt in particular, and do you expect the reverse return of Sudanese refugees to continue?
In my estimation, the return of some Sudanese refugees from neighboring countries and from Egypt in particular is a very positive indicator and reflects a very high degree of reassurance about the situation in Sudan, especially in the localities that have become safe after the victories supported by the armed forces and all regular forces in Omdurman locality and Bahri locality.
We expect that the rates and pace of return of Sudanese refugees will increase as the circle of liberated and safe areas and human dignity in their homeland expands.
-
What is the role of the police in securing areas under the control of the army in light of fears of murder and looting?
Securing areas that are liberated from the presence of the rebel militia is one of the tasks and powers of the legal and national police. There are permanent directives from the Ministry of the Interior within the framework of the priorities of the Ministry’s action plan during the war to support the police to provide security and public order and combat any manifestations of crimes against people and property.
Now the police have opened all the departments in Omdurman locality, and as soon as the Kadro area was liberated, the police went to the Halfaya and Drushab departments. I personally visited Khartoum State two weeks ago and inspected the armed forces and police forces in the Kadro area.
-
Why do we no longer see the Central Reserve Forces that participated in combat operations alongside the army at the beginning of the war? Has the deployment of these forces been withdrawn?
There has been no decline in the contribution of the Central Reserve Forces to military operations and support of the armed forces, and they are present in all the fighting axes in Khartoum State, the Al-Faw, Sennar, Al-Manaqil and White Nile axes.
Yesterday, the Commander-in-Chief of the Armed Forces, Lieutenant General Abdel Fattah Al-Burhan, Chairman of the Sovereignty Council, visited the Central Reserve Forces in the River Nile State, accompanied by the Director of the State Police, within the framework of the Dignity Brigade.
-
What are the challenges that stand as an obstacle to the deployment of reserve forces that have combat experience?
There are no major challenges standing in the way of the deployment of the Central Reserve Forces, as they are present on the ground and deployed in all the states witnessing combat operations, and they participate in all the joint forces that include the armed forces, the Operations Authority, and the joint forces of the armed struggle movements. It only needs to improve the level of armament and provide a sufficient number of combat vehicles and troop transport vehicles.
Source: Al Jazeera
#Sudanese #Minister #Interior #reveals #dimensions #humanitarian #crisis #role #police #forces #battles
Interview with Khalil Pasha Sairin, Sudanese Interior Minister
Editor: Thank you for joining us, Minister Sairin. You recently spoke at the UN’s High Commissioner for Refugees meeting in Geneva about the ongoing humanitarian crisis in Sudan. Can you elaborate on the international response you’ve observed?
Sairin: Thank you for having me. The international response to the humanitarian crisis in Sudan since the onset of the war has been quite weak, a fact acknowledged by various international organizations. This lack of robust support exacerbates the situation for both internally displaced Sudanese and the refugees arriving from neighboring countries.
Editor: You mentioned the impact of frozen development support from various governments and the EU. Can you describe how this has affected the situation on the ground?
Sairin: The freezing of development support has had detrimental effects, deepening the humanitarian crisis and increasing both internal displacements and asylum attempts outside Sudan. We call for humanitarian aid not to be politicized; the focus should be on alleviating human suffering rather than negotiating political solutions through humanitarian platforms.
Editor: How much financial support do you believe your government requires in 2024 to confront the humanitarian crisis?
Sairin: Based on assessments carried out by the High Commissioner for Refugees, we’ve determined that we need approximately 4 billion US dollars in support to adequately address the crisis and mitigate refugee outflows.
Editor: Given the current military conflict, do you still see a significant number of foreign refugees in Sudan? What are the current statistics?
Sairin: Yes, despite the ongoing conflict, we have over a million refugees from various countries residing within Sudan’s safer states. Most of these individuals were originally in regions that were not directly affected by the war.
Editor: There are reports of some foreigners joining local militias. What’s your stance on this?
Sairin: It’s important to note that not all individuals joining these militias are refugees; some are simply foreign nationals lacking refugee status. Such actions contradict the principles enshrined in international agreements related to the rights and duties of refugees.
Editor: What are your official estimates regarding the number of internally displaced people and those seeking refuge abroad?
Sairin: Current estimates indicate there are approximately 8.2 million internally displaced persons within Sudan and about 2.2 million Sudanese who have sought refuge in nearby countries amidst the conflict.
Editor: Looking ahead, do you anticipate more refugees will return to Sudan, or will the numbers continue to rise?
Sairin: The trends depend largely on the conditions of safety and the availability of humanitarian aid. If we continue to regain control of areas and provide essential services, I believe we will see an increase in return migrations, as seen with the recent returns from Egypt following territorial recoveries.
Editor: how is the Sudanese government reacting to the financial policies enforced by neighboring countries on Sudanese refugees?
Sairin: Every country has sovereign rights to implement its laws regarding refugees. As long as their regulations are within the bounds of international agreements, we respect their authority.
Editor: Thank you, Minister Sairin, for sharing your insights. Your perspectives are crucial in understanding the ongoing situation in Sudan.
Sairin: Thank you for having me. It’s essential to keep this dialogue open.
Sairin: Official estimates indicate that we have 8.2 million internally displaced persons due to the war, alongside 2.2 million Sudanese who have sought refuge in neighboring and other countries. In addition, we have more than a million foreign refugees currently residing in Sudan. These numbers reflect the instability and the ongoing humanitarian challenges we are facing.
Editor: Considering the one-and-a-half-year duration of the conflict, do you foresee an increase or decrease in refugee numbers in the near future?
Sairin: The fluctuation in refugee numbers largely depends on two factors: the continuation of the conflict and the belated support from humanitarian aid. However, we’re beginning to see some positive signs, particularly regarding the voluntary return of Sudanese refugees from countries like Egypt. As more areas are liberated and the situation stabilizes, I believe we could witness a decline in the refugee numbers.
Editor: Recently, some Sudanese refugees returned from Egypt. Do you see this as an encouraging trend?
Sairin: Absolutely. The return of Sudanese refugees from neighboring countries is a very positive development, reflecting increased confidence in the safety of certain regions, especially those newly liberated by our armed forces. We anticipate that as the secured areas expand, more refugees will feel assured enough to return home.
Editor: One last question, Minister Sairin. How is the Sudanese police force working to ensure safety and order in these newly liberated areas amidst ongoing threats?
Sairin: The role of the police is crucial in securing liberated areas and restoring public order. We have issued directives prioritizing police support in these regions, ensuring that security is provided to combat crime and protect the local population. I have personally visited many of these areas to inspect and ensure that our forces are adequately addressing the needs of the communities.
Editor: Thank you, Minister Sairin, for your insightful remarks on this complex topic. We hope for a swift resolution to the humanitarian crisis in Sudan.
Sairin: Thank you for having me; the situation is critical, and timely international support is essential for alleviating the suffering of our people.
