Sudan – The UN fact-finding mission in Sudan reported on Friday that both sides in the conflict have committed “horrific human rights violations that may amount to war crimes,” calling on the Sudanese authorities to cooperate with the International Criminal Court.
The UN mission explained in a report that the Rapid Support Forces launched ethnically motivated attacks in the Darfur region, and that “both sides in the fighting practiced arbitrary arrests, torture and sexual violence,” in addition to indiscriminate attacks, air strikes and shelling against civilians, schools, hospitals, communications networks, water and electricity supplies.
The mission called on the Sudanese army and the Rapid Support Forces to immediately and unconditionally stop attacks against civilians, and recommended the deployment of an independent and neutral force to protect the population, while there was no immediate comment from the relevant Sudanese authorities on what was stated in the UN report.
The head of the fact-finding mission in Sudan, Mohamed Chandi Osman, said, “The seriousness of these results confirms the need for urgent and immediate action to protect civilians,” according to what was reported by the Anadolu Agency from the same report.
“Given the failure of the warring parties to protect civilians, it is imperative that an independent and impartial force with a mandate to protect civilians be deployed without delay,” he added, stressing that protecting civilians is of utmost importance, calling on the parties to the conflict to abide by international humanitarian law.
The report also found reason to believe that “the Rapid Support Forces and allied militias committed additional war crimes, including rape and pillage, as well as ordering the displacement of the civilian population and recruiting children under the age of 15 into hostilities.”
The report, which the Human Rights Council tasked the fact-finding mission with preparing when it was established in October 2023, was based on investigations conducted between January and August 2024.
These investigations included visits to Chad, Kenya and Uganda, direct testimony from 182 survivors, family members and eyewitnesses, extensive consultations with experts and members of civil society, and corroboration and analysis of additional information provided to the Mission.
The report recommended expanding the arms embargo in Darfur under UN Security Council Resolution 1556 of 2004 and subsequent resolutions to include all parts of Sudan to stop the supply of weapons, ammunition and other logistical or financial support to the warring parties and prevent further escalation.
Since last Monday, violent clashes between the Sudanese army and the Rapid Support Forces have escalated in the capital, Khartoum, after decreasing in intensity over the past few weeks.
Since mid-April 2023, the Sudanese army and the Rapid Support Forces have been engaged in clashes that have left about 18,800 dead and nearly 10 million displaced and refugees, according to the United Nations.
This is accompanied by escalating international and UN calls to end the war in order to spare Sudan a humanitarian catastrophe that has pushed millions into famine due to food shortages caused by the fighting that has spread to 13 of the 18 states.
Source: Al Jazeera + Anadolu
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2024-09-07 15:13:17
**PAA Questions for the Title: Sudan: UN Reports Horrific Human Rights Violations and War Crimes**
Table of Contents
Sudan: UN Reports Horrific Human Rights Violations and War Crimes
The United Nations fact-finding mission in Sudan has released a shocking report, revealing that both sides in the ongoing conflict have committed ”horrific human rights violations that may amount to war crimes.” The report highlights the devastating consequences of the conflict, including indiscriminate attacks, arbitrary arrests, torture, sexual violence, and ethnic cleansing.
Ethnically Motivated Attacks and War Crimes
According to the report, the Rapid Support Forces (RSF) have launched ethnically motivated attacks in the Darfur region, targeting civilians and committing war crimes such as rape, pillage, and forced displacement of civilians. The report also accuses the RSF of recruiting children under the age of 15 into hostilities [[1]].
Indiscriminate Attacks and Shelling
Both sides in the conflict have been accused of launching indiscriminate attacks, air strikes, and shelling against civilians, schools, hospitals, communications networks, water, and electricity supplies. These attacks have resulted in mass casualty incidents, hospital attacks, and massacres, with reports of ethnic cleansing and war crimes committed during the Sudanese civil war [[1]].
Calls for Independent Force and International Cooperation
The UN mission has called on the Sudanese army and the Rapid Support Forces to immediately and unconditionally stop attacks against civilians. The report recommends the deployment of an independent and neutral force to protect the population, emphasizing the need for urgent action to protect civilians [[3]].
International Community Urged to Act
The report’s findings echo concerns raised by human rights organizations, including Human Rights Watch, which has documented crimes against humanity and war crimes committed by the Sudanese government forces and allied militias since 2003 [[2]].
Expanding Arms Embargo
The report recommends expanding the arms embargo in Darfur under UN Security Council Resolution 1556 of 2004 and subsequent resolutions to include all parts of Sudan. This aims to stop the supply of weapons, ammunition, and other logistical or financial support to the warring parties, preventing further escalation of the conflict.
Conclusion
The UN report paints a dire picture of the humanitarian crisis in Sudan, with both sides in the conflict responsible for horrific human rights violations and war crimes. It is imperative that the international community acts swiftly to deploy an independent and impartial force to protect civilians and holds those responsible for these atrocities accountable.
References:
[1] War crimes during the Sudanese civil war (2023–present) – Wikipedia
<a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/WarcrimesduringtheSudanesecivilwar(2023%E2%80%93present)”>https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/WarcrimesduringtheSudanesecivilwar(2023%E2%80%93present)
[2] Q&A: War Crimes, Crimes Against Humanity, Ethnic Cleansing in West Darfur - Human Rights Watch
[3] UN says both Sudan sides committed rights abuses, calls for impartial force – VOA News
https://www.voanews.com/a/impartial-force-must-be-deployed-to-sudan-un-experts/7773751.html
Note: The current date is 2024-09-07.
What specific measures does the UN recommend for the deployment of an independent and impartial force in Sudan to protect civilians and prevent further escalation of the conflict?
Sudan: UN Reports Horrific Human Rights Violations, Recommends Deploying Neutral Force
The United Nations fact-finding mission in Sudan has reported that both sides in the conflict have committed “horrific human rights violations that may amount to war crimes,” calling on the Sudanese authorities to cooperate with the International Criminal Court. The mission’s report, released on Friday, paints a dire picture of the situation in Sudan, where violent clashes between the Sudanese army and the Rapid Support Forces have escalated in the capital, Khartoum, and other parts of the country.
Ethnically Motivated Attacks and Human Rights Abuses
The report reveals that the Rapid Support Forces launched ethnically motivated attacks in the Darfur region, and that both sides in the fighting practiced arbitrary arrests, torture, and sexual violence. Indiscriminate attacks, air strikes, and shelling against civilians, schools, hospitals, communications networks, water, and electricity supplies have also been reported. The mission has called on the Sudanese army and the Rapid Support Forces to immediately and unconditionally stop attacks against civilians.
Call for Independent and Impartial Force
The head of the fact-finding mission in Sudan, Mohamed Chandi Osman, stressed that protecting civilians is of utmost importance, calling on the parties to the conflict to abide by international humanitarian law. The report recommends the deployment of an independent and impartial force with a mandate to protect civilians, emphasizing that such a force is imperative to prevent further escalation of the conflict.
War Crimes and Human Rights Violations
The report found reason to believe that the Rapid Support Forces and allied militias committed additional war crimes, including rape, pillage, ordering the displacement of the civilian population, and recruiting children under the age of 15 into hostilities. The report is based on investigations conducted between January and August 2024, which included visits to Chad, Kenya, and Uganda, direct testimony from 182 survivors, family members, and eyewitnesses, and extensive consultations with experts and members of civil society.
Escalating Humanitarian Crisis
The situation in Sudan has led to a humanitarian catastrophe, with millions pushed into famine due to food shortages caused by the fighting that has spread to 13 of the 18 states. The United Nations has reported that since mid-April 2023, the Sudanese army and the Rapid Support Forces have been engaged in clashes that have left about 18,800 dead and nearly 10 million displaced and refugees.
International Calls to End the War
The international community, including the United Nations, has been calling on the warring parties to end the war and spare Sudan from further humanitarian catastrophe. UN experts have called for an “independent and impartial force” to be deployed in Sudan, along with the widening of an arms embargo to prevent further escalation of the conflict [[1]]. The UN Fact-Finding Mission has also outlined extensive human rights violations, international crimes, and urged protection of civilians [[2]].
The United Nations in Sudan
The United Nations has been working closely with national and international partners to promote sustainable development, peace, and human rights in Sudan [[3]]. However, the ongoing conflict has hindered these efforts, and the deployment of an independent and impartial force is seen as a crucial step towards protecting civilians and ending the war.
the situation in Sudan is dire, and the international community must act swiftly to protect civilians and end the war. The deployment of an independent and impartial force, along with the widening of an arms embargo, is crucial to preventing further escalation of the conflict and sparing Sudan from further humanitarian catastrophe.
