The Army and the RSF are accused of violations that could amount to war crimes and crimes against humanity
September 6 (EUROPA PRESS) –
A group of United Nations experts on Friday called for the deployment of “an independent and impartial force” to protect the population of Sudan from “horrible violations” of human rights in the context of the war between the army and the paramilitary Rapid Support Forces (RSF), some of which could amount to war crimes and crimes against humanity.
The UN Independent International Fact-Finding Mission has said in its first report that the warring parties have committed “a shocking array of horrific human rights violations and international crimes”, including indiscriminate and direct attacks on civilians, schools, hospitals and other critical infrastructure.
The head of the mission, Mohamed Chande Othman, stressed that “the seriousness of these findings underlines the need for urgent and immediate action to protect civilians.”
“Given the failure of the warring parties to avoid causing harm to civilians, it is imperative that an independent and impartial force with a mandate to protect civilians be deployed as soon as possible,” Othman said, according to a statement released by the Office of the United Nations High Commissioner for Human Rights.
“The protection of civilians is paramount and all parties must abide by their obligations under international law and immediately and unconditionally cease all attacks against civilians,” he reiterated.
The report alleges that the RSF and its allied militias have also committed rape, sexual slavery, looting, population displacement and recruited children under 15 to take part in hostilities, as well as pointing to their responsibility for attacks against non-Arab communities, particularly the Masalit, in Darfur, where murders, torture, rape and looting have been reported.
Investigators believe there are reasonable grounds to consider that the actions of the RSF and its allied militias amount to war crimes and crimes against humanity in the context of the war, which broke out in April 2023 and has left dozens of civilians dead and wounded, as well as nearly ten million displaced people – eight million internally and two million to other countries.
“The people of Sudan are suffering an unimaginable tragedy,” said Joy Ngozi Ezeilo, a member of the research team. “A sustainable ceasefire must be a priority to stop the fighting that is trapping civilians and to allow for the effective delivery of much-needed humanitarian aid to all those who need it, regardless of where they are.”
The document, drawn up following research carried out between January and August – including visits to Chad, Kenya and Uganda and interviews with more than 180 survivors, relatives and witnesses – also recommends an extension to the whole country of the arms embargo imposed by the UN Security Council in 2004 in the context of the conflict in Darfur.
“The findings should serve as a wake-up call to the international community to take decisive action to support survivors, their families and affected communities, and to hold those responsible to account,” said Mona Rishmawi, also a member of the commission of inquiry.
In this regard, he stressed that “a comprehensive approach to transitional justice is vital to address the root causes of the conflict and ensure accountability,” while Othman stressed that “the people of Sudan deserve a future marked by peace, prosperity and respect for human rights.”
Finally, Othman stressed that “the international community must support Sudan’s aspiration for an inclusive and representative civilian government that respects the rights of all citizens.” “This support is essential to promote a path towards equality, justice and sustainable peace in Sudan,” he added.
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