The Office of the United Nations High Commissioner for Human Rights denounced this Saturday the killings by armed militias backed by the Rapid Support Forces against people trying to walk out of the city of El-Geneina, the capital of West Darfur, towards Adre, in Chad, fleeing the violence.
“El-Geneina has become uninhabitable. Essential infrastructure has been destroyed and the movement of humanitarian aid continues to be blocked”, said the spokeswoman for the Office.
Ravina Shamdasani explained that they have heard “terrifying” testimonies from people who have managed to escape and who have declared that the “Arab” militias are mainly targeting Adult men from the Masalit community.
The interviewees state that they have seen rotting corpses scattered by the way. “Several people spoke of dozens of bodies in an area known as Shukri, about 10 km from the Chadian border, where one or more of the Arab militias allegedly have a base,” the spokeswoman added.
Summary executions
Shamdasani expressed great concern over the killings and, on behalf of the Office of the High Commissioner, urged immediate action to stop them, adding that safe passage for people must be guaranteed and that Humanitarian agencies must be allowed access to collect the remains of the dead.
He explained that of 16 people interviewed so far, 14 testified to having witnessed summary executions and attacks against groups of civilians on the road between El-Geneina and the border. Some died for shot at point blank range after being ordered to lie on the ground and others fell when the militias opened fire on the crowd.
hate speech
The testimonies give an account of murders on June 15 and 16, but also last week. “We understand that the murders and other acts of violence continue and are accompanied by a persistent hate speech against masalit communityincluding calls to kill them and expel them from Sudan,” Shamdasani said.
Among other statements, a 37-year-old man said that of his group of 30 people fleeing towards the border with Chad, only 17 managed to cross. Some died after receiving shots from vehicles belonging to the Rapid Support Forces and “Arab” militia near the Chadian border, while others were summarily executed. Those who survived had their phones and money stolen by armed men shouting: “You are slaves, you are Nuba”.
Those responsible must be held accountable
He High Commissioner for Human Rights asked the leaders of the Rapid Support Forces to immediately and unequivocally condemn these actions and stop the killing of people fleeing El-Geneina and other acts of violence and hate speech based on ethnic issues.
“Those responsible for the murders and other acts of violence must be held accountable”, Shamdasani pointed out.
The Human Rights Office also called for the establishment without delay of a humanitarian corridor between Chad and El-Geneinaand a safe passage for civilians out of areas affected by hostilities.
