Sudanese army accepts US invitation to new round of talks with RSF in Switzerland

UN reports 2,100 “serious violations” against children between January 2022 and December 2023

Jul 31. (EUROPA PRESS) –

Sudan’s military announced Tuesday that it had accepted a US invitation to hold a new round of indirect talks in Geneva, Switzerland, with the paramilitary Rapid Support Forces (RSF), which have been in rebellion since the start of the conflict, and which will also be mediated by the United Nations.

“The Sudanese government appreciates all sincere efforts to end the war waged by the rebel terrorist militia of Mohamed Hamdan Dagalo –alias ‘Hemedti’– against the Sudanese people, and has renewed its readiness to participate in any negotiations to end the occupation of cities, towns, citizens’ homes and public and private facilities by the rebel terrorist militia,” reads a statement from the army carried by the Sudanese news agency SUNA.

In this regard, he pointed out that before beginning negotiations, the Jeddah Declaration must be implemented, which “stipulates a complete withdrawal and the cessation of advances” so that the Sudanese people are no longer “subjected to displacement, murder, rape, ethnic cleansing and the looting of their property.”

It has also shown itself to be the “most interested party in preserving the dignity and dignity” of the Sudanese population, as well as ending sieges and opening roads to allow the delivery of humanitarian aid.

“The Army’s response calls for forcing rebels and mercenaries to end their continued attacks on cities and towns (…) by imposing sanctions that deter them and those who support them,” he added.

He also stressed the need to “previously consult” with the country’s government on the form and agenda of these negotiations, as well as requesting a meeting with the United States government with the aim of “properly preparing the peace negotiations in order to achieve the benefit that the Sudanese people expect from them.”

A week ago, Hemedti had already done the same, expressing his satisfaction at participating in the upcoming ceasefire talks on August 14. The last indirect negotiations took place on July 11 and ended without an agreement on the table, although the UN special envoy for Sudan, Ramtane Lamamra, said that they represented “an optimistic step in a longer and more complex process.”

The military abandoned the talks, which were initially initiated in Jeddah and mediated by the United States, after denouncing that the RSF were deployed in civilian homes and public spaces that they refused to evacuate, in violation of the so-called Declaration for the Protection of Civilians signed on May 11 by both sides, less than a month after the outbreak.

VIOLATIONS AGAINST CHILDREN

On Tuesday, the Communications Officer for the Office of the Special Representative of the UN Secretary-General on Children and Armed Conflict, Ariane Lignier, published a report detailing how the “rapid expansion of the conflict” has led to major violations against Sudanese children.

Between January 2022 and December 2023, more than 2,100 “serious violations” against some 1,900 children were reported, representing a “shocking increase” compared to the previous period. The most frequently reported acts include murder and mutilation (1,525), followed by 277 recruitments and 153 types of sexual violence, which also saw a drastic increase after the start of the fighting.

“Inter-communal violence continued to lead to violence against children, often due to conflicts between herders and farmers, particularly in Darfur and Blue Nile states. Furthermore, the report details how the war in Sudan has created disproportionate and catastrophic humanitarian consequences for children, who face starvation and an imminent risk of famine, as humanitarian actors in Sudan continue to face significant obstructions in the delivery of humanitarian aid,” the statement said.

The report also details that around 14 million children need humanitarian assistance and protection, of whom the vast majority lack access to food, water, shelter, electricity, education and health care. It should be noted that around 19 million children are not in school.

“The situation in Sudan is catastrophic and the lives of Sudanese children are at stake. I urge parties to the conflict to protect civilians and civilian objects, in full respect of international humanitarian law, and to work with the United Nations to adopt and implement concrete child protection measures, including through action plans,” said Virginia Gamba, Special Representative of the Secretary-General for Children and Armed Conflict.

Finally, she expressed concern about the void left by the end of the UN Mission, UNITAMS, and the departure of its staff from the country, with regard to the protection of children on the ground.

The war broke out on April 15 following sharp disagreements between the army and the RSF over the integration of the paramilitary group into the armed forces, which derailed the transition process that began following the overthrow of Omar Hassan al-Bashir in 2019 after 30 years in power.