The conflict in Sudan has escalated significantly since mid-April 2023, spreading to 14 out of the 18 states in the country and impacting the entire region. This has resulted in eight million Sudanese being internally displaced due to the conflict, with over two million forced to flee to neighboring countries. Mohamed Chande Othman, Chair of the Independent International Fact-Finding Mission for the Sudan, highlighted these alarming statistics in a recent statement.
The Fact-Finding Mission was created by the UN Human Rights Council in Geneva in October 2023 to investigate the human rights violations occurring in Sudan. In its first report on the crisis, the panel revealed disturbing findings regarding the actions of rival militaries, including the Sudanese Armed Forces (SAF) and the Rapid Support Forces (RSF), and their respective allies. The report pointed to large-scale, indiscriminate attacks against civilians, schools, hospitals, communication networks, and vital infrastructure such as water and electricity supplies.
The three independent rights experts leading the work of the Mission – Mohamed Chande Othman, Joy Ngozi Ezeilo, and Mona Rishmawi – emphasized that both parties involved in the conflict were responsible for grave violations that amounted to international crimes. They noted that both the SAF and RSF conducted hostilities in densely-populated areas, resulting in constant strikes and artillery shelling in cities like Khartoum and various locations in Darfur.
Despite the Government of Sudan’s refusal to cooperate with the fact-finding Mission, investigators managed to gather firsthand accounts from 182 survivors, family members, and eyewitnesses. The Mission also consulted with experts and civil society activists to verify additional information and leads. Ms. Ezeilo highlighted the widespread sexual violence perpetrated by members of the RSF during attacks on cities in Darfur and Khartoum. Survivors recounted harrowing experiences of being attacked in their homes, beaten, threatened with death, and raped by multiple perpetrators.
The report also shed light on large-scale, ethnic-based attacks on the non-Arab civilian population, particularly the Masalit people in El Geneina, the capital of West Darfur. The RSF and allied militia carried out horrific assaults, including torture, rape, and the destruction of property. The investigators estimated that thousands were killed in the attacks, highlighting the brutal nature of the conflict.
The Fact-Finding Mission’s report painted a grim picture of the situation in Sudan, with widespread human rights violations and atrocities being committed by both parties involved in the conflict. The panel called for accountability for those responsible for these crimes and urged the international community to take action to address the crisis in Sudan.
The conflict in Sudan has had devastating consequences for the civilian population, with millions being displaced from their homes and forced to seek refuge in neighboring countries. The international community must step up its efforts to provide humanitarian assistance to those affected by the conflict and work towards a peaceful resolution to the crisis in Sudan.
The Fact-Finding Mission’s report serves as a stark reminder of the urgent need to address the human rights violations and atrocities being committed in Sudan. The international community must hold those responsible for these crimes accountable and work towards a peaceful resolution to the conflict to prevent further suffering and loss of life in the region.
