The Next Century Foundation has submitted a report on Sudan to the United Nations General Assembly under the auspices of the current 55th session of the UN Human Rights Council. A copy of the report as submitted to the UN can be found on this link. The full text of the report follows below:
THE UNHRC’S ROLE IN SUDAN
The UNHRC Fact-Finding Mission on the Republic of Sudan is due to report this year, following the gathering of evidence on human rights abuses in the context of the conflict that began on 15th of April 2023. The UNHRC should be aware that the conflict in Sudan did not start on April 15th 2023.
Since 2003, all five Darfur states have witnessed atrocities that could and should be regarded by the UN as war crimes, including ethnic cleansing and crimes against humanity. An arms embargo was actioned on Darfur (under UNSCR 1556) in 2004 and since then three UN missions (UNAMID, UNISFA, UNITAMS) were empowered to various degrees to conduct surveillance and mandated to protect civilians until 21 July 2021 when the last peace-keeping hybrid mission, United Nations–African Union Mission in Darfur(UNAMID), was replaced with the UN Integrated Transition Assistance Mission in the Sudan (UNITAMS), whose mandate did not include clear provisions for civilian protection. As no tangible implementation of the UN resolutions materialized, perpetrators continued to re-offend with impunity. War has also been ongoing in the three areas of Nuba mountains, Blue Nile and Abeyi with no settlement after the Comprehensive Peace Agreement left these areas with no peace settlement, a failure which is now coming back with a vengeance in the alignment of previous armed groups with the two warring parties. This, in part, fostered the current catastrophic war, which for the first time threatens the Sudanese state, having started in the capital Khartoum and which has since spread to other regions in the center of the Sudanese state.
This current war is fundamentally a war against civilians and participatory politics. Those who have borne the brunt of Sudan’s war atrocities are women and children, whom have been subjected to sexual and gender-based violence and enslavement. There are increasingly ethnically-motivated attacks on civilians, indiscriminate aerial bombarding, recruitment and use of children in armed conflict, and the conscription of civilians to join the fighting sides along an ethnic and geographic basis, causing an irreparable rupture of the social fabric of Sudanese society. In cases of unlawful and arbitrary detentions, acts of mistreatment including life-threatening conditions are endured by detainees. The looting and burning and destruction of villages and towns by the parties to the conflict is commonplace, as is the looting of humanitarian convoys and warehouses by the RSF (Rapid Support Forces) and undue restrictions imposed on humanitarian access by both SAF (Sudanese Armed Forces) and the RSF. Targeted killings, arbitrary detentions and acts of intimidation are increasing as is retaliation against humanitarian and health workers, human rights defenders, community leaders, journalists, lawyers and others. Alongside this, the destruction of infrastructure, burning of archives and museums and research centers and the destruction of the cultural heritage of Sudan are but a few of the crimes being committed, daily.
The Next Century Foundation calls for active participation by third parties including multilateral institutions, private sector companies, human rights organisations, and the nations and governments of free world to:
Engage with the warring parties to incentivise them to stop the war with immediate effect with a guaranteed, well-resourced and leverage-based cease-fire arrangement.
Commit to supporting post-war transition and peace-building and assist with the mechanisms necessary for the participation of civilians, especially women and the youth, in the negotiations and mediation with the warring parties and their allies, in the run up to peace talks.
Promote human rights in mediation efforts and promote the principles of equality, truth, and justice in a post-ceasefire arrangement by focusing on, inter alia, reparations for victims and survivors and their families.
Sincerely implement UN conventions on forced migration and the rejuvenation of policies of the African Union’s Peace and Security Council, and the Intergovernmental Authority on Development (IGAD) apparatus.
Enable the provision of greater support for refugees in the neighbouring countries and the activation of existing arrangements like those affirmed in the “Four Freedoms” (Freedom for citizens to travel to and within the country, reside, work and own property) that have been agreed to with regard to Sudan’s relationship with the Arab Republic of Egypt, and the creation of special programs for Sudanese refugees in Europe and elsewhere along the lines of those afforded other nations such as Ukraine.
Ensure safe passage for civilians and provide increased humanitarian assistance especially for pre-natal and post-natal cases, vaccinations for all new-born children, supply of medical staff and medical resources for life saving-care in addition to food supplies and shelter.
Create Green Zones, and protection zones, in towns and villages and protect vital services like electricity and water supply, ports and banks.
Pledge more funds to safeguard the agricultural season, create food reserves, and provide monetary resources to kick start the re-generation of all economic sectors and the revitalization of Sudan to avert the looming famine.
Focus on implementing a genuine localisation policy, which supports existing and functioning local and community efforts to respond to myriad humanitarian needs across Sudan. Let local actors lead on framing the response.
Pledge resources for the post-war reconstruction and good governance mechanisms to facilitate a civilian transition and constituent government leading to the realisation of democracy and the aims of the December revolution.
