OHCHR: Sudan update after the visit of the UN High Commissioner for Human Rights

UN Human Rights on Tuesday reiterated its warning to the parties to the conflict in Sudan that “the horrific violations and abuses committed during the capture of El Fasher, North Darfur must under no circumstances be repeated in Kadugli and Dilling, in South Kordofan”, according to the Office’s spokesperson Ravina Shamdasani.

She made the remarks at the UN bi-weekly press briefing in Geneva, following a five-day visit to Sudan by UN High Commissioner for Human Rights Volker Türk, concluded on Sunday.

“During his visit to Sudan, and in particular to Al Afad site for internally displaced people in Ad Dabba, Northern State, which is sheltering some 20,000 displaced people, we bore witness to the trauma and reverberating impact of the brutality that children, men and women suffered in El Fasher and as they attempted to flee,” Shamdasani said.

The capture of El Fasher in late October was characterised by widespread summary executions, the use of sexual violence as a weapon of war, dehumanizing treatment and abductions for ransom. The offensive was preceded by a suffocating 18-month long siege that prevented civilians from getting food, access to health and other basic needs, with constant attacks on residential areas and civilian infrastructure.

“The High Commissioner urged all parties to the conflict, including in a meeting with an RSF delegation on Sunday, to ensure that the crimes committed during and after the takeover of El Fasher are not repeated in Kadugli, Dilling and the wider Kordofan region,” Shamdasani told reporters. “Safe passage must be ensured for civilians who leave areas of active conflict. They must be protected from summary executions, sexual violence, reprisal attacks based on alleged ‘collaboration’, arbitrary detention and abductions.”

She also called for safe passage to be ensured for civilians who leave areas of active conflict. “They must be protected from summary executions, sexual violence, reprisal attacks based on alleged ‘collaboration’, arbitrary detention and abductions.”

“All parties to the conflict need to ensure that forces allied with them or under their control act in accordance with international human rights and humanitarian law – including, crucially, by repressing such violations and holding those responsible for violations and abuses to account, regardless of their affiliation,” Shamdasani said.

“Throughout the course of this conflict, all parties have perpetrated gross violations and abuses of international human rights law and serious violations of international humanitarian law, notably when the fighting intensifies to bring new areas under the control of one of the parties,” she added.

In a report to the Security Council yesterday, the International Criminal Court assessed the commission of both war crimes and crimes against humanity around the fall of El Fasher and beyond. This validates very much UN Human Rights’ findings.

“Having witnessed the destruction of critical civilian infrastructure at the Merowe dam and hydroelectric power station, the High Commissioner said the RSF and the SAF must cease intolerable attacks against civilian objects that are indispensable to the civilian population, including markets, health facilities, schools and shelters,” the spokesperson said. “They must ensure the protection of civilians, and unimpeded access for the delivery of humanitarian aid.”

ENDS

For more information and media requests, please contact:

In Geneva:

Ravina Shamdasani: +41 22 917 9169 / ravina.shamdasani@un.org

In Nairobi:

Seif Magango: +254 788 343 897/ seif.magango@un.org

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