DARFUR Union in the UK Response to the Consultative Meeting of Political Leaders re Darfur (to be

02:56 AM July, 22 2023

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DARFUR Union in the UK Response to the Consultative Meeting of Political Leaders re Darfur (to be Held in Togo) to Whitewash RSF/Janjaweed War Crimes in the Region

* The agenda of the meeting referred to what is happening in Darfur from systematic killing of civilians, abuse, forced displacement and rape committed by RSF/ Janjaweed as a "tribal conflict"*

*The list of participants, in addition naming Hemedti’s political advisor as one of the main speakers clearly demonstrating the relentless pursuit of these politicians to provide political cover and a “way out” for RSF and their leaders from accountability regarding recent war crimes*


The DARFUR Union in the UK is deeply concerned about the consultative meeting of political leaders about Darfur that is going to be held in Lomé, Togo from 23-24 July 2023. We believe that this meeting is an attempt to change the narrative of what is happening in Darfur and to cover up the war crimes of the Rapid Support Forces (RSF) and the Janjaweed.
The lead participants in the meeting have already put forward a pre-determined agenda that distorts the truth about Darfur. They have described the violence in Darfur as a "civil war" and "tribal fighting," rather than war crimes. This is a clear attempt to whitewash the crimes of the RSF and the Janjaweed, who have been responsible for the deaths of thousands of people and the force displacement of quarter of a million to eastern Chad (ref. 1) after the heinous crimes in Elgeneina, Mistri and other west Darfur localities. Darfur Union in the UK issued a report about some of the testimonies given by the survivors directly and also through medical staff volunteers on the ground (ref. 2) telling of the horrific ordeal and the horrific crimes they have experienced and witnessed at the hand of the Janjaweed/ RSF.

We are also concerned that the meeting in Togo is providing political cover to the RSF militia and also is going to give them a green light to continue the ethnic cleansing campaign in Darfur.
DARFUR Union in the UK have issued a statement in last week welcoming and supporting the latest move by the International Criminal Court (ICC) to investigate new war crimes in West Darfur following the briefing of ICC general prosecutor Karim Khan to the UN Security Council (ref. 3). DARFUR Union believe that the ICC is one of a few bodies that can hold the perpetrators of these crimes accountable.
We call on the political leaders who are aiming to attend the meeting in Togo to stop to show some dignity and to refrain from participating in such farce that aim to change the narrative about the crimes in Darfur and who is the perpetrators. We also call on them to stop providing political cover to the RSF militia. The people of Darfur deserve justice, and the only way to achieve that is to hold the perpetrators (RSF/ Janjaweed) of these crimes accountable.

Message to the Political Bodies Meeting in Togo
The DARFUR Union in the UK is sending a message to the political bodies meeting in Togo:
You are providing political cover to a criminal organisation (RSF) that is responsible for the deaths of hundreds of thousands of people and the displacement of millions more.
You are distorting the truth about Darfur and trying to change the narrative about what is happening there.
You are giving the RSF militia a green light to continue its ethnic cleansing campaign in Darfur.
We call on you to stop these actions immediately.
We also call on you to support the ICC's investigation into new war crimes in West Darfur. The ICC is the only body that can hold the perpetrators of these crimes accountable.
The remnants of the FFC Central Council, have been promoted to be the political arm that provide diplomatic cover to the RSF, and also to bring distortions to the Darfur Story of war crimes, and This Meeting in Togo is another playground for the aforementioned, this time under the banner of Darfur. Their plan of coverup will never come to fruition.

Away from the farce of Coverup meeting in Togo, DARFUR Union in the UK reiterates that there are a number of actions that needs to be taken with immediate effect to help cater for the victims of the catastrophic situation DARFUR and East Chad:-

* Provide immediate humanitarian aid to the people of Darfur, by securing safe passages of aid from Port Sudan to the affected areas, including food, water, shelter, medicine and other humanitarian supplies. Some the routes regarding the Humanitarian supplied, shorter routes for supplies to reach refugees in Adré can be accessible via the Cameroon-Chad via the Port of Douala.

* To put pressure the leadership of the Rapid Support Forces and its affiliated Janjaweed branches to stop the violence and allow humanitarian aid to reach those in need. This will help in terms of humanitarian organisations to collect real data on the death toll and also help in burying the bodies that are scattered on the ground in Elgeneina and other cities such as Kutum (ref. 4) and Zalingei (ref. 5).

* Establish safe zones in Darfur where civilians can be protected from the Janjaweed militias. This can only happen by empowering existing peace forces and providing them with a clear Mandate.

* Reactivation of Chapter 7 with respect to DARFUR. The UN Security Council needs to act immediately to do so to stop the war crimes and crimes against humanity that we are seen before the world eyes. Everyday a testimony is given from the survivors of the ethnic cleansing whom managed to escape Elgeneina. Mass killing, bodies left on streets. The Janjaweed and their partners are clear about their plan regarding DARFUR, secure DARFUR by creating havoc and mass atrocities, force displacement and demographic changes.

* Protect those IDPs and new waves of displace people that are shelterless at this very moment in DARFUR.

DARFUR Union in the UK warns that failure to take immediate actions regarding the situation in Darfur, will lead to series of further killing and human rights violations (ref. 6), refugees and IDPs crisis, and a nonreversible human catastrophe.

The juntas, Janjaweed and their allies from the political parties in the centre have caused this war, and the people of Sudan in the city of Elgeneina and other cities are suffering the outcome because of the political greed that justifies the means of achieving their ultimate goal of gaining absolute power, which is what is the FFC Central Council remnants is aiming to do by providing political cover for the Janjaweed/ RSF, reminiscence of Omar al-Bashir Regime (ref. 7).

Darfur Union in the UK

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