DARFUR Union in the UK:- RSF/ Janjaweed and the Use of Rape as a Weapon Against the Local Populat

10:02 PM August, 19 2023

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DARFUR Union in the UK:- “RSF/ Janjaweed and the Use of Rape as a Weapon Against the Local Population in West Darfur” HRW Latest Report

*Further evidence of war crimes by RSF that must and will be added to the ICC ongoing investigation*

*The RSF allies (political groups and regional powers) will continue to provide impunity and political cover to whitewash the use of rape and other crimes against humanity committed by this notorious terrorist militia*

The latest report by Human Rights Watch (HRW) entitled “Darfur: Rapid Support Forces, Allied Militias Rape Dozens” (ref. 1) highlights the use of rape as a weapon in Darfur against the civilians. The report documents the systematic use of rape by the Rapid Support Forces (RSF) and their allied militias against women and girls in West Darfur. These rapes are not isolated incidents, but rather part of a deliberate pattern of violence aimed at terrorising and displacing the civilian population. The RSF and their Janjaweed allied militia raped several dozen women and girls in West Darfur’s capital and those fleeing fighting in recent weeks (ref. 1).
HRW mentioned that “In late July, Human Rights Watch interviewed in person in Chad nine women and a 15-year-old girl from El Geneina who are survivors of rape and other forms of sexual violence. Four, including the girl, were raped by multiple men. Human Rights Watch also interviewed four women who witnessed sexual violence or the immediate aftermath, along with five service providers, including medical workers who had supported sexual violence victims in Elgeneina. Based on survivors’ personal experiences and incidents they also witnessed, as well as information shared with service providers, including locations where the incidents occurred, Human Rights Watch documented 78 victims, or survivors, of rape between April 24 and June 26” (ref. 1).

The use of rape in war is a war crime and a crime against humanity. It is defined as the forced sexual penetration of a person, regardless of gender, by another person, against the victim's will, by force or threat of force or coercion, or by taking advantage of a coercive environment (ref. 2).

Rape is used as a weapon of war to terrorise, humiliate, and subjugate women and girls. It is a way of asserting power and control over the enemy. It can also be used to displace people, destroy families, and destabilise societies.

The HRW report is just the latest in a long line of evidence documenting the horrific crimes committed by the RSF. In 2020, the United Nations Commission on Human Rights (UNHCR) found that the RSF had committed “war crimes, crimes against humanity and other serious human rights violations”. The UNHCR also found that the RSF had “a culture of impunity” that allowed them to continue committing these crimes with impunity. It is also important to highlight the mass rape conducted by Bashir government forces back in November 2014 in the town of Tabit, North Darfur, where more than 200 women were raped by government forces (ref. *), thus rape continued to be used as a weapon by RSF and Bashir forces, all of which were operating together before the current War to wage genocidal war against the civilians in Darfur.

The DARFUR Union believes that the RSF should be classified as a terrorist organisation. This would send a clear message that the international community will not tolerate the use of rape and other forms of violence against civilians. It would also make it easier to hold the RSF accountable for their crimes.
In addition to classifying the RSF as a terrorist organisation, the DARFUR Union also calls for the prosecution of the RSF's leaders, including Mohammed Hamdan Dagalo, Abdelrahim Hamdan Dagalo, Algony Hamdan Dagalo, and RSF commander in West Darfur Abdelrahman Juma Baraullah. These men are responsible for the systematic violence against civilians in Darfur. They must be brought to justice.
The DARFUR Union also calls for the provision of safe guards to the survivors of rape and other forms of violence. These survivors have suffered immensely, and they need access to medical care, psychological support, and legal assistance.
The world has been slow to respond to the crisis in Darfur. However, we cannot afford to wait any longer. The people of Darfur need our help. We must take action to stop the violence and bring the perpetrators to justice.

Since the start of the War in Khartoum between the RSF and the Sudanese Arm Forces (SAF), since then the RSF launched vicious attacks against the civilians in DARFUR committed mass killing on the basis of ethnicity against African tribes in West DARFUR state particularly in Elgeneina and Mistri (ref. 3), Sirba (ref. 4), Murnei (ref. 5); also in other parts of the region such Kutum (ref. 6), Zallengei (ref. 7) and currently Nyala (ref. 8), all of which were covered in the Union’s periodically issued reports.

It is worth mentioning that the RSF has been cited in the the previous HRW report as the main actor of the atrocities committed against the Masalit and other local population in Mistri. This report was used by the international criminal court general Prosecutor Karim Khan in his briefing to the United Nations Security Council. In his briefing, Prosecutor Khan said that the ICC is investigating “alleged” new war crimes in West Darfur and added “We are by any analysis not on the precipice of a human catastrophe but in the very midst of one” (ref. 9). The Human Right report continued to mention “credible information” that they were killed by Rapid Support Forces (RSF) fighters and an allied Janjaweed militia (ref. 10). It is worth mentioning that Darfur Union in the UK had a meeting with the Deputy ICC prosecutor during which the Union expressed their support to the work the ICC is doing regarding the Darfur case, ongoing and new and also the willingness for continuing working together with all the Darfur bodies and ICC to promote the just case of Darfur (ref. 11).

Here are some specific actions that can be taken to tackle the issue of rape and other forms of violence against women and girls in Darfur:
The international community must classify the RSF as a terrorist organisation.
The UN Security Council must impose sanctions on the RSF and its leaders.
The International Criminal Court (ICC) must be further supported by the international community by to continue to investigate and prosecute the RSF's leaders for war crimes and crimes against humanity as well as to continue with the already ongoing cases (Abdelrahman Kushayb, ref. 12) and also to bring to Justice those ICC indictees who are still at large (Omar al-Bashir (ref. 13), Abdelrahim Mohammed Hussein (ref. 14) and Ahmed Haroun (ref. 15)).
The UN Security Council must act now to stop the violence in Darfur. Reactivating Chapter 7 would send a clear message that the international community will not tolerate the continued impunity for war crimes and crimes against humanity in Darfur.
To protect civilians from the Janjaweed militias in Darfur, it is necessary to establish safe zones in the region. This can only be achieved by empowering the existing Joint Forces made of peace agreement signees and giving them a clear mandate.
Provide immediate humanitarian assistance to the people of Darfur by securing safe passage for aid from Portsudan to the affected areas, and by also providing aid through Douala port in Cameroon to Adré Chad. This assistance should include food, water, shelter, medicine, and other humanitarian supplies.
The international community must provide financial and technical assistance to the people of Darfur as well as those refugees in Adrè and Eastern Chad (ref. 16).

We must all work together to end the violence in Darfur and bring justice to the victims.

Darfur Union in the UK

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