The Abandonment of Sudan: A Call for Renewed Global Accountability and Justice:Darfur Union in the

03:24 AM January, 21 2024

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The Abandonment of Sudan: A Call for Renewed Global Accountability and Justice

*Betrayal of Justice: The international community's handover of Sudan's plight to the UAE, allegedly fueling the conflict, is a blatant abdication of responsibility and a betrayal of the Sudanese people*

*Reign of Terror: The RSF's brutal track record of ethnic cleansing, war crimes, and human rights abuses casts a chilling shadow over Sudan, demanding immediate accountability*

*Devastating West Darfur: UN report reveals potential mass killings in Elgeneina, with estimates ranging from 10,000 to 15,000 deaths blamed on RSF and allied militias. This figure dwarfs the overall conflict death toll of 12,000, highlighting a potential humanitarian catastrophe*

*Unwavering Pursuit of Justice: Despite the bleak situation, the fight for justice through ICC investigations and prosecutions remains unwavering, with Karim Khan in London meeting Sudanese in London*

*Global Intervention Imperative: The international community must take decisive action, including targeted sanctions, ICC support, humanitarian aid, and pressure on perpetrators to stop the violence and ensure accountability*

*Taqaddum RSF Declaration Fruition; More killing and displacement of civilians, and ineffective cover-up of RSF crimes*

*Reactivation of Chapter VII or Trusteeship: If all else fails, the international community must consider stronger measures like Chapter VII or a Trusteeship System to protect civilians and prevent further suffering*

*The Alarming Shift in Responsibility*

The DARFUR Union in the UK is sounding the alarm on the international community's troubling handover of Sudan's plight to the United Arab Emirates (UAE), a country now implicated in fueling the conflict (ref. 1). The New York Times' Declan Walsh reports on the UAE's clandestine arming of the Rapid Support Forces (RSF), as he cited an unpublished UN report that NYT have got recently (ref. 2); the report highlighted the role of UAE in providing them with drones, artillery, and missiles through covert operations. This concerning development underscores the inadequate response from the US, UK, and EU, whose slow actions have failed to protect civilians or impose meaningful sanctions against the perpetrators.

*The Reign of Terror by the RSF*

The RSF's notorious record of brutality in Darfur, where they have been committing mass killing on the basis of ethnicity (ref. 3), in addition to torture, desecration and mutilation of bodies (ref. 4), rape (ref. 5), looting of markets and the possessions of civilians, the RSF committed war crimes in West Darfur and the discovery of 13 mass graves, which the UN (ref. 6) and US have acknowledged. All of the aforementioned casts a long and ominous shadow over Khartoum, Wad Madani, al-Hasahisa and other cities. Reports of looting, rape (ref. 7) arbitrary arrests, and extrajudicial killings following the takeover raise chilling fears of of the people there. This is not merely a local conflict; it is a continuation of a systematic pattern of violence and impunity that has plagued Sudan for decades.

The Sudanese city of Elgeneina witnessed a horrific tragedy last year, with RSF and their allies targeting civilians in ethnic crimes. UN investigators estimate the death toll between 10,000 and 15,000, surpassing the overall conflict estimate of 12,000 (ref. 8).

*The Diligent Pursuit of Justice*

Despite the bleak landscape, the pursuit of justice for the victims of Sudan's genocide is unwavering. The case of Omar al-Bashir, detained in Sudan since his removal from power yet not handed over to the ICC, has become emblematic of the struggle for accountability. His current disappearance adds insult to injury for those seeking closure. In contrast, the surrender of Ali Kushayb (ref. 9) to the ICC represents a step towards justice, signaling that the fight for legal redress continues.

*The International Stage and the Quest for Accountability*

At the UN's 78th General Assembly, In September 2023, at a high-level side event titled "On the Precipice: Ensuring Collective Action for Human Rights and Justice in Sudan," Niemat Ahmadi, the Founder and CEO of the Darfur Women Action Group (DWAG), delivered a compelling speech. She highlighted the imperative of pursuing justice and accountability to address the ongoing crisis in Sudan (ref. 10). Drawing from her firsthand observations of the International Criminal Court (ICC) trial of Ali Kushayb, who faced 31 counts of war crimes and crimes against humanity (ref. 11), Ahmadi provided a poignant account of the legal proceedings and their significance for the Sudanese people.

Also present at the UNGA 78 event was Karim Khan, the ICC Prosecutor, who served as a panelist and discussed the role of the ICC in the pursuit of justice in Sudan. Khan's insights into the complexities of international criminal law and its application to the Sudanese context underscored the importance of global commitment to holding perpetrators accountable (ref. 12).

Fast forward to January, 16th 2024, and the quest for justice remained vigorous. Karim Khan, ICC Prosecutor, made a strategic visit to London. Accompanied by a delegate from his office, Khan participated in an event organised by Darfur Associations in the UK. The event was a convergence of key advocates for justice, including members from The Voice of Darfurian Women (VODW), the Darfur Union in the UK, and many other activists and Friends of Sudan. This gathering served as a powerful platform for diaspora organisations and individuals to express their solidarity and to strategise on pathways forward in the fight for justice and human rights for all Sudanese, and in Darfur. Below are the some of main points covered in the procedures speech, before the QandA session.

Justice Unmasked: Launching a wide-scale investigation in Darfur, gathering substantial evidence of crimes against humanity, and preparing a compelling report for the UN Security Council - shining a light on the darkness.
Closing the Kushayb Chapter: Expediting the trial of Ali Kushayb to achieve swift justice and pave the way for further prosecutions.
Darfur on the Ground: Establishing a vital investigative office in Chad to gather crucial evidence and support victims on the frontlines.
Empowering Voices: Providing resources and technology to victims, allowing them to share their stories through video testimonies and secure channels like WhatsApp.
Healing through Empathy: Ensuring a trauma-informed approach with dedicated female investigators and assistants, offering support and understanding for the most vulnerable

Abdelmagid Suliman, the Secretary for Humanitarian Affairs of the DARFUR Union in the UK, passionately implored the International Criminal Court (ICC) and its lead prosecutor, Karim Khan, to intensify their efforts in delivering justice for the victims of atrocities in Sudan and Darfur. Highlighting the urgency, Suliman underscored the need to address not only the historic acts of ethnic cleansing and crimes against humanity but also those transgressions currently unfolding. He voiced the frustrations of victims who have endured years of waiting for the ICC's investigations to translate into tangible accountability. With the wheels of justice turning slowly, Suliman's plea to the ICC was clear: expedite the investigative process, hold the culprits accountable, and provide long-overdue justice to the victims, thereby ensuring that potential offenders are deterred from committing further egregious offenses.

*Demand for a Global Sudan Refugee Program*

With over a million Sudanese people fleeing to East Chad in search of safety, and hundreds of thousands more fleeing to South Sudan, Ethiopia, Eritrea, and Egypt (ref. 13). The Sudanese refugees in Chad and other neighboring countries deserve a global refugee program that is specific to the Sudanese refugees, similar to the programs implemented in Europe for Ukrainian and Syrian refugees. Urgent action is needed to address this dire humanitarian situation and alleviate the unbearable conditions that the refugees are currently experiencing, such as a lack of shelter, winter weather, and extremely limited food and medical supplies.

*Political Allies Embracing Genocide for Power*

Certain political factions in Sudan are exploiting the current conflict to further their own political aspirations, even at the cost of perpetuating genocide against the people of Sudan in Darfur. These individuals are willing to sacrifice the lives of innocent civilians to gain power, showcasing their utter disregard for human rights and ethical principles.

The recent Addis Ababa Declaration, signed by the Rapid Support Forces (RSF) and the Sudanese Democratic and Civil Forces (abbreviated in Arabic as “Taqaddum” civilian coalition, ref. 14), falls woefully short of addressing the true needs of the Sudanese people. While the document purports to pave the way for peace, it fails to prioritise accountability for ongoing human rights abuses, particularly those committed by the RSF, and ultimately serves as a smokescreen for continued violence and political manipulation. A critical review by the Darfur Union in the UK exposed the flaws of the declaration and outlined a genuine path towards lasting peace and justice (ref. 15).

*The Imperative for Global Intervention*

The Union urges the international community to take decisive steps, including:

Impose targeted sanctions on individuals and entities involved in committing crimes in Sudan.
Support the International Criminal Court (ICC) in its investigations and prosecutions of perpetrators of crimes in Sudan.
Hold the leaders of the Rapid Support Forces (RSF) accountable for the crimes against humanity and war crimes they have committed against the people of Darfur, including Mohammed Hamdan Dagalo, Abdelrahim Hamdan Dagalo (sanctioned by the U.S. Treasury (ref. 16)), Algony Hamdan Dagalo, and Abdelrahman Juma Barak Allah (also sanctioned by the US Treasury (ref. 16)). It is also important to support the ICC on the ongoing cases (Abdelrahman Kushayb, ref. 17) and also to bring to Justice those ICC indictees who are still at large (Omar al-Bashir (ref. 18), Abdelrahim Mohammed Hussein (ref. 19) and Ahmed Haroun (ref. 20)).
Provide a mandate and the support needed to the Joint Forces, which are made up of signatories to the Juba Peace Agreement, to expand their areas of operation and protect civilians.
Put pressure on the fighting groups in Darfur and Sudan to stop shelling civilian areas, stop the war and for the RSF to withdraw from occupied neighborhoods, including Darfur, Khartoum، Wad Madani and other cities.
Increase humanitarian assistance to Darfur, Sudan and East Chad through the Port Sudan and Douala port, Cameroon. The situation in East Chad is dire to say the least. The lack of food, medical supplies and outbreak of the malaria and other infectious diseases are pushing the situation towards a disaster if immediate actions are not put in place.
Reactivation of Chapter VII of the UN Charter: The time for half-measures is over. The international community must send a clear message that impunity will not be tolerated. Reactivating Chapter VII, which authorises the use of force to maintain international peace and security, could be a necessary step to curb the violence and protect civilians.
Consideration of a Trusteeship System (see DWAG piece on this. (ref. 21)): As a last resort, if all other measures fail to stem the tide of violence and suffering, the international community must consider establishing a Trusteeship System in Sudan. This drastic step, though fraught with challenges, could offer a glimmer of hope for a war-torn nation teetering on the brink of collapse.

*Conclusion*

The international community's continued inaction is not merely a dereliction of duty; it is a betrayal of the Sudanese people and a stain upon the conscience of the world. We implore the world to hear the cries of the suffering, to rise above the din of indifference, and take decisive action to secure their safety, dignity, and justice. The time for pronouncements is over; the time for action is now.
The fate of Sudan and Darfur hangs in the balance. Will the world choose to stand idly by and watch this tragedy unfold, or will it finally rise to the challenge and offer a beacon of hope in the midst of despair؟ The answer, etched in the choices made today, will echo through the desolate plains of Darfur and Sudan for generations to come.

Darfur Union in the UK

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