UN fact-finding mission: Sudan civil society orgs welcome Human Rights Council decision

Sudanese civil society organisations and political groups have welcomed the approval of the UN Human Rights Council to establish an independent international commission to investigate the widespread violations of human rights.

The organisations and political groups who sent a joint letter regarding the human rights situation in Sudan to the UN Human Rights Council (OHCHR) in Geneva on September 20, yesterday welcomed the announcement of a fact-finding committee.

In a joint statement, the signatories, including the Forces for Freedom and Change and the National Freedom Party, praise the role of the member states of the OHCHR that adopted the resolution and supported it.

“We commend the role of all international organisations that contributed to the advocacy campaign that called for the formation of an international investigation committee into the violations occurring in Sudan.”

The groups urge the government to “allow the formed committee to carry out its work in investigating all violations without restrictions.” They also call on the Rapid Support Forces (RSF) to cooperate with the committee and facilitate its work in places under its control.

Their September letter had called on the OHCHR to carry out its duty and form a comprehensive, independent international investigation committee into all violations and abuses of international human rights law and violations and human rights laws and related crimes in Sudan since April 15th.

Their statement expressed that “as Sudanese civil society organisations, we are fully prepared to cooperate and provide all assistance to the Independent International Fact-Finding Commission. Its work is important in the context of achieving justice, accountability, and avoiding impunity.

“We call on the OCHRC to expedite the formation of the committee from figures with a human rights background known for their competence, objectivity and independence.”

Tahani Abbas, director of the Noura Organisation to Combat Violence against Women and one of the statement’s signatories, told Radio Dabanga that her NGO welcomed the decision of the OCHRC.

“This decision is the culmination of the efforts of Sudanese society, the Sudanese Group for Rights and Freedoms, defenders and activists, in addition to the role of friends and human rights organisations that voted for it,” she said.

War crimes

As previously covered by Radio Dabanga, Amnesty International reported in August that serious war crimes are being committed in Sudan as the conflict between the RSF and Sudan Armed Forces (SAF) ravages the country.

The report ‘Death Came To Our Home’: War Crimes and Civilian Suffering In Sudan documents “mass civilian casualties in both deliberate and indiscriminate attacks by the warring parties” in particular in Khartoum and West Darfur.

The report, which focuses primarily on Khartoum and West Darfur, also details sexual violence against women and girls, targeted attacks on civilian objects such as hospitals and churches, and extensive plundering.