Sudan’s Situation Dominates the 57th Session of the Human Rights Council

Geneva – Sudanhorizon

The United Nations Human Rights Council is holding its 57th session, which will last from 9 to 11 September. It will consider, among other items, “addressing the humanitarian and human rights crisis resulting from the ongoing armed conflict in Sudan.”

The Council has requested the mission it previously formed to investigate the facts in Sudan to submit a comprehensive report on its work during this session, followed by an enhanced dialogue session in which – along with others – the High Commissioner for Human Rights, representatives of the African Union, the Special Adviser to the Secretary-General on the Prevention of Genocide, as well as representatives of the Government of Sudan headed by the Attorney General, Chairman of the National Fact-Finding Committee on the Crimes of the Rapid Support Militia will participate.

The one-year international fact-finding mission in Sudan published a press release yesterday on Friday, on the UN Security Council website, indicating that its report, which is expected to be submitted to the Council in the coming session, has found that there are reasonable grounds to believe that the Rapid Support Forces and allied militias have committed other war crimes such as rape; sexual slavery; looting; ordering the forced displacement of civilians; and recruiting children under the age of 15 to participate in hostilities. The Rapid Support Forces and allied militias have committed horrific attacks against non-Arab communities – specifically the Masalit, in and around El Geneina in West Darfur – which included killing; torture; rape; other forms of sexual violence; destruction of property; and looting. There are also reasonable grounds – according to the published summary – to believe that the actions of the Rapid Support Forces and allied militias amount to numerous crimes against humanity, including killing; torture; rape; persecution on ethnic and racial grounds; and forced displacement of the population.

The head of the fact-finding mission, Mohamed Chandi Osman, said in a statement published by several satellite channels that the seriousness of the findings of our report “confirms the need for urgent and urgent measures to protect civilians. It is imperative to deploy an independent and neutral force tasked with protecting civilians in Sudan, and all parties to the conflict must comply with their obligations under international law and stop attacks against civilians immediately and unconditionally.” He added that the international community should support the Sudanese people’s aspirations for a representative and participatory civilian government that respects the equal rights of all citizens and strengthens the path towards sustainable peace in the country.

It is noteworthy that the report is derived from investigations conducted between January and August 2024 – in accordance with the mandate of the Human Rights Council, which established the fact-finding mission in October 2023 – and the investigations included, according to the mission’s report, visits to Chad, Kenya and Uganda; direct testimonies from more than 182 survivors, family members and eyewitnesses; in addition to extensive consultations with specialised experts and civil society organisations; In addition to strengthening and analysing the evidence through additional information provided to the mission.

The report called for the establishment of a separate international judicial mechanism that would work alongside the International Criminal Court in a complementary manner.

The Sudanese Minister of Foreign Affairs, Ambassador Hussein Awad, had made particular statements to the Sudanhorizon News website published yesterday, in which he accused parties of trying to exploit the committee’s report for political purposes, considering that the report itself was neither neutral nor comprehensive.