UN Rights Investigators: Harrowing Testimonies from Sudanese Refugees in Uganda

Kampala- Agencies- Sudanhorizon

UN human rights investigators said Sudanese refugees in Uganda have shared distressing accounts of abuse and violations at the hands of Rapid Support Forces Militia before they were able to flee to Uganda as refugees, waiting to return home.

Press and UN reports said Sudanese refugees in Uganda have related horrific details about the ongoing conflict in the Sudan during interviews with the UN mission during its investigations about human rights violations in the Sudan.

The mission which visited Uganda from 1 to 18 December, met around 200 refugees from various Sudanese states, highlighting the severe impact of the conflict on civilians.

Mohamed Chande Othman, chair of the Fact-Finding Mission, expressed concern over the dire conditions faced by millions of Sudanese refugees trapped in camps.

He said: “They have no means or employment while waiting desperately to be able to return to their home country.”

During their visit to Kiryandongo, Uganda, which hosts over 50,000 refugees, the experts encountered refugees from Khartoum, Blue Nile, Darfur, Gezira, Kordufan, and White Nile, UN News said.

They documented the devastating effects of the conflict, including the siege of El Fashir in North Darfur, which has led to widespread destruction, killings, and sexual violence.

Women refugees recounted increased miscarriages and sexual harassment, often by individuals wearing uniforms of the RSF militia, which has been battling Government troops since war erupted in April last year.

The mission noted that nearly 26 million Sudanese need humanitarian aid, with three million facing acute hunger. Over 11 million are internally displaced, and nearly three million have fled the country, including 64,000 to Uganda since April 2023.

The Fact-Finding Mission called for international support for Uganda and other host countries to ensure refugees have access to basic necessities and can live with dignity.