Sudan has rejected recommendations by the Human Rights Council’s fact-finding mission to deploy an “independent and neutral force” to protect civilians, accusing it of being a “political body” amid a war that has been raging for nearly 17 months.
The Sudanese Foreign Ministry said in a statement on Saturday night: “The Sudanese government rejects the recommendations of the fact-finding mission in their entirety,” considering them “a clear violation of its mandate and authority.”
The ministry explained in its statement that the mission published its report and held a press conference about it before the Human Rights Council heard it, which reflects the committee’s “lack of professionalism and independence.”
The Foreign Ministry accused the mission of being a “political rather than legal body, which reinforces the Sudanese government’s position on it since its formation.”
The conflict between the Sudanese army and the Rapid Support Forces, since April of last year, has killed tens of thousands of people and led to one of the worst humanitarian crises in the world.
Battles continue to rage in cities as residents suffer from hunger and disease, with two generals vying for power and no solution in sight.
On Friday, UN experts called for the deployment of an “independent and neutral” force in Sudan without delay, with the aim of protecting civilians in the face of “atrocities” committed by both warring parties.
The experts commissioned by the Human Rights Council concluded in a report that the warring parties “committed a horrific series of human rights violations and crimes, many of which can be described as war crimes and crimes against humanity.”
The Human Rights Council established this mission at the end of last year, with the aim of documenting human rights violations committed in the country since the outbreak of war between the army led by Abdel Fattah al-Burhan, and the Rapid Support Forces led by Mohamed Hamdan Dagalo on April 15 of last year.
According to UN figures, more than 10 million people have been displaced within Sudan or fled to neighbouring countries since the outbreak of fighting, which has caused widespread destruction of infrastructure, with more than three-quarters of health facilities out of service.
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2024-09-11 04:53:28