UN Fact-Finding Mission Condemns Atrocities in Sudan, Calls for Solidarity and Accountability

The ongoing conflict in Sudan has reached a devastating turning point, with the fall of El Fasher marking a significant escalation of atrocities against civilians. The UN Fact-Finding Mission on Sudan, led by Mohamed Chande Othman, has expressed grave alarm at the systematic and ongoing attacks against civilians, including ethnically targeted executions, assaults, sexual violence, and mass forced displacement.

The Mission's latest report, "Paths to Justice: Accountability for Atrocities in Sudan," details a devastating pattern of atrocities committed by both warring parties, including war crimes, outrages on personal dignity, and intentional attacks on civilians. The report found reasonable grounds to believe that both sides have subjected civilians to serious violations of human rights and international humanitarian law, amounting to atrocity crimes.

Key Takeaways:

• The UN Fact-Finding Mission on Sudan has expressed grave alarm at the escalating atrocities against civilians in El Fasher, including ethnically targeted executions, assaults, and mass forced displacement.
• The report found that both warring parties have subjected civilians to serious violations of human rights and international humanitarian law, amounting to atrocity crimes.
• The report urges the international community to create an independent and impartial judicial body to end decades of impunity and prosecute those responsible for the most serious crimes under international law.
• The report also calls for the expansion of the International Criminal Court's jurisdiction across Sudan, the establishment of a specific victim support and reparations office for Sudan, and technical training and capacity-building for those involved in documenting violations and crimes.
• The conflict has dragged on for over two years, trapping countless civilians between the warring parties, including in the siege and ultimate takeover of El Fasher and surrounding areas of North Darfur.
• The report highlights systemic failures in domestic accountability leading to selective justice and impunity, the collapse of the judicial independence, and gender-based repression.

Statistics:

• The Report highlights that tens of thousands of civilians remain trapped in El Fasher, enduring constant shelling, hunger, and despair.
• The conflict has dragged on for over two years, with no end in sight, and has resulted in the displacement of millions.
• The report found that the Rapid Support Forces have been implicated in ethnically targeted attacks, rape and sexual violence, starvation tactics, and the destruction of essential infrastructure, amounting to starvation as a prohibited method of warfare.
• The conflict has resulted in the collapse of the judicial independence, and gender-based repression.

Sources:

• United Nations High Commissioner for Human Rights (2023). UN Fact-Finding Mission on Sudan expresses grave alarm at escalating atrocities in El Fasher [Press release].
• United Nations Fact-Finding Mission on Sudan (2023). Paths to Justice: Accountability for Atrocities in Sudan [Report].