Civilians have been Paying a Heavy Price for the Senseless Violence in Sudan
U . N . urges Sudan ’ s warring parties to honour 7-day ceasefire starting from May 22 night .
The 12-person committee will be comprised of three representatives from both warring parties , three from the U . S ., and three from Saudi Arabia .
The U . N . envoy for Sudan urged the country ’ s warring generals to honour a seven-day ceasefire starting from May 22 night , warning the growing ethnic dimension to the fighting risks engulfing Sudan in a prolonged conflict .
Volker Perthes told the U . N . Security Council that the conflict , which began April 15 , has shown no signs of slowing down despite previous declarations of cease-fires by both sides .
But he said this time they must stop the fighting , so desperately needed humanitarian aid can get to those in need and civilians caught in the fighting can leave safely .
U . S . and Saudi mediators announced after a meeting in the Saudi port city of Jeddah on Saturday that representatives of the Sudanese army , led by Gen . Abdel Fattah Burhan , and the paramilitary Rapid Support Forces , led by Gen . Mohamed Hamdan Dagalo , signed off on the short-term cease-fire due to take effect at 9:45 pm local time in Sudan on Monday night .
The pending truce is the seventh cease-fire to be announced since the conflict began April 15 . All previous deals have foundered .
Unlike the previous verbal truces , Monday ’ s inked deal — brokered by the U . S . and Saudi Arabia — will be accompanied by a cross-party committee designed to track any potential violations , the two mediating nations said . 16
The 12-person committee will be comprised of three representatives from both warring parties , three from the U . S ., and three from Saudi Arabia .
Suliman Baldo , director of the think tank Sudan Transparency and Policy Tracker , expects the two parties to better adhere to this weeklong cease-fire .
“ I think the RSF needs the break as it has come under considerable pressure from the SAF in Khartoum seeking to flush RSF units from residential areas ,” he said .
Perthes called the agreement , which is renewable , “ a welcome development ” but cautioned that “ fighting and troop movements have continued even today , despite a commitment of both sides not to pursue military advantage before the cease-fire takes effect .” He said civilians have been paying a heavy price for “ the senseless violence .” According to conservative estimates , he said , more than 700 people have been killed including 190 children , 6,000 have been wounded , many are missing , and over 1 million have been displaced .
The displaced include more than 840,000 who have fled to areas inside Sudan and 250,000 who have fled the country .
Perthes accused both warring parties in the capital Khartoum , the vast western region of Darfur , and elsewhere of continuing the fighting and disregarding the laws of war by attacking homes , shops , places of worship , water and electricity installations .
Health facilities are collapsing with more than two-thirds of hospitals closed , many health care workers killed , medical supplies running low , and health facilities reportedly being used as military positions , he said .
Reports of sexual violence against women and girls , including rapes in Khartoum and Darfur , are being followed up by the U . N ., he said .
“ Reports of rampant looting of Sudanese homes and businesses , intimidation , harassment and enforced disappearance of residents are deeply concerning ,” Perthes said , adding that U . N . premises , residences and warehouses have also been looted . He said criminal activity has been compounded by the release of thousands of prisoners and the spread of small arms .
Perthes repeatedly expressed concern about the worrying ethnic dimension to the war .
In the early 2000s , African tribes in Darfur that had long complained of discrimination rebelled against the Khartoum government , which responded with a military campaign that the International Criminal Court later said amounted to genocide . State-backed Arab militias known as the Janjaweed were accused of widespread killings , rapes and other atrocities .
The Janjaweed later evolved into the Rapid Support Force .
Since the fighting began , Darfur has been a battleground between the military and the paramilitary RSF .
Perthes said that in El Geneina in West Darfur clashes between the rival forces spiraled into ethnic violence on April 24 , with tribal militias joining the fight and civilians taking up arms to protect themselves .
“ Homes , markets and hospitals were ransacked and burned , U . N . premises looted ,” he said .
Perthes said more than 450 civilians were reportedly killed and another 700 were wounded . On May 12 , renewed violence reportedly led to at least another 280 deaths and tens of thousands displaced to Chad , he said . Courtesy with The Hindu , 23-05-2023
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