A UN report reveals widespread human rights violations in the Sudan conflict, including arbitrary detentions, torture, and discrimination, with grave implications for detainees, especially children and women. It calls for urgent action and international engagement to address these abuses and seek resolution to the crisis.
A recent United Nations report highlighted extensive violations during the ongoing civil war in Sudan, illustrating critical issues like arbitrary detentions, torture, and other forms of mistreatment by both the Sudanese Armed Forces (SAF) and the Rapid Support Forces (RSF). Published on Thursday, the report details a significant pattern of abuse in Khartoum State and beyond since the conflict commenced nearly two years ago.
Tens of thousands, including women and children, have been detained without charges, subjected to severe communication restrictions, and held in overcrowded, unsanitary conditions that violate international human rights standards. The report, spanning from April 2023 to June 2024, draws from testimonies of 34 former detainees, their families, and various witnesses.
The testimonies reveal alarming instances of torture, frequent beatings, and inhumane conditions such as inadequate food, water, and medical care. Many individuals have reportedly died while in custody due to neglect. The UN’s High Commissioner for Human Rights, Volker Turk, remarked, “These practices — arbitrary detention, torture, ill-treatment and inhumane conditions — are deeply disturbing.”
The report also sheds light on the grave situation concerning child detainees, with reports indicating minors, some as young as 13, being detained alongside adults. Some children as young as 14 are reportedly serving as guards in RSF facilities. Furthermore, sexual violence against women was documented in two RSF-run detention centers.
Ethnic discrimination emerges as another severe issue, particularly affecting detainees from the Darfur and Kordofan regions who belong to African tribes. Both RSF and SAF have targeted individuals based on their perceived affiliations, reflecting widespread ethnic profiling within detention facilities.
Additionally, enforced disappearances are a rising concern, with families unable to ascertain the whereabouts or welfare of detained relatives. In one troubling case, a family was advised by RSF intelligence not to inquire about a detained member, only to learn later that he had died.
While the report mainly examines abuses in Khartoum State, it acknowledges that similar human rights violations are occurring in other conflict-affected regions, such as Darfur and Al-Jazirah State. There are also reports of detainees being relocated from Khartoum to other areas, particularly South Darfur, raising fears of worsening human rights violations.
Turk emphasized the need for urgent action to restore the rule of law and ensure due process, stating, “These practices undermine the rule of law and due process, and increase the risks of further human rights violations.” The UN report calls for an immediate cessation of arbitrary detentions, torture, and ill-treatment, alongside improvements in detention conditions and broader access to justice.
It further recommends that the international community engage with both Sudanese authorities and armed groups to confront these abuses and strive toward resolving the ongoing crisis. The report arrives at a time when the war shows little sign of resolution, amidst continued international calls for urgent action to address this humanitarian and human rights catastrophe.
In summary, the UN report on the Sudan civil war underscores extensive human rights violations, including arbitrary detentions, torture, and ethnic discrimination by both the SAF and RSF. The plight of child detainees, sexual violence against women, and enforced disappearances raise additional concerns. The international community is urged to address these abuses and engage in concerted efforts to resolve the conflict, as the situation in Sudan remains dire.
Original Source: www.arabnews.com
