At a time when the United States has vowed to hold accountable those who “undermine peace and democratization in Sudan,” the Foreign Office reiterated its rejection of a British draft resolution submitted to the Human Rights Council demanding the formation of a fact-finding committee on the ongoing conflict.
Meanwhile, the US representative to the United Nations, Linda Thomas-Greenfield, said in a statement posted by the US embassy in Khartoum on her Facebook page that “Washington will hold accountable those who undermine peace and democratic transition in Sudan.”
The U.S. ambassador’s remarks come a week after the U.S. Treasury Department imposed sanctions on Islamic Movement Secretary-General Ali Karti and a Russian and Sudanese company, accusing them of fueling the conflict in Sudan.
Prior to this, the State Department and the Treasury imposed sanctions on a second RSF commander, Hemedti’s older brother, Abderrahim Dagalo, for anyone who cooperates with him. In addition, the Foreign Ministry denounced moves it said Western circles were taking to push the Human Rights Council to adopt a resolution on the current crisis in Sudan.
America vows to hold those who undermine peace accountable…
It said in a statement on Wednesday that it was “monitoring these movements since late August in an organized political and media campaign that many non-governmental organizations have harnessed to demand that the Human Rights Council adopt a resolution on the current crisis in Sudan,” noting that “the most prominent disadvantage is that it lacks objectivity and fairness because it equates the Sudanese Armed Forces with the rebel militia, and includes the demand for the formation of what was called a fact-finding committee.”
statement pointed out that «these moves occur at a time when Sudan is facing a war targeting its unity, independence, security and stability, as a member state of the United Nations», accusing the RSF to wage that war «with the help of the preparation of mercenaries from some countries of the region and the support of external circles known».
“Serious crimes”
It also comes in light of “the continued atrocities of the rebel militia from “ethnic cleansing and mass massacres” in Darfur, the crimes of rape, murder, torture, displacement and detention of thousands of civilians, in addition to systematic and widespread looting in the capital, the evacuation of residential areas, the use of civilians as human shields, the recruitment of children and the destruction of strategic, economic, service, cultural and educational institutions,” stressing that “these serious crimes have not yet been met with the condemnation and effort to stop them from some influential Western powers.”
“The draft resolution is being submitted as the Sudanese Armed Forces carry out their constitutional, legal and moral responsibilities in defending the country and its people against what amounts to foreign invasion, and in accordance with the Charter of the United Nations,” she said.
She stressed that “the protection of human rights in Sudan will remain a major goal and an advanced national priority in the national agenda,” pointing out that Sudan “hosts a full office of the Office of the High Commissioner for Human Rights, and a specific expert on the human rights situation in Sudan.and a specialized human rights unit within the United Nations Mission to Support the Democratic Transition in Sudan (UNITAMS) as well as the Panel of Experts established under resolution 1591, which reports on the situation of human rights and international humanitarian law.”
She pointed out that «Sudan formed a national committee headed by the Attorney General to investigate war crimes and violations and practices of the Rapid Support Forces rebel and dissolved», stressing that «no external party can increase Sudan’s keenness to protect and promote the human rights of its citizens and cooperate with the competent UN mechanisms».
“The move, led by Britain since last August and joined by some Western countries, faces a collective rejection by all geographical and political groups to which Sudan belongs (the Arab Group, the Organization of Islamic Cooperation and the African Group), and despite that, Britain went ahead with the draft resolution to the Human Rights Council,” she said.
She stressed her categorical rejection of the draft resolution, stressing that it is correct in its description of what is happening in Sudan, and an extreme prejudice against the Sudanese Armed Forces, and did not take into account the real priorities of Sudan at this stage, which are ending the rebellion first, stopping the ongoing atrocities, evacuating citizens’ homes and civilian objects, including hospitals and places of worship, facilitating the delivery of humanitarian aid as stipulated in the Jeddah Declaration of Humanitarian Principles signed since May 11, and silencing the guns.
The Human Rights Council is discussing a draft resolution submitted by the United Kingdom to establish an urgent fact-finding mission to Sudan, composed of three experts in international human rights law and international humanitarian law, appointed by the President of the Human Rights Council as soon as possible, for a period of one year at present.
The Commission has a responsibility to investigate and establish the facts and causes of all alleged violations of human rights and violations of international humanitarian law, including those committed against refugees, and all crimes committed in the context of the conflict that erupted in mid-April, and to collect evidence including interviews, witness testimonies and forensic materials.
According to the draft resolution, the committee would be mandated to identify individuals and entities responsible for human rights violations or violations of international humanitarian law in Sudan, with a view to ensuring that those responsible are held accountable.
Al-Yurae – Al-Quds Al-Arabi – Agencies
