The UN Human Rights Council has condemned indiscriminate drone strikes and attacks on civilians in Sudan, and criticized outside forces for fueling the conflict with weapons and mercenaries. The council's decision to extend the mandate of its independent international fact-finding mission for Sudan for another year was adopted with 28 votes in favor, 10 against, and nine abstentions. This move aims to continue gathering evidence of abuses and atrocities committed during the conflict.
The investigation concluded in February that the siege and capture of the city of El-Fasher bore "the hallmarks of genocide". The conflict between Sudan's army and the paramilitary Rapid Support Forces (RSF) has resulted in an estimated 200,000 deaths, displaced over 13 million people, and created the world's largest hunger and displacement crises. The council's resolution emphasized that there is "no military solution to the crisis" in Sudan and called for an immediate and complete ceasefire.
The resolution condemned violations of international humanitarian law and abuses of human rights by all parties involved. It specifically targeted "indiscriminate attacks against civilians, indiscriminate aerial bombardments and drone strikes, resulting in civilian deaths and the destruction of critical infrastructure", including schools and hospitals. Both the army and the RSF have increasingly deployed drones, killing over 1,100 people during the first five months of this year alone, according to United Nations figures.
The UN Human Rights Council's resolution called for the establishment of an independent monitoring mechanism for the ceasefire, rehabilitation of critical basic infrastructure, and a negotiated and peaceful resolution to the conflict. The council's decision was supported by several countries, including Brazil, Britain, France, Italy, Japan, Mexico, and South Korea. In contrast, China, Cuba, Egypt, Indonesia, Iraq, Pakistan, and Qatar voted against the resolution.
Britain, which introduced the resolution, welcomed the shift in African opinion on the council. Four out of 13 African members supported the resolution, with seven abstentions and two voting no. This represents a significant change from last year, when only South Africa voted in favor, with eight abstentions and four nos. Britain's ambassador Eleanor Sanders stated that this shift reflects the scale and gravity of the situation in Sudan.
The Gambia's representative Cherno Marenah explained that his country's vote in favor was guided by the need to consider the millions of victims of the war in Sudan, who continue to suffer from the devastating consequences of the conflict. The extension of the fact-finding mission's mandate aims to increase pressure on the warring parties and potentially mitigate the scale and barbarity of atrocities.
The conflict in Sudan has resulted in significant humanitarian crises, with widespread displacement, hunger, and destruction of infrastructure. The UN Human Rights Council's resolution seeks to address these issues by promoting a peaceful resolution to the conflict and holding parties accountable for their actions. The council's decision reflects the international community's concern about the situation in Sudan and its commitment to protecting human rights.
Key points
- The UN Human Rights Council condemns indiscriminate drone strikes and attacks on civilians in Sudan.
- The conflict between Sudan's army and the RSF has resulted in an estimated 200,000 deaths and displaced over 13 million people.
- The council's resolution calls for an immediate and complete ceasefire, establishment of an independent monitoring mechanism, and a negotiated and peaceful resolution to the conflict.
