Title: Sudan: Unimaginable Horror: The Civilian Population Targeted
Introduction: Since April 15, 2023, Sudan has been the scene of a chaotic situation and unprecedented violence. The army and the paramilitaries clash, resulting in an escalation of war crimes and abuses against the civilian population. In an alarming report entitled “Death has knocked on our door”, Amnesty International denounces the generalization of these atrocities and the unimaginable suffering endured by Sudanese civilians. We had the opportunity to speak with Donatella Rovera, in charge of crises and conflicts at Amnesty International, to find out more about this dramatic situation.
War crimes committed against the civilian population
In its report, Amnesty International highlights the war crimes perpetrated against Sudanese civilians. The indiscriminate and deliberate attacks against the civilian population resulted in a significant number of casualties. Women and girls are particularly vulnerable, being abducted and subjected to extreme sexual violence. Looting and destruction of infrastructure has worsened the already precarious humanitarian situation for the civilian population, making access to food, medicine and humanitarian aid almost impossible. Millions of Sudanese have been forced to flee their homes, creating an unprecedented refugee crisis in the region, particularly in Chad where more than 300,000 people live in dire humanitarian conditions.
The responsibilities of belligerents
While the paramilitaries of the Rapid Support Forces (RSF) are the main perpetrators of the abuses documented by Amnesty International, the Sudanese army is not to be outdone and has also committed human rights violations. The Darfur region is the scene of ethnically motivated inter-communal violence, while fighters on all sides operate with impunity. This impunity only fuels the violence and in particular the sexual violence that is rife in all the regions affected by the conflict.
Lack of protection of civilians
One of the most alarming elements of this situation is the belligerents’ complete lack of concern for civilians. On the contrary, they deliberately put their lives in danger by fighting in the middle of residential neighborhoods and using heavy weapons. Civilians thus find themselves trapped in the fighting, suffering tragic human losses in their own homes. The fighters are hiding among the civilian population, launching their attacks from residential areas, causing many deaths and injuries to innocent civilians.
Conclusion: The dire situation in Sudan has reached alarming proportions. The civilian population is taken hostage and suffers unacceptable atrocities. There is an urgent need for the international community to act to put an end to this violence and guarantee the protection of civilians. Those responsible for these war crimes must be held to account in order to prevent impunity and ensure justice for the victims. It is time to end this unimaginable horror that is gripping Sudan and rebuild a peaceful future for the people of Sudan