Militants have committed crimes against humanity in Sudan, Human Rights Watch report warns
Militants have committed crimes against humanity in Sudan, Human Rights Watch report warns ABC News
sdgtalks
LONDON — Ethnic Cleansing and Crimes Against Humanity in El Geneina, West Darfur
LONDON — Ethnic cleansing and crimes against humanity have been committed in El Geneina, West Darfur, against ethnic Massalit and non-Arab communities, according to a report released Thursday by Human Rights Watch.
Rapid Support Forces (RSF) and Allied Militias
The Rapid Support Forces, or RSF, paramilitary group and allied militias have committed “numerous serious violations of international humanitarian and human rights law” as part of their campaign against the Massalit people of El Geneina, the report said.
Extent of Violence and Destruction
Between April and November 2023 “at least thousands of people” were killed, “hundreds of thousands” left as refugees and civilian infrastructure methodologically destroyed, the report said. It said Entire neighborhoods housing primarily Massalit-displaced communities were looted, burned, shelled and razed to the ground.
Worst Atrocities in Sudan’s Current Conflict
“The events are among the worst atrocities against civilians so far in the current conflict in Sudan,” HRW said. “Sudanese Red Crescent staff said that on June 13, they counted 2,000 bodies on the streets of El Geneina and then, overwhelmed by the numbers, stopped counting.”
Targeting of Adolescent Boys and Men
“Adolescent boys and men were especially singled out for killings, but among those unlawfully killed were also many children and women,” the report said, adding RSF fighters and allied militias were using “derogatory racial slurs” during their weeks long campaign.
The Conflict in Sudan and its Humanitarian Impact
The civil war that began in 2023 in Sudan has become “one of the worst humanitarian disasters in recent memory,” according to the United Nations, displacing more than 8 million people. Fighting erupted in April 2023 between the RSF and its rival, the Sudanese Armed Forces, or SAF.
Estimates of Casualties in El Geneina
A U.N. panel of experts on Sudan estimated between 10,000 and 15,000 people were killed in El Geneina in 2023.
Fierce Fighting in El Geneina
El Geneina, in West Darfur, where ethnic Massalit, which is sometimes spelled Masalit, make up roughly 60% of the population, has seen some of the fiercest fighting outside Sudan’s capital Khartoum since the onset of the conflict in Sudan.
International Response and Findings
Testifying before the Senate Foreign Relations Committee, U.S. Special Envoy for Sudan Tom Perriello said the U.S. has determined the RSF and allied militias have committed “crimes against humanity and ethnic cleansing.”
The U.S. also found the SAF have committed “war crimes” since the onset of the war, bombing civilian areas and “proactively” interfering with humanitarian operations.
Unspeakable Brutality and Urgent Action
“Let’s be clear: the RSF and its leadership are rooted in the Janjaweed militias who committed genocide and widespread crimes against humanity,” said Perriello. “They have conducted this war with unspeakable brutality, including through ethnic cleansing of the Masalit, sexual violence as
SDGs, Targets, and Indicators
1. Which SDGs are addressed or connected to the issues highlighted in the article?
- SDG 1: No Poverty
- SDG 5: Gender Equality
- SDG 10: Reduced Inequalities
- SDG 16: Peace, Justice, and Strong Institutions
2. What specific targets under those SDGs can be identified based on the article’s content?
- SDG 1.4: By 2030, ensure that all men and women, in particular the poor and the vulnerable, have equal rights to economic resources, as well as access to basic services, ownership, and control over land and other forms of property.
- SDG 5.2: Eliminate all forms of violence against all women and girls in the public and private spheres, including trafficking and sexual and other types of exploitation.
- SDG 10.2: By 2030, empower and promote the social, economic, and political inclusion of all, irrespective of age, sex, disability, race, ethnicity, origin, religion, or economic or other status.
- SDG 16.1: Significantly reduce all forms of violence and related death rates everywhere.
3. Are there any indicators mentioned or implied in the article that can be used to measure progress towards the identified targets?
- Number of people killed or affected by ethnic cleansing and crimes against humanity.
- Number of people displaced or forced to flee their homes as a result of the conflict.
- Extent of destruction of civilian infrastructure.
- Number of villages and towns deliberately destroyed by fire.
- Number of cases of violence against women and girls, including sexual violence.
Table: SDGs, Targets, and Indicators
| SDGs | Targets | Indicators |
|---|---|---|
| SDG 1: No Poverty | SDG 1.4: By 2030, ensure that all men and women, in particular the poor and the vulnerable, have equal rights to economic resources, as well as access to basic services, ownership, and control over land and other forms of property. | Number of people affected by ethnic cleansing and crimes against humanity. |
| SDG 5: Gender Equality | SDG 5.2: Eliminate all forms of violence against all women and girls in the public and private spheres, including trafficking and sexual and other types of exploitation. | Number of cases of violence against women and girls, including sexual violence. |
| SDG 10: Reduced Inequalities | SDG 10.2: By 2030, empower and promote the social, economic, and political inclusion of all, irrespective of age, sex, disability, race, ethnicity, origin, religion, or economic or other status. | Number of people displaced or forced to flee their homes as a result of the conflict. |
| SDG 16: Peace, Justice, and Strong Institutions | SDG 16.1: Significantly reduce all forms of violence and related death rates everywhere. | Extent of destruction of civilian infrastructure, number of villages and towns deliberately destroyed by fire. |
Note: The indicators mentioned in the article are not explicitly stated as official indicators for measuring progress towards the identified targets. However, they are implied based on the information provided in the article.
Copyright: Dive into this article, curated with care by SDG Investors Inc. Our advanced AI technology searches through vast amounts of data to spotlight how we are all moving forward with the Sustainable Development Goals. While we own the rights to this content, we invite you to share it to help spread knowledge and spark action on the SDGs.
Fuente: abcnews.go.com
Join us, as fellow seekers of change, on a transformative journey at https://sdgtalks.ai/welcome, where you can become a member and actively contribute to shaping a brighter future.
