Press release
Geneva – April 17, 2024
The UN Committee on the Elimination of Racial Discrimination (CERD) issued a stern call to action today, urging Sudan to address and curb the escalating ethnic violence and hate speech that have ravaged the country since hostilities erupted on April 15, 2023, between the Sudanese Armed Forces (SAF) and the Rapid Support Forces (RSF).
Expressing deep concern, the Committee emphasized the need for an immediate ceasefire and urged the SAF, RSF, and their affiliates to halt hostilities and cease
violations of international human rights and humanitarian law, particularly acts targeting individuals based on their ethnic background.
The Committee was appalled by reports of ethnically motivated attacks, predominantly carried out by the RSF and allied militias, targeting communities such as the Masalit, Fur, and Zaghawa. Incidents included killings of civilians fleeing conflict zones, assaults on internally displaced persons’ camps, forced displacement, looting, and the burning of villages. Notably, the El Geneina attacks in West Darfur resulted in the deaths of thousands, including community leaders, lawyers, and human rights defenders.
Disturbingly, reports also highlighted the rape of women and girls, some as young as 14, alongside racial slurs directed at Masalit and other African ethnic groups.
The Committee further expressed alarm over allegations of arbitrary detentions, torture, and extrajudicial killings reportedly perpetrated by the SAF and allied forces, often targeting individuals from Arab tribes in Darfur and Kordofan based solely on perceived ethnicity.
Recognizing the gravity of the situation, the Committee emphasized the urgent need for thorough investigations and robust punitive measures against perpetrators. It also stressed the importance of fostering dialogue between ethnic communities to promote tolerance and peace.
In addition to urging Sudan to uphold its international obligations under conventions like ICERD and the Convention on the Prevention and Punishment of the Crime of Genocide, the Committee called on all States parties to these conventions to cooperate in ending violations and preventing atrocities in Sudan.
