Brussels: Europe and the arabs
Speaking from the port city of Port Sudan, Volker Peretz, head of the United Nations Mission in Sudan, said that the warring sides had ignored the laws and customs of war, launching attacks on densely populated areas without regard for the safety of civilians, hospitals or even vehicles carrying the sick and wounded.According to the United Nations news bulletin, a copy of which we received this morning
The UN official's statements came in a briefing he gave to the UN Security Council, late Tuesday, Sudan time, on the latest developments since the outbreak of fighting between the army and the Rapid Support Forces in the middle of this month.
Peretz delivered his speech via a communication circle from Port Sudan, to which he moved from Khartoum due to the ongoing fighting.
Volker Peretz began his briefing by paying tribute to all Sudanese women, men and children - including UN staff and humanitarian workers - who have died or been injured during the fighting in Sudan.
He said that his efforts in the recent period - along with Member States and regional organizations - focused on securing a cessation of fighting for humanitarian purposes or a cease-fire, noting that these efforts had achieved limited success so far.
The Special Representative of the Secretary-General for Sudan described the 72-hour ceasefire - brokered by the United States of America yesterday, Monday (24 April) - as a positive step, but nevertheless, sporadic gunfire continues to be reported as the two sides exchange accusations. regarding the ceasefire violation.
Volker Peretz said that the United Nations and its partners are intensifying efforts to ensure the continuation of the ceasefire and the possibility that this develops into a permanent cessation of hostilities and a return to political negotiations.
He called on the military leaders on both sides to abide by the ceasefire and consolidate it within the framework of a permanent cessation of hostilities, stressing the readiness of the United Nations to provide support. He also called on member states that have influence over the two warring parties to support these efforts.
“Even if one side wins, Sudan will lose.”
The UN envoy spoke about the violations committed by both sides, urging them to abide by their obligations under international humanitarian law and to ensure the protection of civilians and civilian infrastructure. He stressed the need for civilians to be given safe passage to leave areas of active combat and access supplies.
Peretz said that the army and RSF commanders have been unable to fully commit to or implement a full ceasefire, and that they continue to trade accusations and make competing claims about control of key facilities.
He pointed out that there is no clear confirmation so far of the willingness of either of them to conduct serious negotiations, which indicates that they believe that achieving a military victory over the other is possible. Peretz described it as a miscalculation.
And as the fighting continues, the breakdown of law and order increases across Sudan, which may become more fragmented, with a devastating impact on the region, the UN envoy said.
"Even if one side wins, Sudan will lose," he warned.
Growing fear of insecurity
Volker Peretz reported receiving disturbing reports of attempted sexual assaults, pointing to the escalation of fear of increased criminality in conjunction with supply lines being depleted and destroyed by airstrikes, and indicated that this fear was exacerbated by reports of the release of prisoners from detention centers in Khartoum.
In the Northern State, control of Merowe Airport is still in dispute between the two parties. In his briefing, Peretz indicated that a group of Egyptian forces, who were being held by the Rapid Support Forces, had been safely handed over to the Egyptian authorities.
As for the situation in the states of Darfur, it is still volatile, according to the UN official. In North Kordofan, sporadic fighting broke out in El Obeid. In Blue Nile, sectarian clashes broke out between the Hausa and Funj communities on 21 April, in the absence of security forces. As a result of this fighting, nine people were killed, four injured, and 4,500 people were displaced from their homes.
Peretz added: As for the other states of Sudan, although they were spared from the fighting, they were affected by the repercussions of the fighting, such as the rise in commodity and fuel prices. There were increasing reports of armed robbers at checkpoints on some roads looting civilians fleeing the violence.
grassroots efforts to fill the void
On the other hand, Volker Peretz said that civil society and grassroots networks have mobilized to fill the void in the response to the crisis. Many neighborhood resistance committees have established emergency rooms to provide basic health care. Several coordination committees also support the evacuations of civilians from the most affected areas, and many of these committees offer to host civilians in their homes. He noted that Sudanese men and women continue to show strength of solidarity and compassion in the midst of this crisis.
International staff
The Representative of the Secretary-General called for ensuring the safety and security of United Nations personnel, premises and assets, and humanitarian and medical workers, noting the relocation of a total of about 1,200 people - including 744 United Nations staff and their families, international non-governmental organization staff and their families, and diplomats from several embassies. From Khartoum to Port Sudan.
He said that a small number of international staff and their families are still in Khartoum and have not been evacuated for various reasons. The UN representative affirmed that the entire UN family will work tirelessly to end the violence in Sudan and restore hope for a better future, reaffirming the UN's unwavering commitment to Sudan. and his people.
A new wave of humanitarian challenges
Joyce Msuya, Assistant Secretary-General for Humanitarian Affairs, said that what the Sudanese people need "and what we need in order to reach them is an immediate ceasefire and a lasting solution to the crisis."
She said that the humanitarian needs in Sudan reached a record level even before the outbreak of fighting in Sudan, where about 15.8 million people - a third of the population - need humanitarian assistance, while suffering 4 million children and pregnant and lactating women suffer from malnutrition, and the number of internally displaced persons is 3.7 million.
The UN official warned that this conflict will only deepen these needs. It also threatens to unleash a new wave of humanitarian challenges.
She pointed out that the fighting greatly impedes and endangers relief operations, warning that the humanitarian crisis is rapidly turning into a disaster.
“At least 20 hospitals have been forced to close due to damage, military use or lack of resources. Power outages and fuel shortages could harm vaccine stocks and water supplies, which is a precursor to the spread of disease.”
Referring to reports of sexual and gender-based violence, Ms. Msoya called on all parties to ensure that no woman or girl is subjected to such crimes.
She warned of the enormous damage to mental health, especially among children.
The need to respect humanitarian workers
Ms. Msoya said that the humanitarian community was not spared from this fighting, noting the death of 5 humanitarian workers, while "aid workers in their homes were attacked, beaten and detained at gunpoint. Warehouses, offices, and vehicles were attacked, looted and seized. The situation is very dangerous and worrisome." .
The UN official went on to say:
“We continue to provide services when and where possible, particularly in the areas of health and nutrition. We are exploring ways to replenish our stocks so that we can provide assistance to our partners in Port Sudan and elsewhere, as soon as it is safe to do so. We are activating a center in Nairobi to support rapid response.”
International humanitarian law is clear and unequivocal, Ms. Msoya said, calling on all parties to the conflict to respect civilians and civilian infrastructure, while taking constant care to avoid putting them at risk. “This includes allowing safe passage for civilians to leave combat zones on a voluntary basis. Parties must respect workers.” In the humanitarian field, assets and facilitating relief operations, they must respect medical personnel, means of transportation and facilities.