from Khartoum (expressive)
Sudan
Officials of major relief organizations: Many of the violations committed by the two fighting sides amount to war crimes, and perhaps crimes against humanity
Posted on: August 15, 2023: 03:06 PM GST Last updated: August 15, 2023: 07:00 PM GST
Officials of major relief agencies confirmed today, Tuesday, that “the international community has no excuse” for its delay in alleviating the suffering of the people of Sudan, who have been victims of the conflict between the army and the Rapid Intervention Forces four months ago.
These officials, who include the heads of UN agencies and charities such as Save the Children and CARE, said that “our humanitarian appeals could help some 19 million people in Sudan and neighboring countries. However, the two appeals we launched were funded by slightly more than about 27%. There is a need to change this situation.”
The signatories to the appeal also urged the Sudanese army and the Rapid Support Forces to “immediately” stop fighting, stressing that many of the violations committed by the two fighting sides amount to war crimes, and perhaps crimes against humanity.
The signatories recalled that more than 14 million children are in need of humanitarian assistance, and that more than 4 million people have fled the fighting and are still displaced within the country or refugees in neighboring countries.
They warned that “time is running out for the peasants to grow the crops from which they will get their own food and the food of their neighbors. Medical supplies are scarce. The situation is heading towards an uncontrollable situation.”
But they promised to continue “pressing for access to all people and in all areas of Sudan to provide them with humanitarian supplies and basic services.”
United Nations: More than 4,000 people were killed in the conflict
For its part, the United Nations said today, Tuesday, that preliminary figures indicate the death of more than four thousand people, including hundreds of civilians, as a result of the conflict that has been going on in Sudan for four months.
The international organization stated in a statement that among the dead were 435 children and 28 medical and humanitarian workers, expressing its belief that the actual number of victims is much higher.
For his part, the United Nations High Commissioner for Human Rights, Volker Türk, expressed concern about armed groups exploiting the “chaotic” situation in Sudan, warning that violence may escalate as a result.
The UN statement quoted Türk as saying that his office had “reasonable reasons to believe that the Sudanese Armed Forces and the Rapid Support Forces committed serious violations of international law during the conflict,” stressing the need to hold those responsible accountable.
A joint UN committee statement said today that more than 6 million people in Sudan are on the brink of famine and more than 14 million children need aid.
Displaced children in Sudan
The statement, which was signed by the UN Coordinator for Humanitarian Affairs, the UN High Commissioner for Human Rights and the Director-General of the International Organization for Migration, added that they will continue to “press for access to all populations in need in Sudan with humanitarian supplies.”
“Every day the fighting continues, Sudanese are robbed of the peace, life and future they deserve,” the statement said.
The joint commission added that attacking civilians and aid workers and looting humanitarian supplies in Sudan “may amount to war crimes and crimes against humanity.”
Scarcity of health supplies
The committee called on the international community to help Sudan and said there was “no excuse for waiting”. The commission noted that more than 6 million people in Sudan are “one step away from famine” and that more than 4 million people have fled fighting and remain internally displaced across the country.
The statement said medical supplies in Sudan are scarce and the situation is out of control.
“Our humanitarian appeals can help about 19 million people in Sudan and neighboring countries. However, the percentage of funding for the two appeals is still less than 27 percent,” the statement continued.
For its part, the International Organization for Migration said today, Tuesday, that an estimated more than a million people have fled Sudan to neighboring countries since the outbreak of conflict between the army and the paramilitary Rapid Support Forces in mid-April.
According to the weekly statistics published by the organization, the conflict caused one million and 17,449 people to cross the borders from Sudan to neighboring countries, while estimates indicate that three million and 433,025 people have been displaced within the country.
Read also
#Sudan #outcome #war #Sudan. #dead #famine #threatens #million #people
2023-08-15 15:00:04
