3 Oct, 2024
4 min read
In This Article:
Criminals With No Consequence
The people of Sudan are experiencing famine, mass displacement and are being killed by military action daily. You will have perhaps heard the narrative that this is a by-product of conflict between two armed groups: the Sudanese Armed Forces (SAF) and the Rapid Support Forces (RSF). But the notion that civilians have been ‘caught in the crossfire’ is false. War Crimes, Crimes Against Humanity and Genocide are all being actively committed in Sudan, by both groups, and they are somehow getting away with it.
The Crimes
War Crimes, Crimes Against Humanity and Genocide are all defined under the Rome Statute of the International Criminal Court (ICC). They are atrocity crimes; abhorrent, extremely violent and entirely destructive. The defining features of each of these crimes are as follows:
Genocide must be directed toward a single group and deliberatly intend to bring about the destruction of that group either in whole or in part.
Crimes Against Humanity can occur in any context and involve a large-scale attack against a civilian population.
War Crimes must take place in the context of armed conflict.
The devastating consequences of conflict
The SAF
The SAF is the ‘official national military’ of Sudan, currently headed by Burhan. Their ability to act without consequence can be broken down into two key factors: their long political standing in the country and the international relationships which they hold.
Long Political Standing:
High ranking members of the SAF have orchestrated five military coups since the establishment of Sudan as an independent sovereignty in 1956. This has entrenched the SAF within the architecture of the Sudanese government, with a total of five of the seven heads of state having formerly served in the SAF. This means that they are automatically placed into a position of ‘defence’ against the ‘attacking’ RSF. This is not to say that the SAF is any better or worse than the RSF, but that it has fostered a shroud of legitimacy when the actions of the SAF are brought to attention.
This can be seen in Burhan’s speeches and declarations which brand the SAF as a force working toward restoring peace in Sudan by defeating the RSF, despite the evidence that they are also committing War Crimes and Crimes Against Humanity.
International relations:
Linked to their long political standing, the SAF has over time established powerful international relationships which have contributed to their ability to act with impunity. Due to the proximity to Sudan (across the Red Sea) and other geopolitical factors such as the Yemeni war, access to gold and weapons export, Saudi Arabia is their key ally. It is not only Saudi Arabia which is backing the SAF, other nations have also pledged their support through various actions. The nature of these relationships has allowed the SAF to act without fear of repercussion.
Member of the RSF formation
The RSF
The RSF is a paramilitary force born out of the Janjaweed militia that was legitimised by Omar Al-Bashir, previously a commander in the SAF and dictator that instigated the Darfur genocide in 2003, as an instrument of control in Sudan. Headed by Mohamed Hamdan ‘Hemedti’ Dagalo, their impunity stems from firstly wealth and secondly from contentious international relations.
Wealth:
Hemedti is one of the wealthiest men in Sudan, with control of the country’s two most lucrative sources of hard currency - war and gold. He has also profited off exporting the RSF to fight alongside Saudi Arabia and the UAE against the Houthis in Yemen, this included the export of child soldiers. As this funding comes from within, the RSF is not limited by the need to seek outside assistance and are therefore able to act as they will. They are also able to use their economic power as leverage to access further resources.
International relations:
Hemedti’s relationship with the UAE has since strengthened and the UAE now funds the RSF with weapons, machinery and finance in exchange for Sudan’s gold and access to the country’s agricultural potential. In addition to this, the UK FCDO has put pressure on African diplomats to avoid criticising the UAE over its support for the RSF in an attempt to avoid scrutiny of the UK’s relationship with the UAE.
The Bottom Line
TIt is vital that the international community takes a stand and initiates the relevant processes to extensively and rapidly investigate these crimes. Sudan has surpassed crisis point and both the RSF and the SAF must be prevented from committing further crimes and held accountable for the crimes they have already committed.
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About author
Hana Qureshi
Passionate advocate for human rights, with a focus on conflict zones and international justice. Her work aims to highlight the violence and humanitarian crises affecting Sudanese civilians.
Lauren White
Lauren is a writer with expertise in documenting the atrocities in Sudan, particularly the systematic human rights violations committed by both the SAF and RSF. Her research emphasizes international accountability and the urgent need for global intervention in Sudan's crisis.
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