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June 20, 2024 (Nairobi) – In response to ongoing atrocities in Sudan, Human Rights Watch (HRW) urges the African Union (AU) to work with the United Nations to deploy a Civilian Protection Corps and conduct a robust human rights investigation.
The call comes ahead of a 21 June meeting of the AU Peace and Security Council, which is expected to discuss concrete steps to protect civilians and ensure accountability.
The devastating conflict between the Sudanese Armed Forces (SAF) and the Rapid Support Forces (RSF) has caused widespread humanitarian suffering and serious human rights violations. Human Rights Watch stressed that both sides are responsible for violations of international humanitarian law, and the Rapid Support Forces and allied forces have been accused of crimes against humanity and war crimes against specific ethnic communities in West Darfur.
Alan Ngari, Africa advocacy director at Human Rights Watch, stressed the need for urgent action by the AU Peace and Security Council. “The Peace and Security Council should spell out what urgent measures it plans to take to ensure the deployment of a UN-backed civilian protection mission and support the investigation by the African Commission on Human and Peoples’ Rights,” he said.
The requested mission will focus on protecting civilians, monitoring human rights violations, and facilitating the safe return of displaced persons. Human Rights Watch stressed the urgency of resolving the crisis, citing a recent rapid security force attack that reportedly killed dozens of people, including children.
The call for civilian protection action was supported by UN Security Council Resolution 2736, which called for an end to the siege of El Fasher and the protection of civilians. Human Rights Watch also urged the African Commission on Human and Peoples’ Rights to conduct a prompt and thorough investigation into the human rights situation in Sudan.
The organization stressed the importance of the AU working with international partners to support investigations and ensure accountability. The AU’s response should reflect the scale of the crisis and its leaders should demonstrate their commitment to preventing further atrocities against civilians in the region.
The Human Rights Watch statement called on the African Union and the international community to take decisive action to address Sudan’s escalating humanitarian crisis. The deployment of a civilian protection mission and a robust human rights investigation are seen as key steps to protect civilians and ensure accountability for ongoing atrocities.
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