By Abdel Salam Sidahmed, the SHRM Chairperson
10 Septemeber 2024
Mr. President
I am honoured to address this session on Sudan on behalf of CSO.
We welcome the FFM report and commend its diligent efforts to work towards fulfilling its
mandate notwithstanding the challenges it has faced throughout. We call on member states to
pay due attention to the findings outlined in the report.
As we know since the time when the FFM has been established, the geographic scope of the
conflict has markedly expanded and so did the accompanying violations of international
humanitarian and human rights laws. The humanitarian catastrophe is well known; Sudan has
become the scene of the largest displacement crisis in the world.
This Humanitarian catastrophe is not an incidental by-product of the conflict. It was primarily
caused by the atrocities and systematic violations committed by parties to the conflict – RSF
& SAF, their blatant disregard for international human rights and humanitarian norms, and
their failure to uphold the paramount principle of civilian protection.
After more than 500 days of war, it became clear that this is a war of attrition against the
Sudanese civilians who are at the receiving end of atrocious acts carried out by both sides.
RSF continues to expand the war invading one state after the other attacking towns and
villages without any military justification; whenever they go they leave behind a shocking
trail of destruction, plunder, mass displacement, victims of rape & sexual violence, and a
state of insecurity and lawlessness. On its part, SAF carries out regular air strikes on
populated areas invariably harming civilians and civilian objects; at times hitting IDP camps,
hospitals and other essential civilian facilities. Both sides have carried out extra-judicial
killings, arrests, detention and torture of individual civilians, all under the pretext of
collaboration with the other side. In certain cases – mostly in areas under SAF control-
detainees are sentenced to death after grossly unfair trials for alleged collaboration with RSF.
Ironically, this could happen to people who experienced multiple displacement, because of
RSF incursions. A case in point is the ordeal of Mohamed Osman Abu Hurierah, a 23-year
old student who was displaced twice and arrested twice. Arrested and tortured by the RSF,
then after scaping RSF detention, was arrested by SAF intelligence, he was then tried and
sentenced to death on charges of collaborating with RSF.
Mr. President
Let’s remind ourselves that beyond the figures describing the situation in Sudan, are real
people: men, women and children with memories and dreams, whose lives have been
shattered, in most cases literally overnight.
These shattered lives should be the focus of our attention, and we should strive to rekindle
their hope that there could be justice; and that they are entitled to redress and reparations.
It is in this regard that we strongly support FFM’s recommendations, particularly those
concerned with ensuring protection of civilians. We also support FFM’s focus on
accountability and the options it outlined, including through expansion of the ICC jurisdiction
to cover the whole of Sudan.
Mr President
We call on the HRC to:
- extend the mandate of FFM for another year:
- As the conflict & its associated violations continue, further investigations are needed,
including through field visits to collect first hand information and verify allegations. - Its focus on accountability, could help in addressing impunity, which has been well
entrenched in Sudan and is generally regarded as one of the drivers of conflict. - Apart from the ICC, FFM is the only international body concerned with
accountability, collection and preservation of evidence throughout Sudan. - Because of its unique mandate, FFM should be regarded as a complimentary body to
other regional and international mechanisms. - Finally, when I call on the Council to extend the FFM mandate, I am reiterating the
demand of 50 international, regional and national organisations who petitioned the
Council to that effect back in June, and 74 Sudanese CSOs, political and professional
associations, who have recently launched a nation-wide campaign calling for
extending the FFM mandate.
