UN rights council launches investigation into violations in Sudan

The Human Rights Council, with a slim majority, approved on Wednesday in Geneva the establishment of a mission to investigate human rights violations in Sudan, which is witnessing a bloody war between the Sudanese army and the Rapid Support Forces (RSF).

Simon Manley, the British Ambassador, said when presenting the resolution to establish this committee, consisting of three experts: “There is an urgent need to investigate and gather evidence of human rights violations, abuses, and violations of international law, regardless of where they occur in Sudan, and who committed them. This is precisely what this fact-finding mission will do.”

The ambassador, speaking on behalf of a group of countries, emphasized attacks against civilians, especially sexual violence. He specifically highlighted the abuses committed in the Darfur region.

The resolution was adopted with a majority of 19 votes in favor and 16 against, with 12 members abstaining from voting out of the 47 Council members and South Africa abstaining from voting.

Sudan strongly opposed the adoption of this text, as expressed by its ambassador, Hassan Hamed Hassan.

He said: “Once again, unfortunately, this Council witnesses a deep division in the face of a decision imposed forcibly on the concerned state, Sudan.”

“In Sudan, do we really need a new mechanism that jeopardizes all forms of cooperation between Sudan and human rights mechanisms? Those who supported the decision should know that they have jeopardized this cooperation.” He added.

The ambassador’s tone suggests that his government will not cooperate with the committee after the appointment of its members, according to the agency.

So far, more than 9,000 people have been killed in the Sudanese conflict, according to the non-governmental organization “ACLED,” which specializes in collecting conflict data, a figure much lower than the actual toll.

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