The Crisis Beyond El Obeid: Political Agendas, Regional Violence, and International Missteps
The Coalition welcomes efforts to secure justice for victims, but warns that the draft resolution — confined to the city of El Obeid — rests on a selective methodology that overlooks grave violations across Darfur, Kordofan and Blue Nile. It calls for a comprehensive resolution and an independent international investigation into alleged chemical weapons use.The International Coalition for Human Rights (ICHR) is following with profound concern and close scrutiny the ongoing deliberations regarding the draft resolution on the humanitarian situation in the city of El Obeid.
While the Coalition welcomes all efforts aimed at ensuring justice for victims and protecting civilians, it expresses its strong reservations regarding the selective and reductionist methodology underpinning the draft resolution. The Coalition therefore wishes to clarify the following facts for both the international community and the Sudanese public.
The Root Cause of the Crisis
Selectivity Undermines Impartial Justice
The Coalition also notes with concern that the draft resolution appears to rely primarily on reports produced by international mechanisms that have been unable to gain effective access to affected areas due to restrictions imposed by the de facto authorities based in Port Sudan.
Legitimacy and the Position of the African Union
Matters Omitted from the Council's Agenda
documented allegations concerning the use of internationally prohibited chemical weapons by the Sudanese Armed Forces;
the indiscriminate aerial bombardment of civilians and civilian infrastructure under the pretext of targeting alleged social support bases;
the obstruction of humanitarian relief operations, including convoys of the World Food Programme;
the reported involvement of foreign cross-border armed groups, including Seleka forces from the Central African Republic.
The Coalition's Calls
1- A comprehensive and balanced resolution. The draft resolution should be revised to ensure that it is comprehensive, balanced, and reflective of the full scope of human rights violations committed throughout all regions of Sudan, without geographical selectivity or partial treatment.
2- An independent international investigation. An independent international investigation should be established into allegations concerning the use of chemical weapons and the deliberate targeting of civilians on ethnic and geographical grounds.
3- A principled position on legitimacy. The international community should adopt a principled position consistent with the decisions of the African Union by refraining from recognizing the legitimacy of the military authorities established following the coup in Port Sudan, thereby preventing the misuse of international forums to justify the continuation of the armed conflict.
By: The International Coalition for Human Rights (ICHR) & Charilogone Editorial Staff
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