Prime Cabinet Secretary Musalia Mudavadi has called on the international community to impose sanctions against warring Sudan leaders blocking humanitarian aid from reaching civilians. Speaking on Tuesday during London-Sudan Conference, at Lancaster House, Mudavadi urged the international community to urgently resolve the dire humanitarian situation facing the Sudanese population amidst the escalating conflict. For the last two years, Sudan has been engulfed in war between Sudan Armed Forces (SAF) and paramilitary group, Rapid Support Forces (RSF), with the areas under control of the latter said to be bearing the brunt of inaccessibility to humanitarian aid. "We need to begin pressurizing or sanctioning and declaring clear consequences for those who continue to obstruct the work of humanitarian agencies," said Mudavadi.
The Prime Cabinet Secretary expressed concern over the increasing tensions in Sudan even as the parties appeared to be holding to the position that a military solution was possible. "The humanitarian situation continues to deteriorate, with a huge number of forced displacements, making Sudan the world's largest internal displacement crisis.
Those most affected are vulnerable Sudanese people, who can only stay where they are because they cannot afford to move to safer places internally and transnationally," he said. This comes as accusations emerge on members of RSF's committing gross human rights violations against innocent civilian women and girls. A recent report by Amnesty International, with personal accounts, paints a grim picture of the "horrific" sexual violence including gang-rape which victims have faced in the hands of the RSF troops. "The RSF's assaults on Sudanese women and girls are sickening, depraved and aimed at inflicting maximum humiliation.
The RSF has targeted civilians, particularly women and girls with unimaginable cruelty during this war," Deprose Muchena, Amnesty's Senior Director for Regional Human Rights Impact said last Friday. The escalating conflict between RSF and SAF in Sudan which now enters its third year has so far claimed the lives of tens of thousands and displaced about 12 million people, according to United Nations. Mudavadi regretted that the human cost of the conflict had increased, and civilian protection seems to be drifting further as women and girls bear the brunt of continued "indiscriminate shootings." "We are deeply concerned about the plight of the displaced populations and will remain focused on supporting humanitarian assistance," he said. Mudavadi's sentiments come against the backdrop of widespread condemnation of Kenya's involvement in the conflict following a series of meetings in the country by RSF leaders culminating into signing of agreement to form a parallel government.
