“Lives and infrastructure are being destroyed, and the security situation is impeding the delivery of humanitarian aid,” said Volker Perthes, the UN Secretary-General’s Special Representative for Sudan, briefing the Veiligheidsraad Maandag oor onlangse verwikkelinge.
Five weeks since the eruption of fighting between the Sudanese Armed Forces (SAF) and the Rapid Support Forces (RSF) on 15 April, the conflict had shown no signs of slowing down despite repeated declarations of ceasefire by both sides, said Mr. Perthes, who also heads the UN mission in the country, UNITAMS.
If honoured, the pending week-long renewable ceasefire should ease aid deliveries to millions in need and “pave the way for peace talks”, he told the Council.
Burgerlikes betaal steil prys
However, he raised myriad grave concerns about serious human rights violations, rampant looting, and a flood of weapons throughout the country.
Daarbenewens het hy gesê die groeiende etnisasie van die konflik loop die gevaar om die land te verswelg in 'n langdurige konflik, met implikasies vir die streek, 'n beroep op beide partye om terug te keer na dialoog in die belang van Soedan en sy mense.
Burgerlikes het betaal a duur prys vir hierdie “sinnelose geweld”, he said, noting the more than 860 reported deaths, including 190 children, another 3,500 injured, and many missing. The violence meer as een miljoen mense ontheem het; more than 840,000 fled to safer areas while another 250,000 have crossed the borders.
'Ernstige menseregteskendings'
The fighting throughout the country has resulted in “serious human rights abuses and violations” of international humanitarian law and die beskerming van burgerlikes ondermyn.
'Hierdie oortredings moet ondersoek word, and the perpetrators brought to justice,” he said. “The UN family continues to monitor and advocate for an end to all violations.”
In Khartoum, Darfur, and elsewhere, the warring parties continue fighting without regard for the laws and norms of war, he said, pointing to destroyed or damaged homes, shops, places of worship, and water and electricity installations, alongside a collapsing health sector, with meer as twee derdes van hospitale gesluit, baie gesondheidsorgwerkers vermoor, en mediese voorrade raak min.
Ontsteld oor berigte van seksuele geweld teen vroue en meisies, he said the UN is following up to verify these cases. He also raised concerns of ongebreidelde plundering and enforced disappearances, and that children continue to be vulnerable to recruitment and use as soldiers, sexual violence, and abduction.
Kriminaliteit word vererger deur die vrylating van duisende gevangenes en die toenemende verspreiding van klein wapens, het hy gewaarsku.
Spiralende etniese geweld
In El Geneina in Wes-Darfoer, botsings tussen die partye tot etniese geweld ontaard on 24 April. Tribal militias joined the fight and civilians took up arms to defend themselves, he said.
Homes, markets, and hospitals were ransacked and burned, and UN premises looted. Renewed violence reportedly led to at least another 280 deaths and tens of thousands displaced to Chad, he said.
Kommerwekkende tekens van stammobilisering are also being reported in South Kordofan as well as the Blue Nile region, he warned.
While blame is circulating that the UN did not foresee the conflict, he said the verantwoordelikheid vir die gevegte berus by diegene wat dit tans voer.
“The fighting parties’ decision to fight out their differences on the ground instead of through dialogue is verwoestende Soedan," hy het gesê.
Volker Perthes, Special Representative of the UN Secretary-General for Sudan and Head of the UN Integrated Transition Assistance Mission in Sudan (UNITAMS), briefs Security Council members on the situation in the country.
Koste van oorlog
Commending efforts led by Saudi Arabia and the United States, he said the SAF and RSF signed the Verklaring van verbintenisse in Jeddah on 11 May, representing an “important step” that commits to respecting international humanitarian law and allow humanitarian access.
Through a hub in Port Sudan, UNITAMS has supported UN Country Team efforts and humanitarian partners to herstel die vloei van hulpvoorrade in en binne die land, het hy gesê.
But, additional funding is urgently needed, he said, noting that the revised humanitarian response plan launched on 17 May, requesting $2.6 billion dollars to reach 18 million people, has ballooned from $15 million before the fighting.
“As the talks advance, a diverse array of civil and political stakeholders must play their role,” he said. “Ultimately, only a credible civilian-led transition can chart lasting peace in Sudan. "
Vlugtelinge krisis
Die VN-vlugtelingagentskap (UNHCR) Assistant High Commissioner for Operations, Raouf Mazou, on Monday, urged increased international support and attention for displaced people from Sudan, including refugees, refugee returnees, and host communities.
Without a concrete and immediate solution, more people are expected to flee from Sudan seeking safety, he cautioned.
Mnr. Mazou het 'n onlangse vlugtelingterrein in Borota, Tsjad, slegs 'n paar kilometer van die Soedan-grens besoek, waar 25,000 XNUMX Soedanese 'n week gelede aangekom het terwyl die gevegte toegeneem het.
"Byna 90 persent van nuwe aankomelinge is vroue en kinders,” he said, noting that many people have been sheltering under trees in makeshift shelters with very limited services and minimal resources
“As the rainy season approaches, we urgently need to relocate new arrivals to the nearest refugee camps,” he said.
Humanitêre behoeftes groei
UN agencies have been scrambling to provide assistance to those in need, UN Spokesperson Stéphane Dujarric said on Monday.
Die Wêreldvoedselprogram (WFP) het tot dusver het byna 450,000 XNUMX mense bereik met voedsel- en voedingsondersteuning since its distributions resumed on 3 May, and plans are in place to start distributions in Wadi Halfa in Northern State to more than 9,000 people who are fleeing to Egypt.
Die VN-voedselagentskap beplan ook om assess the needs of 500,000 men, women and children who are currently trapped in Khartoum, he said, adding that the assessment “should start in the coming days if the security situation allows us to do that”.
Intussen het die VN-kinderfonds (UNICEF) and its partners are providing access to clean water and sanitation, as well as hygiene in key locations, helping to deliver some 235,000 XNUMX liter skoon water na gesondheidsorgfasiliteite in North Darfur and provided clean water to some 40,000 people in East Darfur in the Elneem camp for internally displaced people.
Terselfdertyd het die VN se Bevolkingsfonds (UNFPA) verskaf het brandstof vir vier kraamhospitale in Khartoum to ensure life-saving health services are available for women and girls who need, Mr. Dujarric said.
Learn more about what the UN is doing to help the Sudanese people na hierdie skakel.
