In Sudan, a recent United Nations fact-finding mission documented “harrowing” human rights violations committed by both the Sudanese army and the paramilitary Rapid Support Forces, including indiscriminate attacks on civilians, schools, hospitals, water and power supplies. Civilians have also been subjected to torture, arbitrary detention and gruesome sexual violence. Over 20,000 people have been killed and 13 million displaced over the past 16 months. The war has also destroyed the country’s healthcare system and caused an outbreak of diseases like cholera, malaria and dengue. Sky News correspondent Yousra Elbagir, whose reporting helped uncover details of a June 2023 massacre of civilians by the RSF in North Darfur, says the world is showing “complete apathy and neglect” over the violence in Sudan today. We also speak with Jean-Baptiste Gallopin, a senior researcher at Human Rights Watch, who says countries including Russia, China and Iran are supplying both sides with advanced weapons that are “very likely to be used to commit human rights violations and war crimes.”
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AMY GOODMAN: We begin today’s show in Sudan, where a U.N. fact-finding mission has reported “harrowing” human rights violations, many of which amount to war crimes, committed by both the Sudanese army and the paramilitary Rapid Support Forces. Members of the U.N. mission described indiscriminate attacks by the warring parties on civilians, schools, hospitals, water and power supplies. Civilians have also been subjected to torture, arbitrary detention and gruesome sexual violence by both sides.
JOY NGOZI EZEILO: In the context of the current conflict, civilians, an overwhelming majority of whom are women and children, are women and girls, were and continue to be targeted with sexual violation, in particular rape, gang rape, by both parties to the conflict. Members of the RSF in particular have perpetrated sexual violence on a large scale in the context of attacks on cities in Darfur region and the greater Khartoum area.
AMY GOODMAN: Sudan’s military and the RSF rejected calls by the U.N. experts to deploy an international force to protect civilians from the devastating war that erupted in April of 2023, so far killing more than 20,000 people, displacing some 13 million from their homes. This is the World Health Organization’s chief, Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus, speaking from Port Sudan.
TEDROS ADHANOM GHEBREYESUS: Sudanese are suffering through a perfect storm of crisis: over 500 days of conflict; the largest level of displacement in the world; famine in some parts and risk of this in others; 25.6 million people, over half of Sudanese population, are expected to face high levels of acute food insecurity.
AMY GOODMAN: After over 16 months of fighting, much of Sudan’s healthcare system has also collapsed, leading to the outbreak of disease, including cholera. Massive floods and torrential rains in recent weeks have compounded the catastrophe, with dozens of reported deaths, the further destruction of vital infrastructure and more disruptions to the delivery of lifesaving humanitarian aid.
For more, we’re joined by two guests. Yousra Elbagir is Africa correspondent at Sky News, her latest piece titled “Sudan War: Massacre on the Streets,” part of a joint investigation with Lighthouse Reports, The Washington Post and Le Monde uncovering gruesome details of footage of the June 2023 ethnically motivated massacre of civilians by Rapid Support Forces in North Darfur’s town of Kutum. Their investigation is the first time visual evidence has emerged showing fighters linked with the RSF directly involved in the extrajudicial killings of unarmed civilians. She’s joining us from Nairobi, Kenya.
And in Paris, we’re joined by Jean-Baptiste........