Representative of the UN Human Rights Office in Sudan Li Fung during a visit to Khartoum. INTERVIEW | Sudan conflict: UN documents all violations to ensure justice is served Human Rights
In Sudan, the latest round of protracted conflict continues to create dire conditions and deepen the human rights crisis. Ahead of Human Rights Day on December 10, OHCHR country representative Li Fung spoke to UN News Service about the scale of the emergency and the efforts of the Organization, its partners and local human rights defenders to help the Sudanese.
“An extremely difficult period”
“First and foremost, this is a human rights and protection crisis caused by two and a half years of conflict and massive violations of international humanitarian law and international human rights law throughout the country,” the UN spokeswoman said.
She said the conflict had led to the largest the world’s humanitarian crisis: mass displacement, urban destruction and “shocking levels of hunger.”
Accountability and the fight against impunity
OHCHR continues to document grave violations, including extrajudicial killings, sexual violence, arbitrary detentions and disappearances, attacks on civilian infrastructure and restrictions on civic space. Of particular concern are ethnically motivated violence and widespread hate speech.
However, travel restrictions, especially in Darfur, have made it difficult to document abuses.
Many Sudanese fear that those responsible will not be punished. However, as the OHCHR representative stresses, mechanisms for accountability are in place and work continues. The Office is recording everything that happens to preserve evidence, give a voice to victims and ensure that this information contributes to accountability processes at the international and national levels.
Li Fung recalled that the Security Council gave the International Criminal Court a mandate to investigate crimes in Sudan. In addition, the Human Rights Council created an International Independent Commission to establish the facts in the country.
But the key remains the building of internal mechanisms of transitional justice.
“We work with human rights defenders and civil society organizations to support their vision, pursuit of justice and transitional justice processes. It is our job to ensure that their voices are heard, that their priorities are heard and that they form the basis of international efforts to ensure justice and accountability,” added the OHCHR representative.
The role of the international community
Political action and funding are needed to promote dialogue, ensure the protection of civilians and bring about an end to violence, Li Fung said. human rights activities. She also called on states to prevent the supply of weapons to Sudan.
“Impunity fuels further violence and violations,” the human rights activist emphasized.
The international community, she said, must support investigations, seek access for monitoring mechanisms and the protection of civilians, and ensure the inclusion of all groups in Sudan in peace processes. Sudanese.”
She said of her recent trip to Khartoum: “I witnessed amazing resilience amid the devastation in the capital.” Despite “unimaginable hardships,” local residents continue to support each other, protect their neighbors and “insist on the right to live with dignity despite daily risks and challenges,” she said.
The UN official noted that international attention to the situation in Sudan has finally increased – and now it is important to maintain it.
“We will continue to stand shoulder to shoulder with the people of Sudan,” she said, adding that on Human Rights Day and in the final days of the 16 Days of Activism against Violence against Women campaign, the UN also expresses solidarity with Sudanese women facing special threats.