Showing posts with label Perthes. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Perthes. Show all posts

Friday, November 17, 2023

Sudan asks UN to 'immediately terminate' the UN political mission in the country (UNITAMS) -letter

Report from Reuters
Reporting by Michelle Nichols and Rami Ayyub; 
Editing by Scott Malone and Daniel Wallis
Dated Thursday, 16 November 2023 11:58 PM GMT - here is a copy in full:

Sudan asks UN to 'immediately terminate' political mission -letter


UNITED NATIONS, Nov 16 (Reuters) - Sudan asked the United Nations on Thursday to "immediately terminate" the U.N. political mission in the country (UNITAMS), Sudan's acting Foreign Minister Ali Sadeq, told the U.N. Security Council in a letter seen by Reuters.


"(The) government of Sudan requested that the United Nations immediately terminate the UNITAMS mission. At the same time, we would like to assure you that the Government of Sudan is committed to engaging constructively with the Security Council and the Secretariat," Sadeq wrote in a letter addressed to U.N. Secretary-General Antonio Guterres and circulated to the U.N. Security Council.


"The purpose of establishing the mission (was) to assist the transitional government of Sudan after the December 2018 revolution," he wrote, adding that the mission's performance in implementing its objectives "was disappointing."


When asked about Sudan’s decision, Guterres spokesperson Stephane Dujarric said the letter had been received and circulated to the Security Council.


A war erupted on April 15 between the Sudanese army and paramilitary Rapid Support Forces after weeks of rising tension between the two sides over a plan to integrate forces as part of a transition from military rule to civilian democracy.


The U.N. special envoy to Sudan announced in September that he was stepping down, more than three months after Sudan declared him unwelcome after disagreements between rival factions erupted into war.


View original: https://www.reuters.com/world/africa/sudan-asks-un-immediately-terminate-political-mission-letter-2023-11-16/


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Monday, November 13, 2023

Missile hits Salesian Sisters' house in Khartoum Sudan

Report at Independent Catholic News - Source: ACN
By John Newton and Filipe d'Avillez
Dated Monday, 6 November 2023 - here is a full copy:

Sudan: Missile hits Salesian Sisters' house 

Damage at Dar Mariam Mission in Khartoum (© ACN).


A bomb has caused major damage to the Salesian Sisters' mission centre in Sudan. Dar Mariam Mission in Khartoum - which houses five religious Sisters, a priest and lay people who sought refuge there - was hit at 6.50am last Friday (3rd November).

Fr Jacob Thelekkadan, the resident priest, said that the bomb hit the building's first floor, and those in the house at the time thought it was a miracle that no one was killed. Casualties were minimised as the women and children staying there were all gathered on the ground floor at the time.

Fr Thelekkadan said: "We cannot imagine the harm that these explosions would have caused if it landed on the ground floor."

Some residents suffered slight injuries. One young mother and her two children, aged seven and four, received minor head wounds.


The first floor, which sustained most of the damage, houses most of the bedrooms.

Fr Thelekkadan told ACN that the bomb broke into two when it hit the building, causing two explosions. The priest said: "The first part of the bomb shattered the teacher's room, hurting him on both his legs, but not very seriously.

"The second part of the bomb shattered the two rooms of the Sisters and their room doors flew off and fell a metre away. Two of the Salesian Sisters were in one room and the room door and toilet door fell on them. One of them was injured in the back, though not seriously. The doors probably saved her from the heavy shrapnel of the bomb."

He added: "The bomb then tore through the brick wall of the toilet, making a large hole, and then through the brick wall of the room of two other Sisters who were already in the ground-floor chapel."

All those injured in the blasts were taken to hospital, but have already been discharged.

Fr Thelekkadan said a painting of Our Lady was destroyed, adding "We are certain that Our Blessed Mother wanted to sacrifice herself for all of us. Thus, the beautiful portrait of Our Blessed Mother shattered into pieces. I want to reiterate the continuous provident care of God on all in Dar Mariam. The maternal protection of Our Blessed Mother reigns in Dar Mariam."

Fr Thelekkadan was in charge of St Joseph's Vocational Centre in Khartoum, which closed because of heavy fighting. He stayed in Sudan to support the Salesian sisters who are looking after not only women and children, but also the elderly and infirm at the Dar Mariam Mission.

He said: "Continue to pray that this senseless and tragic war will come to an end and that God may grant the gift of lasting peace to the Sudan."

Estimates vary, but according to the UN special envoy for Sudan, Volker Perthes, at least 5,000 people have been killed, and over 12,000 wounded since the conflict started in April.


View original: https://www.indcatholicnews.com/news/48424


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Saturday, August 12, 2023

FULL TEXT: UNITAMS Volker Perthes Remarks to UN Security Council Meeting on Sudan 09 August 2023

Report from Sudan Tribune - sudantribune.com

Dated 09 August 2023 - here is a full copy:


UNITAMS Volker Perthes remarks to the Security Council on August 9, 2023

Image: Volker Perthes briefs the Security Council about the situation in Sudan on May 22, 2023


August 9, 2023 (KHARTOUM) – Hereunder is the briefing that the banned UN Secretary-General Special Representative to Sudan, Volker Perthes, had to present to the Security Council members on Sudan.


Following threats by the Sudanese military-led government to end the UNITAMS if he briefs the Council, the UN decided to prevent him from speaking to the 15-members body and replaced him by Martha Ama Akyaa Pobee, Assistant Secretary-General for Africa.

 

Security Council session on Sudan

9 August 2023

 

Madame President

Members of the Security Council,

Thank you for this opportunity to brief you on the situation in Sudan.

More than one hundred days have passed since the eruption of fighting between the Sudanese Armed Forces and the Rapid Support Forces.


Clashes between these parties continue in various parts of the country, particularly Khartoum, Bahri, Omdurman and Darfur, with neither side achieving victory nor making any significant gains. Khartoum State remains an epicentre of the conflict, with major combat concentrated around key SAF installations including the Sudanese Armed Forces General Command Headquarters.  Fighting is continuing in neighbourhoods. This week the Sudanese Armed Forces and the Rapid Support Forces both ordered residents to leave their homes in a part of Omdurman, declaring it “an area of operations”.


The parties have exacted tremendous suffering on the people of the Darfur region.  The fighting in Darfur continues to reopen the old wounds of ethnic tension of past conflicts in the region. The brutal violence experienced in El Geneina and Sirba are particular examples of this situation.  This is deeply worrying and could quickly engulf the country in a prolonged ethnic conflict with regional spillovers. The initiative by Chad to convene a grouping of Darfurian stakeholders to address the situation in the region is therefore welcome and should be built upon while ensuring the participation of a broad range of stakeholders, including armed groups, tribal leaders, civil society, and women’s groups.


The situation in the two Kordofan and the Blue Nile States of Sudan continues to be fragile, with persistent military actions and frequent road closures.  In North Kordofan, SAF controls El Obeid city while RSF is controlling areas around the city.


Since June, the SPLM-North Al Hilu faction has continued to make military advancements in SAF-controlled areas in South Kordofan and Blue Nile states, in which SPLM N claims is an attempt to take back territory previously taken from them.


While the East is relatively calm, there are indications of active mobilization efforts in support of SAF, with the emergence of mobilization committees and establishment of military training camps. The mobilization is particularly worrisome and risks plunging the East into conflict along ethnic lines, further highlighting the fragility of the region.


The Northern part of the country remains under Sudanese Armed Forces control.


Excellencies,

The conflict in Sudan continues to have immense repercussions on the country and its people who continue to face unimaginable suffering [The humanitarian and protection needs are rising by the day with no signs of a reprieve.  My humanitarian colleague Ms Edem Wosornu will brief you in detail on the mounting humanitarian needs and response efforts.


The indiscriminate and sometimes targeted attacks on civilians and civilian objects and infrastructure continue, particularly in Khartoum, Darfur, and North Kordofan, as the parties continue to disregard calls to protect civilians and uphold their international human rights and humanitarian law obligations.


Sexual violence continues to be perpetrated on a large scale, while children continue to be killed or victimized or are at risk of being recruited to fight.


The systematic abductions and killings of human rights defenders in Darfur and Khartoum are on the rise. The parties to the conflict must take concrete actions to end and investigate these violations, and support must be provided to strengthen human rights defenders’ networks and better protect human rights defenders.


UNITAMS and the wider UN have on several occasions denounced specific egregious violations such as ethnically-motivated attacks in West Darfur, systematic looting and rape, or aerial bombardments, and have named those responsible.


Hostilities in the country must come to an end and perpetrators should be held accountable for crimes committed, including sexual violence.


Excellencies,

We welcome the ongoing efforts by the African Union and IGAD to end the conflict in Sudan. UNITAMS remains committed to support these efforts, including through the AU-led Expanded Mechanism and its Core Group – which the UN is a part of. We also welcome the continued efforts of the US and Saudi Arabia to facilitate negotiations between the conflicting parties in Jeddah, as well as the initiative of Sudan’s neighbouring countries to help resolve the conflict. The common thread among these initiatives is the call for a permanent cessation of hostilities, facilitation of humanitarian access, and engagement with civilian stakeholders in an inclusive political process.


Coordination between the existing regional and international mechanisms and fora remains essential to maximize the collective leverage of regional and international actors and enhance the effectiveness of mediation efforts. The United Nations is supporting a joined-up approach towards facilitating a comprehensive solution and will continue to work closely with our partners – particularly the African Union and IGAD in this regard, in coordination with others.


We must also highlight that a broad range of civilians remain committed to ending the war and a resumption of a transition leading to a democratic state. Civilians, tribal leaders and others are coming under increasing pressure to take sides in the war, and we continue to urge against this. Such pressure will only lead to a civil war with ethnic and regional repercussions for decades to come. In fact, UNITAMS is supporting efforts by local leaders to prevent or de-escalate conflicts, particularly in Darfur.


UNITAMS also welcomes the ongoing efforts by civilian leaders to consolidate various civilian initiatives under one umbrella to unify anti-war forces in one broad front and prepare for an inclusive political process. It is important to include civil society, women’s rights groups, youth, trade professions, and resistance committees whose voices and engagement are particularly significant in any efforts to end the conflict in Sudan.  UNITAMS continues its outreach with these initiatives and encouraging broad-based inclusivity.


Let me also highlight the important role Sudanese women are playing by leading several anti-war initiatives that call for the immediate cessation of violence, accountability for human rights violations, including sexual violence, and for women’s participation in ceasefire negotiations and any future political process. Their voice must be heard.


Excellencies,

Let me close by reiterating that there needs to be a negotiated solution to end this war as soon as possible. There is no other alternative. Calls by some to continue the war in order to achieve a military victory will only contribute to destroying the country. The longer this war continues, the greater the risk of fragmentation, and foreign interference and erosion of sovereignty, and the loss of Sudan’s future, particularly its youth. Now is the time to end this senseless war and return to negotiations. UNITAMS, along with its partners, will continue to engage with both sides towards this goal and we count on the united support of this Council.

Thank you, Madam President.


View original: https://sudantribune.com/article275981/


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Thursday, August 10, 2023

UNITAMS: Situation in Darfur, Sudan 3 Aug 2023

HERE is a copy of above tweet by UN Integrated Transition Assistance Mission Sudan (@UNITAMS) August 3, 2023 incase the tweet disappears:


UNITAMS is gravely concerned about the severe impact of the fighting between the Rapid Support Forces (RSF) supported by Arab militias and the Sudanese Armed Forces (SAF) on civilians in the Darfur region. More in this statement.


3 Aug 2023 STATEMENT BY UNITAMS ON THE SITUATION IN DARFUR

The United Nations Integrated Transition Assistance Mission in Sudan (UNITAMS) is gravely concerned about the severe impact of the fighting between the Rapid Support Forces (RSF) supported by Arab militias and the Sudanese Armed Forces (SAF) on civilians in the Darfur region. 


UNITAMS strongly condemns the indiscriminate targeting of civilian populations and public facilities by the RSF and allied militias, particularly in the locality of Sirba, 45 kilometers north of El Geneina in West Darfur, from 24 to 26 July 2023. The Mission is also concerned by similar incidents in Nyala, South Darfur, and Zalingei, Central Darfur.


“I am alarmed by reports indicating that civilians are being prevented from leaving for safer areas, resulting in numerous casualties. These reports are reminiscent of the violations committed in El Geneina, West Darfur, last June”, says Volker Perthes, Special Representative of the Secretary-General and Head of UNITAMS.


“We are documenting all the violations and I recall that these heinous acts are serious violations of the human rights of civilians and may constitute war crimes under international law. I remind all parties involved to uphold their obligations under international humanitarian law and international human rights law to ensure the safety and protection of all civilians”, adds Perthes.


UNITAMS urges all forces engaged in hostilities to cease their military operations immediately and call on them to resume the Jeddah-facilitated talks and reaffirms its commitment to support and facilitate efforts towards a peaceful resolution of the conflict throughout Sudan. 

“We stand in solidarity with the people of Darfur and remain dedicated to achieving lasting peace and stability in the region”, concludes Perthes. 

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Wednesday, August 09, 2023

UN Sudan: Civilians fleeing Sudan’s war need safe passage. The parties to the conflict must ensure it

NOTE from Sudan Watch Editor: Here is some hope for people trying to flee the fighting in Sudan. Part of the below copied statement issued by the UN Humanitarian Coordinator in Sudan clearly states: "All people fleeing the fighting in Sudan must be able to do so in safety. The Sudanese people, as well as refugees in the country, have the right to seek safety in Sudan or in neighbouring countries. I appeal to all parties to ensure this fundamental right is upheldAll civilians, including refugees and others, who are trying to escape conflict zones must be allowed to do so safely, without impediments, and under the protection of the parties to the conflict."

At the request of the UK, the penholder on Sudan, the UN Security Council is meeting today on Sudan. Hopefully, the following statement will be circulated and addressed. Click here to read the Sudan Briefing for today's meeting posted Tue 08 Aug 2023 at UN Security Council org What's in Blue

_______________

Press Release 
Dated Wed 09 Aug 2023 - [SW Ed: here is full copy, beige highlight is mine]:

Statement 
By the Humanitarian Coordinator in Sudan, Clementine Nkweta-Salami 
on Civilians Fleeing Sudan’s War Need Safe Passage, 9 August 2023

(Port Sudan, 09 August 2023): In the fourth month of the worsening conflict in Sudan, civilians – including refugees – continue to endure horrific violations. The killing and targeting of vulnerable people held hostage by this ongoing war are unacceptable and must stop immediately.

Many of those trapped by the fighting have been unable – and in some cases actively prevented – from seeking safety elsewhere. And those that can escape face other dangers: They are vulnerable to abuse, theft and harassment during their journeys to safer areas.


Last week, I met Eritrean refugees who had been living in the capital Khartoum, until the fighting forced them to leave for the Wad Sharife settlement in Kassala state. They spoke of the dangers involved in leaving the capital and their fears of being harassed during the passage. All people fleeing the fighting in Sudan must be able to do so in safety. The Sudanese people, as well as refugees in the country, have the right to seek safety in Sudan or in neighbouring countries. I appeal to all parties to ensure this fundamental right is upheld.


In Khartoum, the killing of 28 refugees during heavy clashes on 25 June was yet another stark reminder of the horrors that refugee communities are facing. UNHCR, the UN Refugee Agency, continues to help refugees stranded in Sudan’s capital by providing protection counselling via hotlines and trying to find ways to safely relocate them whenever possible. But access is exceedingly difficult, and needs are growing by the day.


In West Darfur, we have received reports that some civilians trying to flee intense clashes in Sirba town on 26 July were prevented from crossing the border into Chad. UNHCR has also recorded a number of cases in which refugees trying to flee the flighting in Sudan, notably to return back home to South Sudan, have faced difficulties along the route. 


The parties to the conflict in Sudan must ensure the safe passage of civilians fleeing violence in Khartoum, Darfur and other areas of active hostilities. This is what was agreed in Jeddah on 11 May by the signatories to the Declaration of Commitment to Protect the Civilians of Sudan, and the parties must follow through on their commitments to respect international humanitarian law and human rights law.


After sixteen weeks of conflict in Sudan, more than 4 million people have been displaced within the country and across borders into neighbouring countries. Over 71 per cent of the more than 3 million people internally displaced in Sudan fled from Khartoum state, according to the International Organization for Migration. Before this crisis, there were 1.1 million refugees in Sudan, mainly from South Sudan, Eritrea, and Ethiopia.


My message as Humanitarian Coordinator in Sudan is unequivocal: All civilians, including refugees and others, who are trying to escape conflict zones must be allowed to do so safely, without impediments, and under the protection of the parties to the conflict. 

_____


For further information, please contact:

Amanda Price, amanda.price@un.org, +1 917 853 2839


View original: https://reliefweb.int/report/sudan/civilians-fleeing-sudans-war-need-safe-passage-parties-conflict-must-ensure-it-statement-clementine-nkweta-salami-humanitarian-coordinator-sudan-enar


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Wednesday, January 19, 2022

Statement of ICC Prosecutor, Karim A.A. Khan QC, to the United Nations Security Council on the Situation in Darfur, pursuant to Resolution 1593 (2005)

Statement : 17 January 2022

Statement of ICC Prosecutor, Karim A.A. Khan QC, to the United Nations Security Council on the Situation in Darfur, pursuant to Resolution 1593 (2005)

Thirty-Fourth report: EN | FR | Arabic


Madam President, your Excellency,
Distinguished members of the Council,

1. Firstly may I congratulate Norway for its presidency of the Council this month. It is a real honour to have the opportunity in this new year to present the 34th report of the Prosecutor of the ICC in relation to the Darfur situation in Sudan, pursuant to Resolution 1593 that the Council passed of course in 2005. Despite the strictures of COVID and the wearing of masks, it is wonderful even with these constraints to be here in person.

2. I would like to begin Madam President, if I may, by recalling what I said when I was meeting with Darfur survivors and victims, when I was in Khartoum on the 17th of August last year. I convened a meeting with Darfur civil society. Many individuals have been struggling for almost two decades for something that should be simple but seems extremely complex, namely justice, a modicum of accountability that underlines the fact that every life matters. They have struggled and they have shown perseverance, in relation to crimes that have unfortunately characterised a generation at least of men, women and children. It was that suffering that led this Council to use its Chapter VII powers in 2005 and refer the situation to the ICC. I share the frustrations, the impatience and the hopes of those survivors that that singular moment, the first referral by the Council to the ICC, will reap dividends. Expectations are not unreasonable, it is simply that there should be some justice.

3. The victims, the survivors, the people of Darfur have shown that persistence, but it is important, as I said in my interactions with Sudanese government members, that this referral cannot be a never-ending story. It cannot be. We are approaching middle age: 34 reports. We need collectively to do better – my Office of course, but also this Council – to make sure the promise and the purpose of the referral is wedded with concrete action. There is sign for hope, and there has been progress notwithstanding difficulties that remain. In July of this year, all 31 charges relating to a notorious Janjaweed leader, Ali Kushayb, were confirmed and the trial has been set down to start on the 5th of April of this year. The charges include war crimes, crimes against humanity, murder, rape, torture, attacks against the civilian population in Wadi Salih and Mukjar. That's an important moment. This year in just three months' time, the promise of the Council will start being demonstrated in action by the allegations that the Office have proffered, being placed before independent and impartial judges.

4. At the same time, outreach is important. And also I am hoping to work with the Registry of the Court to make sure there is an organised and effective outreach program so that Sudanese people in Sudan, in Darfur or outside can follow the proceedings because they have a right to know what happened, and they have a right to see the truth. But the Ali Kushayb case is one case; there are of course four warrants outstanding: The case against former President Omar al-Bashir; the case against the former Minister of Interior, Abdul Raheem Mohammad Hussein; the former Governor of South Kordofan, Ahmad Harun; and the case against the former JEM rebel Commander Abdullah Banda. In relation to Abdullah Banda, I recused myself from that case and that case is being supervised directly by the Deputy Prosecutor.

5. It is important, as I said in relation to my Libya briefing in December, that during my term I wish to prioritise cases that have been referred by the Council. And I started that in the Sudan situation by conducting a review of the evidence to look at the strength of those cases. And I also ensured additional resources are brought into that case so that we can hopefully be more effective. But the reality is this: that for a variety of reasons over the last 17 years, including the non-cooperation of the government of Sudan by the previous administrations, there were no field investigations in the country. And my predecessor hibernated for a long period this situation so that investigations did not mature. As a result, I realised that the evidence particularly against Mr al-Bashir and Mr Hussein needs strengthening. I am satisfied with the strength of the evidence regarding Ali Kushayb but in relation to those two cases I have mentioned, we need to make sure we do better. And that requires cooperation from Sudan. It requires assistance from Sudan and it also requires cooperation, collaboration from members of this Council and member states of the United Nations.

6. In that evidential landscape I have given more resources to the team, put more investigators on the case, also people with Arabic language skills as well. And immediately in August, two months after my term commenced, I went to Sudan to speak to the government, realising the importance of cooperation. That brought tangible results, because for the first time, we concluded a memorandum of understanding, not only in relation to Ali Kushayb, but in relation to all four of the cases for whom judges of the ICC have issued warrants. I also appointed a pro bono special adviser to focus exclusively on the Darfur situation so we can move together, get cooperation to a greater extent and that is Ms Amal Clooney. And again, this is evidence of my intent not just to say I am prioritising Security Council referrals but to make sure that the resources that are needed are put into that case.

7. During my trip to Khartoum in August, we had some constructive meetings. I met with General al-Burhan of the Sovereignty Council, then Prime Minister Hamdok and Foreign Minister and Minister of Justice. We also met UNITAMS' SRFS Volker Perthes and members of the international community. And in this, I also underlined a new approach: it is not – and this is the beautiful thing about the law, there are many different solutions to one fundamental problem – it is not the location of trial or even the forum of adjudication that is critical. What is critical are independent and impartial investigations, independent and impartial adjudications, and then the rule of law that should triumph so victims can move forward, realising that everything has been done to try to ensure justice. And I emphasised to the government members that I would be willing to use the full panoply of options that are entwined in the Rome Statute to try to make sure that we can work together and forge better bonds so that this chapter could be closed. But the simple issue is this: if we don't accelerate cooperation between the government of Sudan and my Office, investigations will keep continuing.

8. If we are to carve out a road map for the completion of this situation in the way that I believe the Council wants, that the victims want, the way to do it is to accelerate, to inject more cooperation and assistance within the Office. And if that is done, I think we can move forward in an effective way.

9. On the 25th of October, of course the landscape changed and that has not been particularly helpful. In my meetings in August, not only was the Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) signed, there had been commitments by the government to sign the Rome Statute, there had been commitments to work more closely with my Office, and there had been the agreement to help ensure a permanent field presence of the Office of the Prosecutor in Khartoum. But the hiatus from the 25th of October has meant that we have lost focal points. We are trying to catch up. We had to for a couple of months – in fact, until now – we had to suspend active investigations. And so this was a very troublesome or concerning turn of events. The upside is that just before Christmas, my team went to Khartoum again. They spoke to General al-Burhan and General al-Burhan reassured members of my Office that the MoU was still valid, that he was looking at cooperating and he said, on more than one occasion to me directly and to the team in December, that it was essential to have justice for the victims in Darfur. The challenge now collectively, for all of us, is to make sure those assurances are translated into concrete tangible partnerships and accountability.

10. This is a delicate stage of course in the transition in Sudan, but I would underline again the only option for us to move forward and close this situation or find a pathway towards closure is accelerating cooperation. I mentioned this on Friday with the distinguished representative of Sudan, Ambassador Elbahi. And I also emphasised that these cases are not against Sudan. Sudan is a partner, not an adversary. They are against individuals for whom the evidence discloses their responsibility in relation to crimes within the jurisdiction of the Court. We do need safe and secure access to Sudan. We need safe and secure access to the archives. We need to be able to look at where the mass graves are and we need to be able to go to all parts of Sudan and work independently. This is required not just by the MoU that was signed in August of last year, it is not only required by Resolution 1593, it is also required by the Juba Peace Agreement. So there is this tripartite tiers of responsibilities, of commitments, that I hope very much the Sudan will honour and work with us more closely.

11. Cooperation from outside of Sudan is also critically important, and we have had fantastic support from the European Union, from African States, from other countries, including Norway, the United Kingdom, the United States of America and the People's Republic of China. Really, this is an area, if we are to close this chapter and allow Sudan to move forward, there can be no passive spectators, we have to help the Sudanese people get what they deserve, which is justice and closure. I hope to go again to Sudan in the next period, in the next few months, I hope around April time. Hopefully I have been promised that will be facilitated, including going to Darfur, speaking to some of the survivors and victims and displaced people there. I am ready to try to build an acceleration in the work across the cases that are before the Court.

12. I do want, Madam President, with your leave, to speak directly to those victims, to underline during my term that we have an unwavering commitment to ensure that the intention of this Council in the landmark decision of 2005 is honoured and respected. That we can have proper rigorous investigations to put before judges what the truth of the matter is. And in my view, and I'll be quite candid about the state of the evidence but I'll also be quite candid about one simple truth: Sudan runs the risk of always being defined by the past conduct, by the events that compelled this Security Council to act in 2005 until and unless we get justice. If we work together, if we work in partnerships, the Office of the Prosecutor, the government of Sudan, this Council, member states, we can close this chapter. And if we close that chapter, I believe unencumbered and relieved by some of the burdens of the past, by ensuring justice, Sudan will have every possibility to do something which every Council member wants, which is to write a new chapter so it can march forward to a better and more prosperous and safer future. So thank you so much for your time and this is my report.

Source: Office of the Prosecutor | Contact: OTPNewsDesk@icc-cpi.int

View original: https://www.icc-cpi.int/Pages/item.aspx?name=220117-otp-statement-unsc-darfur

View video: https://media.un.org/en/asset/k1j/k1jms0qgvt