US Secretary Blinken's video message for the people of Sudan: Civilians must define Sudan’s path forward

NOTE from Sudan Watch Ed: In the following video, transcript and report featuring a message for the people of Sudan from US Secretary of State Mr Antony Blinken, I hope he's saying what I think and hope he's saying. 

Maybe I'm wrong but this idea kept going through my mind over past 2 weeks: why don’t Sudanese civilians in Resistance and Neighbourhood Committees go ahead and start forming a civilian-led government for Sudan.

Or maybe I’m overtired and reading too much into the message from Secretary Blinken or it’s just wishful thinking on my part. Whatever, his message clearly says: "civilians must define Sudan’s path forward".  

Surely if Sudanese civilians form a government now, they'll be ready soon. Here is the video of Mr Blinken's message for the people of Sudan plus a transcript I made, and a report at Radio Dabanga (beige highlight is mine).

Note, Mr Blinken says ceasefire will be backed by a remote monitoring mechanism. Perhaps it's satellite technology to monitor 24/7 and prove to a court, such as the International Criminal Court, who did what, where, when.

People across the world will support the Sudanese civilians endeavour. No doubt if they convey what they need via social media and mainstream news reports, it will be given. God bless Sudan and South Sudan.

Transcript of video message for the people of Sudan from US Secretary of State Antony J. Blinken dated Tuesday 23 May 2023:

"This message is for the people of Sudan. 

The violence committed by the Sudanese Armed Forces and Rapid Support Forces over the past month has been tragic; senseless, and devastating. The whole world has been united in calling for an end to this conflict and insisting on a negotiated solution. 

The seven-day ceasefire that goes into effect today is designed to allow for the delivery of humanitarian assistance and repair of essential services and infrastructure. Agreement by the Sudanese Armed Forces and the Rapid Support Forces to this short-term ceasefire agreement was the result of intensive diplomacy and the close partnership of the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia and the United States. 

It will be backed by a remote monitoring mechanism supported by the United States. If the ceasefire is violated, we’ll know. And we will hold violators accountable through our sanctions and other tools at our disposal. 

We facilitated this ceasefire but it’s the responsibility of the Sudanese Armed Forces and the Rapid Support Forces to implement it. The Jeddah talks have had a narrow focus - ending violence and bringing assistance to the Sudanese people. A permanent resolution of this conflict will require  much more. 

I want to be clear that Sudans civilians must be the ones to define Sudan’s path going forward. You should lead a political process to restore Sudan’s democratic transition and form a civilian government. 

Sudan’s political future belongs to you the people of your great great nation. Your military should withdraw from governance and focus on defending the national from external threats. 

The Unites States of America supports a democratic government that represents the full diversity of the Sudanese people, including populations from the periphery who have long been marginalised and women whose voices have long been ignored.

Only a civilian government can succeed in delivering stability and security, and fulfilling your aspirations for freedom, for peace, for justice. 

We have always been a partner to the people of Sudan as you bravely resisted military dictatorship and demanded civilian rule and you can count on us to remain by your side until you achieve this goal."

Source: https://youtu.be/6HgWvUzYGQA

Description posted at the video:

May 23, 2023  #StateDepartment #DepartmentofState #Diplomacy

Secretary Blinken's video message to the Sudanese people.

Under the leadership of the President and Secretary of State, the U.S. Department of State leads America’s foreign policy through diplomacy, advocacy, and assistance by advancing the interests of the American people, their safety and economic prosperity. On behalf of the American people we promote and demonstrate democratic values and advance a free, peaceful, and prosperous world.

The Secretary of State, appointed by the President with the advice and consent of the Senate, is the President's chief foreign affairs adviser. The Secretary carries out the President's foreign policies through the State Department, which includes the Foreign Service, Civil Service and U.S. Agency for International Development.

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______________________________________________

Report at Radio Dabanga -dabangasudan.org

Dated Tuesday 23 May 2023 - full copy:

SA Secretary Blinken: ‘Civilians must define Sudan’s path forward’

US Secretary of State Antony J. Blinken (Photo: US Gov) 

Secretary Blinken's video message to the Sudanese people

(WASHINGTON) -  US Secretary of State Antony Blinken, has encouraged the warring Sudan Armed Forces (SAF) and Rapid Support Forces (RSF) to abide by the seven-day humanitarian ceasefire that took effect last night. In a video message to the people of Sudan, he highlights that Sudan’s civilian population must define the way forward.

The USA is a co-broker with Saudi Arabia of the Jeddah talks that led to the short-term ceasefire agreement on Saturday. In light of frequent violations of previous truces by both sides, Blinken reminds parties that the agreement includes monitoring by a remote US-Saudi-international monitoring mechanism. “If the ceasefire is violated, we’ll know. And we will hold violators accountable through our sanctions and other tools at our disposal,” Blinken warns.

In his video message, Secretary Blinken notes that “the violence committed by the SAF and RSF over the past month has been tragic, senseless, and devastating. The whole world has been united in calling for an end to this conflict and insisting on a negotiated solution.

‘If the ceasefire is violated, we’ll know. And we will hold violators accountable…’

He explains that the seven-day ceasefire is designed to allow for the delivery of humanitarian assistance and repair of essential services and infrastructure. Blinken highlights that the agreement by the SAF and the RSF to this short-term ceasefire was the result of intensive diplomacy and the close partnership of USA and Saudi Arabia.

“We facilitated this ceasefire but it’s the responsibility of the SAF and RSF to implement it,” he says. “The Jeddah talks have had a narrow focus – ending violence and bringing assistance to the Sudanese people. A permanent resolution of this conflict will require much more.”

‘Sudan’s civilians must be the ones to define Sudan’s path going forward…’

Addressing the Sudanese public directly, Blinken emphasises: “I want to be clear that Sudan’s civilians must be the ones to define Sudan’s path going forward. You should lead a political process to restore Sudan’s democratic transition and form a civilian government.

‘Your military should withdraw from governance and focus on defending the nation from external threats…’

“Sudan’s political future belongs to you, the people of your great nation. Your military should withdraw from governance and focus on defending the nation from external threats. The USA supports a democratic government that represents the full diversity of the Sudanese people, including populations from the periphery who have long been marginalised and women whose voices have long been ignored.

“Only a civilian government can succeed in delivering stability and security, and fulfilling your aspirations for freedom, for peace, for justice. We have always been a partner to the people of Sudan as you bravely resisted military dictatorship and demanded civilian rule and you can count on us to remain by your side until you achieve this goal,” Blinken’s message concludes.

$245 million US aid

In a separate statement from Washington today, the US Dept of State says that last week, the USA announced $245 million in humanitarian assistance to Sudan and neighbouring countries countries experiencing the impacts of the ongoing humanitarian crisis. These funds include nearly $143 million from the Department of State’s Bureau for Population, Refugee and Migration and $103 million in additional humanitarian assistance from the US Agency for International Development’s Bureau for Humanitarian Assistance.

“With this funding, our humanitarian partners can respond to the new needs arising from the current conflict, which has displaced approximately 840,000 people within the country and forced another 250,000 to flee since April 15,” the US State Dept says.

According to the statement, this announcement brings total US humanitarian assistance for Sudan and neighbours Chad, Egypt, South Sudan, and the Central African Republic to nearly $880 million in the 2023 financial year.

Sanctions

On May 2, US President Joe Biden called the violence in Sudan a ‘tragedy’, and signed an executive order paving the way for the USA to impose sanctions on “certain persons destabilising Sudan and undermining the goal of democratic transition”. The order extends existing sanctions but does not impose any specific additional sanctions at this time.

In a statement following the signing, Biden called the current conflict in Sudan “a betrayal of the Sudanese people’s clear demand for civilian government and a transition to democracy.”

Biden’s order expands the scope of the national emergency declared in Executive Order 13067 of November 3, 1997 (blocking Sudanese government property and prohibiting transactions with Sudan), and expanded by Executive Order 13400 of April 26, 2006 (blocking property of persons in connection with the conflict in Sudan’s Darfur region), finding that “the situation in Sudan, including the military’s seizure of power in October 2021 and the outbreak of inter-service fighting in April 2023, constitutes an unusual and extraordinary threat to the national security and foreign policy of the USA.”

View original: https://www.dabangasudan.org/en/all-news/article/sa-secretary-blinken-civilians-must-define-sudans-path-forward

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Tragedy in Sudan brings back old burial tradition

From Ahram Online english.ahram.org.eg

By Yasmine Farag

Dated Monday 22 May 2023 - full copy:

Tragedy in Sudan brings back old burial tradition

Ongoing violence in Sudan has revived an old burial tradition used before in times of crises, bringing with it bitterness and sorrow. 

A photo posted on social media of burying the two Egyptian doctors in their house s garden in Khartoum. 

Hundreds of civilians have been killed in the fighting that began on 15 April between the Sudanese army led by General Abdel-Fattah Al-Burhan and the paramilitary Rapid Support Forces (RSF) led by Mohamed Hamdan Dagalo, also known as Hemedti. 

Fearing for their lives and with a lack of access to cemeteries, some Sudanese have been forced to bury the dead inside their family homes, workplaces and other public spaces.

Sudanese journalist and political analyst Ammar Awad Al-Sharif told Ahram Online that this has its roots in the cultural traditions among the people of southern Sudan, specifically the Dinka tribes, who until recently buried their dead in their homes according to their beliefs about spirits and the afterlife.

This measure spread to the rest of Sudan after a devastating famine that struck in 1888/1889, known as "Year Six" in the country's history.

According to Al-Sharif, the famine was one of the worst in Sudan's history, and it was so severe that people were forced to bury their dead in their homes due to the sheer number of corpses and the extreme weakness and emaciation of the living, who were unable to carry their loved ones to burial grounds.

On 4 May, the well-known Sudanese actress, Asia Abd al-Majeed, was killed in a crossfire in northern Khartoum. Her family buried her in a kindergarten she had been working in recently, as transporting her body to the cemetery was deemed too risky. In the early days of the conflict, a student was killed at the University of Khartoum after being hit by a stray bullet. His colleagues were forced to bury him inside the campus also due to the ongoing clashes in the area surrounding the university.

On 6 May, two doctors, Egyptian anesthetist Dr. Magdolin Youssef Ghali and her sister, dentist Dr. Majda, were killed when their home was hit by shelling during fighting in Khartoum. Snipers on rooftops and ongoing shelling made it difficult to transport the bodies to the cemetery. So, the authorities allowed their burial in the home garden under medical supervision. A video of the burial of Dr. Magdolin in her home garden went viral on social media in Sudan, sparking outrage and demands to stop turning residential areas into battlegrounds.

According to reports, bodies littered the streets of Khartoum in the early days of the conflict. Some residents were unable to bury their relatives due to the impossibility of moving around the city. This has raised concerns about the risk of decomposing corpses in the open, which could become a health disaster.

Millions of Sudanese around the capital have since hidden in their homes with dwindling food, water and electricity. Even before the war, more than 15 million people faced severe food insecurity in Sudan, according to UN's World Food Programme.

The turmoil has seen hospitals shelled, humanitarian facilities looted and foreign aid groups forced to suspend most of their operations.

Burhan and Daglo seized power in a 2021 military takeover that derailed Sudan's transition to democracy, established after President Omar Bashir was ousted following mass protests in 2019. But the two generals later fell out, most recently over the planned integration of the RSF into the regular army.

View original: https://english.ahram.org.eg/News/501216.aspx

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Alert ICRC South Sudan: Torit prison inmates starving

Report from RadioTamazuj.org

Dated Wednesday 17 May 2023 - full copy:

Torit prison inmates starving

Inmates at the Torit Central Prison. (ICRC photo)

The Eastern Equatoria State government has said at least 646 inmates currently housed at the Torit Central Prison are starving as the state cannot feed them.

The revelation was made during an emergency meeting convened by the state government and attended by humanitarian partners on Tuesday to find ways of feeding the prisoners.

Oringa John Godfrey, the press secretary in the office of Governor Louis Lobong Lojore, said the prison used to receive food from the national government which stopped supplies without prior notice.

“It is very important to convene this meeting with humanitarian agencies on what they can do in terms of short and long-term plans. The short-term plan is how to supply food items to those in need in prisons because they are going hungry and I hear it is all over the country,” he said. “It is very hard for a government to work alone and that is why the emergency meeting was called so that we share how we can help. There are a lot of pledges that we have seen.”

According to Oringa, the state government is looking at long-term plans of giving the prisons seeds and tools so that prisoners can grow their food.

“There should also be vocational training to help them and many partners have pledged support,” he added.

The press secretary also said that the state is preparing to receive returnees from Sudan and that the state government and humanitarian partners will transport them to their places of origin when they arrive.

“Preparations have been put in place and the state government is trying to see if it can transport the returnees to their places of origin with the help of humanitarian agencies by delivering food items and non-food items so that they can reintegrate into their communities,” Oringa said.

Meanwhile, Okuma Augustine, the chairperson for the Relief and Rehabilitation Commission (RRC) in Eastern Equatoria State, confirmed the dire food situation of the prisoners in Torit.

“We decided that there must be immediate intervention through the provision of food to these people in prison and the humanitarian agencies said they will check with their head offices on how to help. We have 646 inmates,” he said. 

“Also, we have long-term interventions so that they (prisoners) can be productive for themselves, the state, and the nation.”

“There is going to be an assessment about skilling them to help later when they are out of the prison,” Okuma added.

View original: https://radiotamazuj.org/en/news/article/torit-prison-inmates-starving

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Undated audio message claiming to be Hemeti

This cartoon is a reply posted at this undated audio message on Hemeti's Twitter a/c. I've heard Hemeti's voice, it goes up and down and can sound feminine, immature, menacing in tone. This audio doesn't sound like him, too flat and monotone. Maybe he can't do video because he's hiding, injured, dead or has been disappeared. Here's a transcript, no mention of sacking.

Proof of life. A well-crafted message with something to please everyone: RSF is fighting extremists and terrorists; Burhan repeating the violence of the last regime; Hemedti trying to restore the transition to democracy; SAF disinformation is extending the war. Too bad its all💩. https://t.co/l51ZmlWT0R

— Cameron Hudson (@_hudsonc) May 22, 2023

Report at Eastern Herald
By Arab Desk
Dated Monday 22 May 2023 - full copy:

A New Audio Recording Of The Commander Of The Rapid Support Forces, Hamidti

Quick Support pages on Facebook and Twitter posted the audio message on Monday, but it was unclear when it was recorded.

And the voice recording from the Rapid Support Commander said:

Greetings to the Sudanese people, and we regret the state of the country in which you find yourself because of the two coups and the terrorists. Greetings to the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia and the United States for their efforts on behalf of the Sudanese people, and thanks to brotherly and friendly countries for their solidarity with the Sudanese people. We congratulate Saudi Arabia on the success of the summit in Jeddah and we welcome the results of this summit. Greetings to all Arab politicians for their interest in Sudanese affairs. I pay tribute to brotherly African countries, the African Union and IGAD. We congratulate the Rapid Support Forces and the Sudanese people for the recent victories in Northern Bahri, the Air Defense Forces, the Chemical Forces and a number of other places. We command all our valiant forces to redouble their efforts to fight the outlaws, control security, and stop the gangs of looting and vandalism. We affirm our concern for the security of our country and our people, and that the current war has been imposed on us. We affirm that the leaders of the defunct extremist regime, together with the leaders of the coup, planned to block the way to democratic transformation. We affirm that the Rapid Support Forces have no enmity with the armed forces, and that the main problem is with those who took away the decision of the armed forces. Salutations to the political forces and national civil society organizations that condemned the coup. We call on the Sudanese people to unite, to renounce differences and not to respond to the calls of extremists and terrorists. We affirm RSF’s commitment to restoring democratic transition and ending the vicious circle that has destroyed Sudan. We condemn the bombardment of civilians, hospitals, factories and infrastructure with aircraft and heavy artillery, and we sympathize with the innocent lives we have lost. We call on the Sudanese people to pay heed to the remnants’ plans and disinformation campaigns that aim to widen the circle of war. We will not back down until the end of this putsch, the trial of all those who have committed crimes against the Sudanese people, and the return to the democratic path. We affirm our respect for all international laws relating to the protection of human rights, so we treat the prisoners of the putschists in a manner befitting humanity. We condemn the attack on the churches by the putschists and the attempt to trap the RSF. Total chaos is part of the plans for both coups, as evidenced by the release of prisoners from all prisons in Khartoum state, including leaders of the defunct regime.

View original: https://www.easternherald.com/2023/05/22/a-new-audio-recording-of-the-commander-of-the-rapid-support-forces-hamidti/

Sudan Journalists Syndicate demands RSF leaves broadcasting HQ. RSF shot photojournalist in back

NOTE that this photo was taken on April 14. It shows a Sudan Journalists Syndicate meeting held to discuss the security situation in Sudan. The meeting was held one day before 'surprise' fighting erupted in Khartoum.

Earlier this month a group of RSF rebels raided the office of El Hirak El Siyasi newspaper in Khartoum and award-winning Sudanese photojournalist Faiz Abubakr Mohamed was shot in the back. Read more.

Report at Radio Dabanga - dabangasudan.org

Dated Sunday 21 May 2023

Sudan Journalists Syndicate demand RSF leaves broadcasting HQ

Sudan Journalists Syndicate meet to discuss the security situation in the country on April 14, one day before the outbreak of war (Source: SJS)

(KHARTOUM / OMDURMAN - May 21, 2023) - As Sudan entered its 34th day of war on Friday, the Sudanese Journalists Syndicate (SJS) released a statement condemning the Rapid Support Forces’ (RSF) use of “media and press institutions as a field of military battles.”

“The Radio and Television Corporation has been suspended from working and broadcasting since April 15,” when clashes between the Sudan Armed Forces (SAF) and the RSF, a powerful paramilitary group, spiralled into war.

On April 17, the organisation reported that 17 employees of the Sudan News Agency (SUNA) were “stranded” inside buildings on Republic Street in Omdurman, Khartoum state. A number of them were reported to have been evacuated on April 19.

In its latest statement, the SJS called on the RSF to immediately leave radio and television headquarters so that journalists can continue to do their work. “Their adoption of military bases puts the historical national legacy inside the two organs at risk of destruction and sabotage.”

The SJS also appealed to the United Nations Educational, Scientific, and Cultural Organisation (UNESCO) “to intervene with the warring parties in Sudan” in order to save radio and television libraries. 

“We call on the organisation, out of its responsibility to preserve human heritage… to save this legacy from being lost.”

Since fighting erupted in Sudan last month, supporters from both sides have threatened journalists for criticising human rights violations by both sides, according to the SJS.

On May 16, Al Jazeera reported that six people have been told that they will be hurt or killed if they continue reporting abuses in Sudan.

The SJS expressed its concerns about “new threats against men and women journalists” in a statement on May 11, after lists began circulating on social media calling out journalists for betraying the SAF and inciting violence against them. According to journalists who spoke to Al Jazeera, members of the National Congress Party claim “anyone who appears neutral is against the army and with the RSF.”

Earlier this month, a group of paramilitaries of the RSF raided the office of El Hirak El Siyasi newspaper in Khartoum and a Sudanese photojournalist was shot in the back.

Following its reformation last year, the SJS said that the press and media in Sudan have faced unprecedented targeting since the October 2021 coup.

Before April 15, Sudan was already ranked 151 out of 180 in the World Press Freedom Index, and 29 out of 100 (i.e. ‘Not Free’) in Freedom House’s Internet Freedom Index. “Anti-journalist predators enjoy total impunity and are protected by the authorities” in Sudan, states Reporters Without Borders on its website.

Further reading

El Burhan sacks Hemedti as Sudan TSC V-P, appoints Malik Agar

https://www.dabangasudan.org/en/all-news/article/el-burhan-sacks-hemedti-as-sudan-tsc-v-p-appoints-malik-agar.

View original: https://www.dabangasudan.org/en/all-news/article/sudan-journalists-demand-rsf-leaves-broadcasting-hq

____________________________________

Winner in the 'singles' category for Africa at regional stage of the prestigious 2022 World Press Photo Contest: 

A woman protestor hurls a teargas cannister back at riot police during pro-democracy protests in Sudan in 2021 

(Picture: Faiz Abubakr Mohamed / World Press Photo)

World Press Photo of the Year 2020: 

Straight Voice – A young man, illuminated by mobile phones, 

recites protest poetry 

while demonstrators chant slogans calling for civilian rule, 

during a blackout in Khartoum, Sudan, on 19 June 2019

(Yasuyoshi Chiba, Japan, AFP)

SW Ed Updated 23 May 2023 11:03 BST: Add Faiz to photojournalist's name; highlight Faiz in photo caption; hyphenate award-winning.

WEBINAR Sudan: Making Sense of a Senseless War

A WEBINAR 'Sudan: Making Sense of a Senseless War' airs live tomorrow (May 23rd) at 15:00 PM UK; 10:00 AM Eastern Time (US and Canada).

Join me and @just1nlynch @MakawiRaga and Alex de Waal @WorldPeaceFdtn next Tuesday for our webinar on the current conflict in Sudan, follow this link to register https://t.co/Bb99St3jok

— Willow Berridge (@WBerri85) May 19, 2023

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Alex de Waal meets with Finland's FM Pekka Haavisto

NOTE from Sudan Watch Ed: Prof Alex de Waal attended a meeting with Mr Pekka Haavisto, Minister for Foreign Affairs of Finland Saturday, 20 May.

In my view, Norway and Finland have a knack for producing great peace makers, The Netherlands too. Must be something in the water and air there.

Interesting Saturday morning discussion b/w @Haavisto and Alex de Waal of @WorldPeaceFdtn at @FletcherSchool. Few scholars know the complex tragedy that is #Sudan like de Waal. pic.twitter.com/M9q1Y0zX5T

— Jarmo Sareva (@JarmoSareva) May 20, 2023

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How volunteers in Sudan are burying unknown victims of the conflict

Report from The Observers observers.france24.com

By Fatma Ben Hamad

Dated Wednesday 17 May 2023; 16:04; 16:10 - full copy:

How volunteers in Sudan are burying unknown victims of the conflict

Volunteers dig graves for civilian victims of fighting in Khartoum. © Hasbou Hadli

A month after clashes began between the Sudanese army and paramilitary forces, air strikes continue to pummel Sudan’s major cities while on the ground street battles rage. Bodies of both soldiers and civilians are piling up in the streets of the capital Khartoum, many of them remaining unclaimed due to the unstable security situation. Sudanese volunteers have launched an initiative to bury civilian victims of the civil war and locate the missing, dead or alive. 

People living in Khartoum, the capital of Sudan, are finding themselves with no access to basic goods or medical care as street battles between the army and paramilitary groups continue to rage. Across the country, only 28 percent of hospitals are in operation. In the capital, the number drops to just 16 percent, according to the World Health Organization.

In mid-April, when clashes began between the Sudanese Armed Forces (SAF) and the Rapid Support Forces (RSF), a paramilitary group, our team received a number of images showing the bodies of both civilians and soldiers piling up in the streets of the capital. In many cases, the ongoing air raids and gunfire have meant that family, friends and medical teams have been unable to gather and bury the bodies of the dead. 

Since the second week of fighting, a group of volunteers working under the supervision of the Sudanese Red Cross and Red Crescent have been out in the streets of Khartoum, gathering the dead and burying them. 

These volunteers have posted contact numbers on Twitter, Instagram and Facebook so that people living in Khartoum – as well as the adjoining cities of Omdurman and Bahri, which, together, make up “greater Khartoum” – can call the team if they see a body. 

Volunteers have shared this post on Facebook, Instagram and Twitter that reads, in Arabic, "If you see a body in any area [in Khartoum], call us. This is a purely volunteer service, with no remuneration."

'I’ve had to collect heads that had been separated from their bodies, it's horrific'

Mohammad Moussa is a volunteer, based in Khartoum.  

“There aren’t a lot of us volunteers and we only have two cars – we use one to transport the volunteers and the other we are now using as a mortuary vehicle. It is not enough to cover the entire range of greater Khartoum, so we do one area at a time. The Red Crescent supports our initiative, without being able to participate because when there are humanitarian teams on the ground, they also have to assure their safety [Editor’s note: which is complicated by the many infractions of the ceasefire by the two parties in the conflict]. They do provide us with protective clothing and equipment so that we can pick up and conserve the bodies safely.”

VIDEO In this video, published by our team on April 19, you can see bodies in the streets of the Sudanese capital.

“It’s really hard because some bodies have already been outside for days – we are sometimes picking up bodies that are already in an advanced state of decomposition. Some have even been eaten by animals. I’ve had to collect heads that have been separated from their bodies, it’s horrific. Right off the bat, we faced administrative challenges, because none of the representatives of the local administration were in Khartoum in order to give us the necessary authorization to bury so many bodies”.

'The morgues of the few hospitals still in operation in Khartoum are overflowing'

“We therefore had to go get an authorisation in Jabel Aulia [39 km away] south of the city. The procedures also took a lot of time, due to the fragile security situation. As soon as we identify a body, either with personal documents or by fitting a description given by their family, the next step is to bury it. For others that we can't identify, in theory, we are supposed to store them in a morgue. But the morgues of the few hospitals still in operation in Khartoum are overflowing. Once, we had to leave a body in a vehicle all night until the graves were dug, since there was no space in the morgue at Jebel Aulia”.

أبوبكر عبدالمنعم محمد علي
مفقود من يوم الاحد 14 مايو الساعة 6 مساء آخر اتصال معاهو كان في السوق المركزي متجه على شارع الستين، تاني اتصلنا عليه ردو ناس الدعم السريع قالو اعتقلوهو ودايرين يحققو معاو وبعداك التلفون اتقفل
يرتدي جلابية بيجية
0912234350
0128828600#مفقودين_السودان pic.twitter.com/uhyfoqoy85

— ماربيلا (@MaarbellaO) May 16, 2023

This social media user is seeking information about a young man who disappeared on May 14 after being arrested at a checkpoint by the Rapid Security Forces.

“To a lesser degree, we are also trying to help to identify and find missing people. We find out about these people because their friends and family have posted about them online, seeking any information about their whereabouts. If we find a body that fits a description or has an identifying feature, then the teams will reach out to the family in question. We really work through word of mouth because some areas are completely cut off from internet and phone lines. Sometimes a missing person is, in reality, just holed up somewhere without access to a telephone and stuck because of the fighting. If that is the case, we’ll pass the information from city to city through our network of volunteers so that someone can give the family the news that their missing relative is still alive”.

“Tragically, this isn’t the first time that the streets of Khartoum have been covered with unknown victims of fighting. In 2022, several thousand victims of police brutality during pro-democracy protests were discovered in an advanced state of decomposition in the morgues of Khartoum and Omdurman, which were both overflowing with unidentified bodies”. 

Haitham Ibrahim is the press officer at the Sudanese Red Crescent. 

“We have currently deployed two teams of volunteers: one in central Khartoum, the other in Bahri [Editor’s note: Often known as "Khartoum Bahri", this town is located to the east of the town centre]. After the Jebel Aoulia operation, we were able to bury seven bodies there. Then, we were able to bury 11 more people in Afraa, north of Khartoum. Eventually, we were able to find space for more victims in Ash Shuqaylah. We are trying to communicate and coordinate with the two sides of the conflict in order to protect our volunteers.

Here, volunteers bury someone in a private garden because of the insecurity in the streets.

"We haven’t been able to advance more than that in Bahri and in the centre of Khartoum, because the fighting has intensified. But as soon as a ceasefire is put in place and respected, as soon as we get the greenlight to move around safely in the areas most affected, we’ll start working across a larger zone".

Since the start of the fighting in Sudan, at least 600 people, including civilians, have been killed and more than 5,100 have been seriously injured, the World Health Organization reported on May 16.

>> Read more on The Observers: In Khartoum, corpses litter the streets: ‘The fighting keeps residents from burying them’

View original: https://observers.france24.com/en/africa/20230517-khartoum-sudan-volunteers-bury-victims-of-conflict-bodies

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UNITAMS chief Perthes to brief UN Security Council

Report at What's In Blue

Dated Sunday 21 May 2023 - full copy:

Sudan: Briefing and Consultations

Tomorrow morning (22 May), the Security Council will convene for an open briefing, followed by closed consultations, on the UN Integrated Transition Assistance Mission in Sudan (UNITAMS). 

Special Representative and head of UNITAMS Volker Perthes is expected to brief on the Secretary-General’s latest 90-day report released on 16 May, which covers developments from 19 February to 6 May. 

AU Commissioner for Political Affairs, Peace and Security Bankole Adeoye and Executive Secretary of the Intergovernmental Authority on Development (IGAD) Workneh Gebeyehu are also expected to brief.

On 15 April, heavy fighting broke out between the Sudanese Armed Forces (SAF), headed by General Abdel Fattah al-Burhan—Sudan’s military leader and Chairperson of the Transitional Sovereign Council—and the Rapid Support Forces (RSF), a paramilitary group led by General Mohamed Hamdan Dagalo (known as Hemeti). 

Despite several calls from the regional stakeholders and the broader international community for a ceasefire, fighting has entered its second month, causing a deep humanitarian crisis. 

According to OCHA’s 17 May situation report, at least 604 people have been killed and over 5,100 injured because of the ongoing fighting.

The Secretary-General’s 16 May report notes that, since the outbreak of fighting on 15 April, UNITAMS has focused its good offices efforts on urging the parties to cease hostilities, respect international humanitarian law and return to political negotiations. 

The report states that UNITAMS—as part of the Trilateral Mechanism that also includes the AU and IGAD—has continued to engage closely with regional organisations and member states in the pursuit of a ceasefire, including through the provision of technical expertise on ceasefire monitoring. 

It further notes that the fighting has posed severe operational challenges for UNITAMS and the mission has suspended activities such as capacity building, development assistance and field visits. Only a small number of the mission’s international personnel remain in Port Sudan to support the good offices efforts of Perthes.

At tomorrow’s meeting, Perthes is likely to update members on political and security developments in Sudan, as well as on the various ongoing regional and international efforts aimed at resolving the crisis. On 11 May, the warring parties, with the facilitation of Saudi Arabia and the US, signed a “Declaration of Commitment to Protect the Civilians of Sudan”, in Jeddah. Among other things, the parties agreed to:

• allow safe passage for civilians to leave areas of active hostilities;
• take all feasible precautions to avoid and minimise civilian harm;
• allow principal humanitarian operations to resume and protect humanitarian personnel and assets;
• adopt simple and expedited procedures for all logistical and administrative arrangements necessary for humanitarian relief operations; and
• commit to scheduling subsequent expanded discussions to achieve a permanent cessation of hostilities.

At tomorrow’s meeting some Council members are expected to acknowledge the signing of the declaration and call upon the parties to adhere to their commitments.

Council members may want to learn more about whether any substantive progress has been made in finding a political solution to the conflict.  

In a 11 May joint statement, Saudi Arabia and the US noted that, following the signing of the declaration, the talks in Jeddah would focus on “reaching agreement on an effective ceasefire for up to approximately ten days” to facilitate implementation of the commitments. 

It said that the security measures would include a US-Saudi ceasefire monitoring mechanism, supported by the international community. The statement added that the talks would also address the proposed arrangements for subsequent talks with Sudanese civilians and regional and international partners on a permanent cessation of hostilities.

In a 11 May statement, the Trilateral Mechanism welcomed the signing of the Declaration of Commitment by the Sudanese warring parties and urged them immediately to exert all efforts to translate these commitments to meaningful action. 

The mechanism called on the parties to “convey clear and unequivocal instructions to lower ranks” to abide by the declaration and facilitate the safe passage of humanitarian assistance and the restoration of essential services.

On 7 May, the League of Arab States (LAS), in an emergency ministerial-level meeting of its Executive Council, in Cairo, established a contact group on Sudan, consisting of Egypt, Saudi Arabia, and LAS Secretary-General Ahmed Aboul Gheit. Among other things, the contact group is mandated to communicate with the Sudanese parties, regional and international partners, and international organisations with the aim of reaching a settlement to the ongoing crises. 

On 17 May, the contact group held its first meeting in Jeddah, with the participation of Gheit, Saudi Arabia’s Foreign Minister Faisal bin Farhan Al-Saud and Egyptian Foreign Minister Sameh Shoukry. 

In a tweet following the meeting, the Saudi Foreign Ministry noted that the meeting focused on reviewing the contents of the declaration signed in Jeddah, including the commitment to protect civilians in Sudan.

On 17 May, Hemeti’s special envoy Yousif Ezat met in Juba with South Sudanese President Salva Kiir, who is heading the IGAD-led mediation process. 

In a press conference with South Sudan’s Acting Minister of Foreign Affairs Deng Dau Deng following the meeting with Kiir, Ezat expressed support for the IGAD-led process. 

In an 18 May press release, Sudan’s Foreign Ministry noted that it had lodged an official complaint with the South Sudanese government in response to the permission granted to Hemeti’s advisor to hold a press conference in the presence of senior South Sudanese officials. (For more information, see our 11 May What’s in Blue story.)

Council members last met to discuss the situation in Sudan under “any other business” on 17 May, at the request of the UK (the penholder on the file). 

The UN High Commissioner for Refugees, Filippo Grandi, briefed Council members on the influx of refugees into Sudan’s neighbouring countries and presented an overview of its potential impact on regional stability. Among other matters, Grandi highlighted UNHCR’s efforts and expressed concern about the situation of refugees.

At tomorrow’s meeting, several Council members are expected to express concern about the worsening humanitarian situation in the country. 

The Secretary-General’s 16 May report notes that the outbreak of fighting on 15 April has led to a drastic deterioration of the humanitarian situation in the country, with humanitarian activities being interrupted in several states owing to widespread insecurity, and reports of looting of humanitarian assets, including food, office equipment and vehicles.

On 17 May, OCHA released a revised 2023 Humanitarian Response Plan (HRP) for Sudan, in light of the ongoing conflict. According to the plan, the estimated number of people in need has increased from 15.8 million in November 2022 to 24.7 million in May. The plan requires $817 million in additional funding, bringing the requirements for 2023 to $2.56 billion. At the time of writing, the HRP for Sudan was 12.4 percent funded.

Also on 17 May, UNHCR launched the Refugee Response Plan (RRP), which appeals for an estimated $470.4 million for an initial period from May to October. The RRP projects that the number of refugees, including Sudanese refugees, individuals from third countries, refugee returnees and migrant returnees, will reach approximately 1.1 million during this initial period. At tomorrow’s meeting briefers and Council members are expected to call for increased funding for the HRP and RRP.

According to data provided by UNHCR,  approximately 843,130 people have been internally displaced as a result of the ongoing conflict, and more than 250,000 forced to take shelter in neighbouring countries including the Central African Republic, Chad, Egypt, Ethiopia, and South Sudan.

The mandate of UNITAMS is due to expire on 3 June. Council members currently appear inclined to extend the mandate for another six months, while calling on the parties to work towards a lasting, inclusive, and democratic political settlement in Sudan. 

The UK circulated a zero draft among Council members on 19 May, and the first round of negotiations is scheduled for 23 May. 

At tomorrow’s closed consultations, Council members may wish to have detailed discussions with the briefers on the mandate of UNITAMS.

View original: https://www.securitycouncilreport.org/whatsinblue/2023/05/sudan-briefing-and-consultations-5.php

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