Friday, April 26, 2024

Sudan & South Sudan: Adama Dieng appointed as first African Union (AU) special envoy for the prevention of the crime of genocide and other mass atrocities

Report from Human Rights Watch
Dated Tuesday, 23 April 2024 7:15AM EDT - here is a copy in full:

Can New African Union Genocide Envoy Curb Atrocities in Africa?
Adama Dieng has Mandate to ‘Combat the Ideology of Hate’

Adama Dieng, then-UN special adviser on the prevention of genocide, New York, June 2019. © 2019 Luiz Rampelotto/EuropaNewswire/picture-alliance/dpa/AP Images


Adama Dieng has been appointed as the first African Union (AU) special envoy for the prevention of the crime of genocide and other mass atrocities.

Dieng will drive the organization’s agenda to “combat the ideology of hate and genocide on the continent,” said AU Commission Chairperson Moussa Faki Mahamat. The April 6 appointment could not be more symbolic, marking 30 years since the Rwandan genocide and harkening to the failure of the international community to stop the slaughter.

Dieng has occupied several positions within the United Nations human rights and justice system, including as a registrar of the International Criminal Tribunal for Rwanda (ICTR), then as UN designated expert on the situation of human rights in Sudan. From 2012 to 2020, he was UN special adviser on the prevention of genocide, with a mandate to raise the alarm over situations likely to spiral into genocide and mobilize UN security council action to prevent such atrocities.

Dieng’s new appointment comes at a time when Africa is witnessing spates of terrible mass atrocities and serious crimes, with dire humanitarian consequences, and little to no international attention.

April 15 marked the first anniversary of the fast-deteriorating conflict in Sudan between the Sudanese Armed Forces (SAF) and the Rapid Support Forces (RSF). While both parties have committed egregious laws of war violations, the targeted attacks on ethnic non-Arab communities in West Darfur by the RSF and allied militias have evoked the spectre of the horrific Darfur war. That conflict killed 300,000 people in the early 2000s and led the International Criminal Court (ICC) to indict then-Sudan President Omar al-Bashir.

Government forces in Burkina Faso have carried out mass killings of civilians as part of a brutal campaign to tackle Islamist armed groups, who have also committed serious abuses. In the Democratic Republic of Congo, government forces and armed groups, including the Rwanda-backed M23, have committed atrocities against civilians in violence throughout North Kivu and Ituri provinces.

Atrocities and serious crimes are nevertheless not limited to war time, as illustrated by the October 30, 2022 crackdown on protestors in Chad, when scores of protesters were shot by security forces.

Dieng’s newly created regional mandate could be a timely boost to existing international mechanisms on atrocities prevention if it proves to be an indication of more genuine AU political willingness to end mass abuse and uphold accountability standards.


View original:

https://www.hrw.org/news/2024/04/23/can-new-african-union-genocide-envoy-curb-atrocities-africa


END 

Former Sudan PM Hamdok meets Macron in Paris

REGARDING the absence of the Sudanese government from the Paris conference, President Macron stated during a meeting with Sudanese civil society representatives that the government had lost its legitimacy due to the 2021 coup against civilians. 

In the previous week, Sudan’s Ministry of Foreign Affairs expressed “its utmost astonishment and condemnation” of the conference, convened by France, Norway, the United Kingdom, the USA, and the European Union, denouncing “that such a conference is convened on a matter concerning Sudan without consultation or coordination with its government and without its participation…” Read more.

From Radio Dabanga English - www.dabangasudan.org
Dated Wednesday, 17 April 2024 
PARIS / OTTAWA - here is a copy in full:

Former Sudan PM Hamdok meets Macron in Paris

Former Prime Minister of Sudan, Abdallah Hamdok (File photo: SUNA)

Former Prime Minister of Sudan and current chair of the Civil Democratic Forces (Tagaddum), Abdalla Hamdok, engaged in discussions on the war in Sudan with French President Emmanuel Macron during a closed session in Paris yesterday.

Following his visit to the French capital, Hamdok expressed gratitude to President Macron for France’s unwavering support of the Sudanese people’s aspirations and their stance in backing Sudan’s December revolution and the transitional civilian government. 

He commended the success of the Paris conference, which drew global attention to Sudan’s plight, raising 2 billion in pledged support from France, Germany, and the European Union for humanitarian aid.

Underscoring the significance of building on the achievements of the Paris conference, the Tagaddum head urged continued international efforts towards silencing the guns of war.

President Macron, in turn, welcomed Hamdok’s participation in the conference activities and reaffirmed France’s commitment to supporting Sudanese efforts for peace, freedom, and justice.

The former Sudanese leader also held discussions with Canadian Minister of International Development Ahmed Hussen and German Foreign Minister Annalena Baerbock on the sidelines of the humanitarian conference in Paris.

Earlier this week, Canadian Foreign Affairs Minister Mélanie Joly announced sanctions against two individuals and four entities affiliated with the Sudanese Armed Forces and the paramilitary Rapid Support Forces for undermining peace, security, and stability in Sudan.

Regarding the absence of the Sudanese government from the Paris conference, President Macron stated during a meeting with Sudanese civil society representatives that the government had lost its legitimacy due to the 2021 coup against civilians.

Last week, Sudan’s Ministry of Foreign Affairs expressed “its utmost astonishment and condemnation” of the conference, convened by France, Norway, the United Kingdom, the USA, and the European Union, denouncing “that such a conference is convened on a matter concerning Sudan without consultation or coordination with its government and without its participation…”

Hamdok reiterated that a military solution to the conflict was untenable and advocated for a negotiated peace process driven by Sudanese initiatives. 

He called for unity among Sudanese factions to streamline peace efforts and avoid fragmentation.

View original: https://www.dabangasudan.org/en/all-news/article/former-sudan-pm-hamdok-meets-macron-in-paris

END

Wednesday, April 24, 2024

Sudan: Displacement and recent clashes in North Darfur, Apr 01 - Apr 17 2024 & Apr 14 - Apr 16 2024

DTM Sudan Focused Flash Alert North Darfur, Apr 01 2024 - Apr 17 2024:

DISPLACEMENT AND RECENT CLASHES IN NORTH DARFUR 

Since 01 April 2024, DTM Sudan monitored several clashes in multiple locations across Al Fasher locality in North Darfur state.

Clashes between the Sudanese Armed Forces (SAF) and the Rapid Support Forces (RSF) renewed across Al Fasher Town of Al Fasher locality, Kebkabiya Town of Kebkabiya locality, and Kutum Town of Kutum locality on 01 April 2024, displacing an estimated 500 individuals (100  households).


In addition, DTM monitored attacks on Korma, Jonjona and Sarafaya villages linked to tribal conflict between 02 and 04 April 2024. The attacks led to the displacement of approximately 3,815 individuals (763 households) across various locations in Al Fasher locality.


Field teams observed additional clashes due to tribal conflict on 13 April 2024 in Birka, Sarafaya, Hillat Khamis, Jakho I, and Jartouna villages across Al Fasher locality, North Darfur. The clashes reportedly displaced approximately 34,350 individuals (6,870 households). Affected households were primarily displaced to other locations within Al Fasher locality. Field teams noted that an estimated 9,500 individuals (1,900 households) displaced from Jakho I village were originally displaced from Tawila locality in mid-June 2023 and therefore experienced secondary displacement due to the recent clashes.


Finally, field teams observed additional clashes between SAF and RSF in Al Fasher town from 14 April to 16 April 2024. The clashes reportedly displaced approximately 1,950 individuals (390 households) across Al Fasher locality. Households were displaced primarily from northern and eastern neighbourhoods of Al Fasher Town.


An estimated total of 40,615 individuals (approximately 8,123 households) were displaced in Al Fasher locality, North Darfur between 1 and 16 April 2024 due to the clashes described above, as noted in corresponding DTM Early Warning Flash alerts.


Map 1: Location of Reported Clashes and Resulting Displacement, 01 April -18 April 2024


BROADER CONTEXT 

While North Darfur remained an epicenter of clashes since the outbreak of conflict on 15 April 2023, field teams observed a sharp escalation of clashes and displacement beginning in January 2024. Since 01 January 2024, DTM released 17 Early Warning Flash Alerts focused on Al Fasher locality, representing over 60 per cent of the total flash alerts pertaining to Al Fasher locality since the eruption of conflict on 15 April 2023.


In January 2024, clashes were observed across Al Fasher, Kutum, and Melit localities. Field teams reported four incidents in Al Fasher and one in Um Kadadah in February 2024, and three incidents in Al Fasher and two incidents across Al Fasher, Kebkabiya, and Kutum localities during March 2024. Notably, the majority (69%) of DTM Early Warning Flash Alerts pertaining to conflict and displacement in North Darfur state focused on Al Fasher locality specifically.


DISPLACEMENT DATA IN NORTH DARFUR 

As of 17 April 2024, North Darfur state hosted an estimated 570,183 IDPs. over one third (approximately 36%, or 204,438 IDPs) were reportedly hosted in Al Fasher locality.


In addition, approximately 606,673 IDPs originated from North Darfur state, representing nine per cent of the total population of IDPs displaced in Sudan since 15 April 2023. Approximately 87 per cent of IDPs in North Darfur were displaced from locations within North Darfur. An estimated 235,147 IDPs originated from Al Fasher locality specifically.


Source:  DTM Sudan Focused Flash Alert: Conflict in North Darfur State  

23 April 2024 Update One


Map 2: Reported Displacement in North Darfur state, as of 17 April 2024


Full story: 

DTM Sudan Focused Flash Alert North Darfur, Apr 01 2024 - Apr 17 2024

https://dtm.iom.int/reports/dtm-sudan-focused-flash-alert-north-darfur


END

Monday, April 22, 2024

Sudan: SpaceX to shut off Starlink access for users outside availability areas by 30 April 2024

SPACEX to shut off Starlink access for users outside availability areas by 30 April 2024. Read full story here below followed by a related post at X by Will Carter, Sudan Country Director for the Norwegian Refugee Council (NRC).


Article from pcmag.com
By Michael Kan 
Dated April 16, 2024 - here is a full copy:

SpaceX to Shut Off Starlink Access for Users Outside Availability Areas


The decision is upsetting users based in Africa, where internet speeds are often slow. But SpaceX says it needs to crack down as it waits for regulatory approval in the affected countries.


SpaceX is preparing to shut down Starlink for customers using the satellite internet service in countries outside its official "availability" zones. 


On Tuesday, the company sent an email to users in Africa, where Starlink is still waiting to receive regulatory approval in several countries, including Zimbabwe and South Africa. 


"If you are operating your Starlink Kit in an area other than areas designated as 'Available' on the Starlink Availability Map, we would like to remind you that this is in violation of the Starlink Terms," SpaceX wrote in the email


SpaceX is preparing to shut down Starlink for customers using the satellite internet service in countries outside its official "availability" zones. 


On Tuesday, the company sent an email to users in Africa, where Starlink is still waiting to receive regulatory approval in several countries, including Zimbabwe and South Africa. 


"If you are operating your Starlink Kit in an area other than areas designated as 'Available' on the Starlink Availability Map, we would like to remind you that this is in violation of the Starlink Terms," SpaceX wrote in the email


“If you have been using a 'Mobile - Regional' plan for more than two months outside of the country in which you ordered Starlink, you must either see Support FAQs to change your account country or return to the country in which your service was ordered. Otherwise, your service will be restricted,” the message says. 


The email goes on to say SpaceX is working as quickly as possible to obtain regulatory approvals from local governments. Still, the decision is upsetting users in Africa, where internet speeds can often be painfully slow, depending on the location. “This is so frustrating,” wrote one Facebook user based in Sudan. 


On Reddit, another added: "This is the worst news ever. My family and friends are in Sudan and there is a total communication blackout. [The] only source of internet is Starlink and now they do this." Meanwhile, others wonder if subscribing to the Starlink Roam international plan will allow them to bypass the coming restriction.


SpaceX’s email also suggests it’ll impose the restrictions on all users who’ve been operating Starlink outside the company’s availability zone. This could include Iran, where activists have been smuggling in Starlink units to help local residents receive access to an unfiltered version of the internet. In response, the Iranian government has been urging international regulators to force SpaceX to crack down. 


SpaceX didn’t immediately respond to a request for comment, making it unclear if the upcoming restriction will expand to other continents. But so far, it appears the company only sent Tuesday's email to users based in Africa.


View full story: https://uk.pcmag.com/networking/151883/spacex-to-shut-off-starlink-access-for-users-outside-availability-areas

__________________________________



HERE is a copy of a post at X by Will Carter, Sudan Country Director for the Norwegian Refugee Council (NRC).


Dear Mr @elonmusk

@SpaceX’s service is a lifeline in warzones like #Sudan. Civilians all over can contact loved ones, emergency responders continue, and facts be told, all with the magic of your machinery. As we face famine, please reconsider. Best, W

https://twitter.com/WillCarter_NRC/status/1781394263541985682


END

Sudan: Tele-health clinic for people in Sudan available daily Khartoum time 10am-6pm, for next 3 months

View original post and comments: 

https://twitter.com/WillCarter_NRC/status/1781764343647948894

END 

Sunday, April 21, 2024

VIDEO & TRANSCRIPT: Situation in Sudan ‘probably the most disastrous in the world’ says ex-PM Hamdok

NOTE from Sudan Watch Editor: I have created a transcript of this video. It is copied in full below. The video can be viewed here.

Video interview from France 24 GuardianTV
Presented on Tete a Tete by Marc Perelman [MP]
Dated Sunday, 21 April 2024, 1:48pm

Situation in Sudan ‘probably the most disastrous in the world’, says former PM Hamdok













FRANCE 24 spoke to Abdalla Hamdok, who served as Sudan’s prime minister twice after the fall of Omar Al-Bashir in 2019. As the war in his country entered its second year, the former premier described the situation as “extremely catastrophic, probably the most serious, disastrous situation in the world today”. Yet he expressed hope that the war “will come to an end”, noting “some progress” in regional and national efforts towards a political solution.


MP- Hello and welcome here on France 24. Our guest today is Abdullah Hamdok. He is the head of Sudan's Tagaddum. It’s a coordination of civic democratic forces. He was prime minister after the fall of the regime of Omar al-Bashir in 2019.  He was pushed out by two military leaders General Al-Burhan and General Hemeti, who since then have been fighting a war, a civil war, and it’s been one year now. 


MP- Thank you very much for being our guest today, Mr. Hamdok. 

AH- Thank you very much for having me. It’s always a pleasure to meet France 24


MP- How would you describe the situation in Sudan exactly one year into this war?

AH- What is happening in Sudan today is extremely catastrophic. Probably the most serious disastrous situation in the world today. We're facing a situation whereby more than 2 million refugees, close to 8 million internally displaced people, but more than that, about 25 million are subjected to famine and starvation.


MP- That's half the population.

AH- Absolutely. Because of this disastrous war, senseless war.


MP- The death toll is often put around 13,000 to 15,000. Is this the real death toll in Sudan?

AH- Absolutely not. I think this is grossly underestimated. The death toll could be multiples of that. I would like to think we might never be able to know the exact number of people who lost their life in this war. 


MP- How would you describe what is happening? Is it a civil war? Is it a war where war crimes, crimes against humanity, even genoicde are being committed? What words would you use?

AH- This is, it is indeed a civil war, but I think this is not the first war in the history of Sudan. Our first was started in 1955, just a year before independence of Sudan, 1956. And there are so many other wars. The war in the South last for so many decades. The genocide war in Darfur, the war in the Nuba Mountains, the Blue Nile, the East and all that. But this current war is different from the previous wars. In the past, the wars were in the periphery, in the regions. This time, the war started in the center and engulfed the whole country. So in that sense, it is an all-out war in the whole country. 


MP- Is it a war between two men and two ambitions? Is this what it's all about?

AH- I think this is again another misconception of the Sudanese war. Portraying it as a fight between two generals, this is far from that. It is a war that has its root causes in history, in issues of marginalisation, which whether it's ethnic, regional, religious and all that. It's a war created essentially by the historical model of development, issues of underdevelopment, and many of this. So I think in the beginning of the war even the international community has perceived this war as a fight between generals which is totally missing the point. But I think with the concerted effort by civilians, by many actors this conceptualization is changing now and everybody is beginning to understand it this war is much deeper than that which hence requires different instrument and different engagement and approaches to address it. 


MP- Well, how do you address it? Do you see any light at the end of this tunnel you just described?

AH- It's a disaster situation today but I'm an eternal optimist. I don't think there is a war that can last forever. It will come to an end.


MP- How?

AH- Our desire and our hope that it will stop yesterday, today before tomorrow, we're working on that. As you put it in your introduction, I had this Tagaddum Group. We had a meeting early this month in Addis Ababa. We came up with about what we call political vision as a contribution to address this war, which we had a vision which has four components. If I can briefly just mention them. Number one, we agreed on what we could call Declaration of Principle which addressing fundamental issues of the unity of the country, one army, issues of justice and transitional justice, calling for democratic rule, federalism, addressing issues of building state institutions and all that. But also a political process, which has so many components. And then we addressed also the issue of the negotiation venue and all that.


MP- Right, but as we speak, there have been attempts by regional organisations, by the African Union, by Saudi Arabia, the US, what’s called a Jeddah process but nothing’s working. The war is raging on. Why?

AH-  Let me start by appreciating all this effort by the regional organisations, community and the international community.


PH- But they’re not working.

MP- They are not, we know they are not because it is a complex issue. But I think we are seeing some progress in this. If you remember, when the war started, we had the Jeddah process, which was coordinated, led by the United States and Saudi Arabia. It made some progress, but after a while, it got stalled. But also the African Union got involved in this. The neighbouring countries, there was the neighbouring country initiative put forward by Egypt and IGAD also intervened, a number of other regional countries. I think we are seeing gradually some sort of convergence. The Manama initiative or encounter which happened probably two months ago, we think it’s a step in the right direction bringing more actors into the process. Now we are hearing more effort is being made to expand this a little bit by involving other actors. And that’s the only assuring way. Certainly, we do not want to see proliferation of initiatives and forum, and we want to avoid what we can call forum shopping. So we wanted a coordinated process that is coordinated in one centre. Of course, modern mediation would have built into into it multiple maybe approaches, but we don’t want parallel. We want it to be coordinated by one centre.


MP- Right, and who should be the center?

AH- I think currently the revive, enhance Jeddah that will take on board all the other initiatives will be the right way to go.


MP- Right, the problem is bringing both generals to the same table. You had a meeting with General Hemeti in Addis Ababa in early January. You said this was a building block and you were hoping that General Al Burhan would also meet with you. That hasn’t happened. Why has he refused to meet with you?  Because he thinks that you’re siding with General Hemeti maybe?

AH- There is a lot of, maybe what you can call it, accusation in that direction. But end of last year in December we wrote to both generals, to General Burhan and Genera Hemeti asking them to meet. General Hemeti responded. We met him in Addis. We agreed and issued Addis Declaration which is essentially having all these ingredients of going back to a civilian rule, declaration of principle, protection of civilian and all that. General Burhan responded saying that in principle he would not have a problem in meeting. But this has yet to materialise. In our meeting in Addis Ababa early this month we again confirmed and affirmed our desire to meet him. And we will continue pursuing that because we think this is the only assured way and it  is in the interest of our country because there is no military solution to this. 


MP- Does this mean that General Hemeti is more committed to a peaceful solution than General Burhan who seems not really very interested in this?

AH- Well, we take them with their pronouncements. General Hemeti, we met with him. He agreed with us that we need to go through a political process. We are yet to hear the same sentiments echoed by Burhan. 


MP- Right. In early April, the public prosecutor filed criminal charges against you and a dozen of other members of, let’s call it the anti-war coalition, for quote unquote inciting war against the state. This carries the death penalty. What is your reaction to those very serious accusations and what does it mean?

AH- Well, I leave the judgement to the largest population of Sudan and the region and the international community. But it is quite a funny thing. We are a civilian group. We do not carry arm inciting violence and all this is just fictitious. They have accused myself and more than 40 of our colleagues of inciting violence against the state which is totally fabricated. And I don’t think it is helping. We would like to see ourselves as Sudanese engaging at a much higher level of seriousness in addressing the crisis of our country.


MP- Is this a response of a general, Al Burhan maybe? Because one can assume the public prosecutor did this maybe on his behalf.

AH- I don’t believe the prosecutor just woke up and did this. 


MP- So you think this is a negative response to Al Burhan?

AH- Absolutely, I mean it has to be decided from somewhere in the circles, yeah.


MP- Abdalla Hamdok, it’s me who wants to thank you very much for appearing on the France24 channel and thank you all for watching this interview.


See video here: https://tv.guardian.ng/news/world-news/situation-in-sudan-probably-the-most-disastrous-in-the-world-says-former-pm-hamdok/

____________________________



Related 


Sudan Tribune - April 20, 2024

Sudanese political figures discuss path to peace at Geneva workshop 

Photo: Smoke rises from Sudan’s capital as conflict grips Khartoum on May 19, 2023 (AFP photo)


It’s important to note that representatives of the former regime and the warring parties were excluded from the Geneva meeting. All other Sudanese political forces were invited regardless of their stance on the conflict. 


This workshop echoes a similar agreement reached at a Paris meeting organized by France on April 15th. The Paris seminar included only civilian actors, while the Geneva meeting, in addition, involved the armed movements that signed the Juba peace agreement.


Read full story: https://sudantribune.com/article284685/


END