Accused of politicization.. Sudan rejects intervention force proposed by UN human rights mission
The Sudanese government has rejected the recommendations of the Human Rights Council ‘s fact-finding mission , accusing it of being a “political body” and exceeding its mandate.
This came after the mission called for the deployment of an “independent and neutral” force in Sudan to protect civilians amid the war that has been raging for nearly 17 months.
The Sudanese Foreign Ministry said in a statement: “The government of Sudan rejects the recommendations of the fact-finding mission in their entirety,” and considered them “a clear violation of its mandate and authority.”
The ministry explained in its statement that the mission published its report and “a press conference was held about it before the Human Rights Council heard it, which reflects the committee’s “lack of professionalism and independence.”
The Foreign Ministry accused the mission of being a “political rather than legal body, which reinforces the Sudanese government’s position on it since its formation.”
On Friday, UN experts called for the deployment of an “independent and neutral” force in Sudan without delay, with the aim of protecting civilians in the face of atrocities committed by both warring parties.
The experts commissioned by the Human Rights Council concluded in a report that the warring parties “committed a horrific series of human rights violations and crimes, many of which can be described as war crimes and crimes against humanity.”
In a statement on Saturday, the Sudanese Foreign Ministry denounced the “strange contradiction” contained in the mission’s report, as it condemned “the recommendation to ban weapons from the national army (and) to assign the task of protecting civilians to an international force whose formation is unknown.”
The war resulted in tens of thousands of deaths, while estimates indicate that the number may reach “150 thousand.”
More than 10 million people have been displaced within Sudan or have sought refuge in neighboring countries since the fighting broke out, according to UN figures. The fighting has caused widespread destruction to infrastructure, with more than 75% of health facilities out of service.
