The United Nations Office at Geneva
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HRC54: Human Rights Council 54th Session, Day 2 - 12 September 2023
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4:27
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MP4
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645.9 MB
Teleprompter
European Union. You have the floor.
This Friday,
Sudan
will mark five months of futility.
Five months of futile suffering, death, loss and destruction.
Since the conflict began, the people of Sudan
have been caught up in an endless cycle of violence
generated by the Sudanese armed forces and the rapid support forces.
There is no reprieve in sight,
Thank
you.
Now let me invite Iceland On behalf of a group of countries,
we heard stories of family members being killed or raped,
stories of their relatives being arrested without reason of disappeared,
loved ones of piles of abandoned bodies in the streets of desperate,
lingering hunger
stories of a level of fear and uncertainty for their future.
Unfelt before, despite the decades of turmoil in which Sudan has been embroiled,
the unbearable story of a 15 year old girl attacked and raped
and taken away from her family.
And I quote,
my entire body aches.
My head aches, she said.
I am not rested because I do not know what happened to my family.
I have no appetite to eat at night. I cannot sleep thinking about my family
civilians,
including on the basis of ethnicity.
I deplore
the widespread, arbitrary detention of civilians by both parties.
Hundreds and likely thousands are being held in
Como in appalling conditions,
from political activists
to courageous human rights defenders
to members of the resistance committees.
Their so called crime is support or perceived support of the opposing party
opposing the war or simply
to be providing humanitarian assistance to those in need.
Many have been tortured.
There are credible reports that violations and abuses
which may amount to war crimes
and
west of four
ethnically motivated attacks perpetrated by the RS
and allied Arab militias
have resulted in the deaths of hundreds
of so called non Arab civilians,
primarily from
maselli communities.
This access and resume the transition to democracy in civilian.
Such
developments echo a horrific past that must not be repeated.
We reaffirm our solidarity and stand by the people of Sudan.
I am deeply concerned by the calls made by
officials to arm civilians, including
by Major General Al
Bohan.
Similar calls have been made by community leaders, including, most recently,
the Sultan of Mali.
Civilians should not be encouraged to take part in hostilities,
nor should they be exposed to the impact of military operations.
I am repulsed to hear
of the ongoing epidemic of conflict related sexual violence.
As of 10 September,
my office has received credible reports of
45 incidents involving at least 95 victims,
including 75 women,
one man and 19 Children.
To
move the
country.
The people of Sudan have endured immense suffering
and sacrifice in their long pursuit of peace and justice.
This pointless conflict and the decades of military
dictatorship before it
have shown us beyond a shadow of doubt
that military rule will not bring stability to Sudan.
It will not improve its governance nor advance human rights,
nor will it improve the economy.
What it will do, however,
is generate more unrest
and incredible suffering.
It is time for the two generals to cease the violence,
to return to political talks
and to comply at once with their obligations
under international humanitarian and human rights law.