Sudan has filed a case against the UAE at the ICJ, alleging its complicity in genocide against the Masalit people in West Darfur. Sudan holds the RSF responsible for numerous human rights violations, supported by the UAE. The UAE claims the case is baseless and a distraction from the Sudanese Armed Forces’ actions. There is an ongoing report of atrocities against civilians, including children, amid the continuing conflict in Sudan.
The International Court of Justice (ICJ) has confirmed that Sudan has initiated legal proceedings against the United Arab Emirates (UAE) over accusations of its role in genocide against the Masalit community in West Darfur. Sudan holds the Rapid Support Forces (RSF) and associated militias responsible for various atrocities such as genocide, murder, and human rights violations, allegedly enabled by the UAE’s comprehensive support for the RSF militia.
Sudan has requested that the ICJ implement provisional measures to ensure the UAE complies with the Genocide Convention. This includes preventing harm to the Masalit people and restricting actions that could facilitate their destruction or diminish their population. In response, the UAE is striving for the dismissal of the case, labeling it as unfounded and suggesting that the Sudanese government uses it to deflect blame from the Sudanese Armed Forces (SAF). An unidentified Emirati official characterized the lawsuit as a “cynical publicity stunt.”
In April 2024, the Raoul Wallenberg Centre for Human Rights published an independent investigation that identified continuous genocide against the Masalit and other Non-Arab groups by the RSF and militias. It pointed out that several nations, including Sudan, Libya, and Russia, are complicit and called on all signatories of the Genocide Convention to take immediate action to halt the genocide.
The conflict in Sudan traces back to the 2003 Darfur crisis, stemming from internal resistance by the Sudan Liberation Movement (SLM) and the Justice and Equality Movement (JEM) against government oppression of Non-Arab groups. Following this, the Omar al-Bashir administration initiated violent reprisals against these groups, co-opting Arab militias to assist in systematic violence that resulted in over 400,000 fatalities and millions displaced.
The atrocities have drawn international condemnation, with the United States recognizing them as genocide. Al-Bashir was subsequently indicted by the International Criminal Court (ICC) for orchestrating a campaign of mass killings. Regrettably, the RSF continues employing rape as a weapon of war, with many women suffering sexual violence and numerous incidents remaining unreported due to social stigma.
In a distressing revelation, UNICEF reported that 220 cases of child rape were documented in Sudan since early 2024, indicating the severe impact of the ongoing conflict on vulnerable populations, including the youngest victims.
The ICJ’s proceedings against the UAE highlight the serious humanitarian issues in Sudan, particularly related to the ongoing genocide against the Masalit community. The allegations against the UAE reflect broader complicity in the atrocities committed by the RSF. This situation underscores the international community’s obligation to act against genocide and protect those affected by such grave violations of human rights.
Original Source: www.moroccoworldnews.com
