Sudan has filed a case to the International Court of Justice, accusing the UAE of breaching the genocide convention by supporting rebel forces in Sudan. The allegations involve serious human rights violations against the Masalit people. Sudan requests urgent measures to halt further violence while highlighting the UAE’s complicity in the ongoing conflict, which has claimed many lives and displaced millions.
Sudan has formally brought a case before the International Court of Justice (ICJ) against the United Arab Emirates (UAE), alleging violations of the genocide convention. Specifically, Sudan accuses the UAE of providing arms and funding to the Rapid Support Forces (RSF), a rebel paramilitary group involved in the ongoing conflict in Sudan. The ICJ confirmed that the case was filed on Wednesday and pertains to severe actions that have inflicted suffering on the Masalit community.
The allegations include grave human rights violations, such as genocide, murder, theft, rape, forced displacement, and damage to public property. The ICJ stated that Sudan alleges the UAE has been complicit by offering extensive financial, political, and military support to the RSF.
Sudan is seeking urgent provisional measures from the court, asking the UAE to prevent further violence and crimes directed against the Masalit people. This legal action comes amid escalating conflict in Sudan, which erupted in mid-April 2023, resulting in over 24,000 fatalities and displacing nearly 14 million individuals, according to United Nations estimates.
The case follows a recent charter signed by the RSF and its affiliates that indicates the formation of a parallel government amid military pressure. The Conflict Observatory, supported by the U.S. State Department, has reported on aircraft linked to UAE arms transfers to the RSF, purportedly misrepresented as aid flights for medical purposes.
Additionally, the U.S. Treasury has sanctioned RSF leader Mohammad Hamdan Daglo Mousa and several RSF-affiliated companies in the UAE, acknowledging the RSF’s involvement in genocidal acts. The UAE, an ally of the U.S. and a federation of sheikhdoms, has persistently denied accusations of supporting the RSF, despite mounting evidence.
The historical context reflects a legacy of violence in Sudan, particularly in regions like Darfur, where previous genocidal actions resulted in significant casualties and displacements. Rulings from the ICJ are binding, although they typically require years for resolution.
Sudan’s case against the UAE at the ICJ highlights serious allegations of genocide and human rights violations in the ongoing war against the RSF. By seeking provisional measures, Sudan aims to prevent further atrocities against the Masalit people. The legal process at the ICJ is lengthy, but the case raises significant international concerns about accountability and the UAE’s involvement in supporting militant groups in Sudan.
Original Source: www.independent.co.uk
