The Republic of Sudan
Ministry of Foreign Affairs
Office of the Spokesperson and Media
Press Statement
The Ministry of Foreign Affairs follows with interest the latest report of the independent UN Sanctions Monitors pursuant to the UN Security Council Resolution No. 1591 on Darfur, especially in respect to the war that the rebel militia and its sponsors are waging against the Sudanese people.
The Report featured the following facts:
1. The victims of ethnic cleansing and genocide committed by the rebel militia and its allies in West Darfur State alone amounted to between 10 and 15 thousand civilians, including women, children and the elderly.
2. The continued supply of advanced weapons provided and facilitated by specific countries, named by the Report, that has been flown to the Militia several times a week, in violation of the relevant Security Council resolutions, is what enables the rebel militia to expand its military operations, pursue its atrocities against civilians. This in turn is prolonging the war and widening its geographical zone .
3. The rebel militia owns an external elaborate financing network and more than fifty commercial companies in various countries, which enables it to procure weapons to kill the Sudanese people, buy the loyalty of politicians and media people , and hire public relations and propaganda companies to try to improve its bleak image in front of the International Community.
4. The Report vindicated the Government of Sudan as it has long alerted the international community of dire consequences of inaction slow response and hesitation in taking decisive measures against the rebel militia. In particilar, failure to classify the Militia as a terrorist group, and treating it the same way as ISIS, Boko Haram, the Lord’s Resistance Army and similar groups , contributes to the continuation of the war, stalls peace efforts, and worsens the humanitarian suffering that is affecting millions of Sudanese within the country and abroad.
In light of the above, the Ministry requests the following:
First, the immediate classification of the rebel militia as a terrorist group and criminalisation of all forms of support to it.
Secondly, the United Nations Security Council has to shoulder its responsibility towards the countries that fuel the continuation of the war in Sudan by providing the Militia with advanced weapons, political and media support, as clearly indicated in the Report. Moreover; these countries must be held accountable to crimes of aggression that is punishable under the international criminal law.
Thirdly, investigating and dismantling the Militia’s financial networks and commercial companies, as well as penalizing the public relations and propaganda companies employed by the militia in the United States of America, Great Britain, Canada, and other countries, because they are actually partners in the crimes committed by the Militia.
Lastly, the comprehensive and precise implementation of the Jeddah Declaration on Humanitarian Principles signed on May 11, 2023 and the subsequent commitments must be a prerequisite for the commencement of any peace efforts to reach a ceasefire.
This will deprive the rebel Mlitia the opportunity to manipulate multiple paths of peace efforts, to escape implementing the terms it had committed itself to.