The Republic of Sudan
Ministry of Foreign Affairs
Office of the Spokesperson and Media Directorate
Press Statement
In the past few days, the Janjaweed militia and its sponsors inside and outside Africa have embarked on a false propaganda campaign to rebrand the Leader of the terrorist militia, who is responsible for the worst violations of international humanitarian law and human rights law on the continent, since the 1994 Rwandan genocide.
Based on deception and hypocrisy, this ploy included so far visits by the Militia Leader to a number of African countries, and statements attributed to him on his militia’s readiness to enter into a ceasefire and peace negotiations, beside signing an agreement with a Sudanese political grouping comprising his loyal supporters. If implemented, the said agreement would pave the way for splitting the country.
In light of the above, the Ministry of Foreign Affairs would like to illustrate the following facts:
1. The Government of Sudan renews its commitment to achieving peace, as confirmed by the President of the Sovereignty Council from Jebeit this week. However, it must be recalled that there is an existing binding legal and political framework that covers humanitarian issues, the
ceasefire question, and starting the peace process. This is the Jeddah Declaration on Humanitarian Principles signed on May 11, 2023, which would have brought an early end to the crisis if the Militia adhered to what it signed at the time. On the contrary, however, the Militia did not merely dishonor its obligations under the Declaration to evacuate civilian objects, including hospitals, universities, public facilities, places of worship, and the homes of ordinary citizens, but further scrambled to occupy more of them. Therefore, the Militia’s full commitment to the Jeddah Declaration by evacuating hundreds of thousands of citizens’ homes and civilian objects, that it currently occupying and using as military centers, and withdrawing from cities, towns and villages, is a prerequisite for starting new talks with it, because this is the only guarantee for implementing what is agreed upon.
2. As a manifestation of that commitment, and despite the Militia’s attack in mid-December 2023 on the city of Wad Madani, hosting the largest population of the internally displaced persons from the war and the main center for humanitarian operations, the President of the Sovereignty Council agreed to meet with the Militia leader, upon a facilitation of the IGAD. The meeting was scheduled to take place in Djibouti on December 28, 2023. However, hours before the President of the Sovereignty Council would have left for Djibouti, the IGAD Presidency informed Sudan of the postponement of the meeting for reasons concerning the rebel leader, which are not yet known.
3. The terrorist militia is still pursuing its campaign of terror subjecting innocent civilians to crimes of ethnic, cleansing, massacres of civilians and sexual violence, even after the public appearance of its leader. The rural areas that were recently invaded by the Militia, especially in the state of Al-Gazira, had their share of these atrocities. The Militia introduced the ethnic cleansing crimes that it had perpetrated in Darfur into Al-Gezira State, targeting members of the very same tribal groups.
4. Equally, the Militia is currently imposing blockades on entire residential areas in the Capital City, preventing food and humanitarian needs from reaching civilians trapped there and used by the Militia as human shields, in clear violation of the commitments it had made on November 7 at the Jeddah Forum pertaining to the delivery of humanitarian aid.
5. Moreove, testimonies of survivors of ethnic cleansing massacres in Darfur during the past months revealed a pattern of crimes of the Militia amounting to genocide, crimes against humanity, and war crimes, including the execution of male infants from specific tribal groups, and the burial of citizens from the same groups alive, which was documented by the Militia members themselves, as well as the enslavement of women from these groups. These atrocities are subjects of the International Criminal Court Investigation, and were also a reason for the imposition by the US Government of sanctions on the Militia’s second-in-command and another field commander.
6. The aforementioned facts place the Militia in the same category along with the terrorist criminal movements the continent has known, such as the LRA, Boko Haram, and ISIS groups. The Militia Leader, therefore, does not deserve the honor of meeting elected leaders, who are accountable to their peoples, and committed to the principles of human rights and fighting impunity.
7. The Government of Sudan, once more, reiterates that the implementation of the Jeddah Declaration and the subsequent commitments, the withdrawal of the Militia from the cities and the state of Al-Gazira are necessary preparatory steps that would demonstrate the seriousness of the Militia in reaching a ceasefire and faithfully engage in a comprehensive peace process.