Do the victims of the Sudanese war receive justice

By Mashaer Idris

So far, the war in Sudan can be analyzed as having contributed to the loss of the countrys sovereignty, turning it into centers of conflicting powers, resulting in a lack of a recognized single authority in the country. There is no unified center to monopolize violence, let alone a single entity representing the state.

In this reality, achieving justice for the victims of the war in Sudan has become distant, with slogans and emotional appeals being more prevalent than actual action.

The United Nations High Commissioner for Human Rights, Volker Türk, stated in an interactive dialogue at the Human Rights Council on September 12th about the situation in Sudan that this conflict has shattered a nation. More than 5.1 million people have been uprooted from their homes, and the economy has come to a standstill, pushing millions to the brink of poverty. Basic services in conflict-affected areas, such as education and healthcare, have also come to a halt.

Türk further mentioned that during the past week, more than 103 civilians were killed in military operations in Khartoum and Omdurman, including many women and children.

With the increasing crimes in the country due to the war, various political and civil entities are occupied with finding ways to achieve justice.

The Governor of North Darfur, Nimir Abdelrahman, linked stability and peace in Sudan to achieving justice and not allowing criminals to escape punishment, holding them accountable locally, regionally, and internationally.

He ruled out the existence of peace, stability, development, and prosperity in Sudan without achieving transitional justice for the wars victims.

A leader in the Freedom and Change Alliance, Arwa Al-Sadig, considered justice for the victims of the war in Sudan to be an important, sensitive, and complex issue that requires genuine interest and determination, not just empty rhetoric to appease the victims.

Al-Sadig said, To achieve justice, we must answer several questions, the most important of which is how to compensate, heal wounds, and rectify damage. How can social and legal justice be achieved? How can we deal with the procrastination that has occurred against the victims of previous wars?

He added, To achieve the optimal model of justice, we need to design it away from illusions and closer to reality, reflecting the experiences and hopes of the affected.

He continued, The model must include effective mechanisms to avoid abuses and ensure popular participation in its implementation, especially in regions with successful experiences in various Sudanese regions.

Al-Sadig stressed the activation of justice through the collective approach (collective responsibility), with everyone participating in the process of transparency, democracy, and encouraging dialogue between the conflicting parties and victims, supported by the comprehensive transitional justice model focusing on judicial reform, rights, the legal system, human rights assurance, and combating impunity.

He continued, As for healing wounds and rectifying damage, psychological and social support must be provided to the war victims and their families before material and moral compensation. This is the first step towards achieving justice.

He emphasized the need to provide material compensation, job opportunities, education, healthcare, and balanced development in war-affected areas, ensuring that these measures are sustainable and take into account local conditions and the needs of the victims.

Concerns about possible procrastination and delay in addressing the victims of previous wars exist, so he stressed the need to investigate violations, bring the perpetrators to justice, and transparently announce those responsible.

Furthermore, there should be a judicial system capable of prosecuting criminals and ensuring the protection of victims and witnesses, whether at the local, regional, or international level. These steps should be implemented independently and impartially, with the responsibility of transparent and strong legal human rights administrations.

The international community is called upon to give this issue significant attention and support Sudan in its efforts to achieve justice by forming regional or international hybrid investigation committees to investigate the atrocities committed in Sudan.

There should be international cooperation in the later stages of justice implementation, especially in cases related to international responsibility and respect for human rights, war crimes, aggression, and crimes against humanity. Through collective thinking and joint action among all stakeholders, including victims, human rights activists, and political actors, justice can be achieved, and better societies can be built in Sudan. This will remain out of reach unless we stop the escalating war with its increasing violations and victims.

The United Nations reports that the conflict since April 15th has forced 5.25 million people to leave their homes, with 4.1 million people displaced in 3,855 locations in all of Sudans 18 states.

The United Nations has recorded 921 incidents against humanitarian operations, with 60% attributed to actual conflict or violence against humanitarian workers and assets.