The war on womens bodies
Mariam Abasher
Violations against religions and humanitarian laws that make humanity shudder were committed during the war against the weakest group, women, whom our noble religion, before secular human laws, advised to preserve their rights and protect their dignity (Only the honorable respect them and only the vile insult them).
However, the serious violations committed against them during this war, including rapes and sexual violence in Khartoum and some states of Darfur, especially by the Rapid Support Forces, will remain a stain that will haunt those who committed them throughout history.
These crimes were documented by some of the cameras of the perpetrators themselves, and were condemned and denounced by most international, regional, and national human rights organizations. This led the Human Rights Council to vote by a majority to establish an international fact-finding committee to uncover and expose these crimes.
Many experts predicted that the fact-finding committee would reach the facts in a short time, given that both the victims and the accused are present. In addition, the media and various platforms documented these crimes, which are still being committed amid the ongoing clashes, the expansion of the war zone, and the decline of the peaceful solution horizon.
Not Unfamiliar
Human rights law expert Osama Muhanna said that these crimes are considered among the crimes named in international humanitarian law, the law of war, and even Sudanese criminal law. In some areas of Darfur, such as Geneina, for example, crimes occurred as a result of a widespread attack by the Rapid Support Forces and perhaps some of the countrys multiple militias.
Muhanna pointed out that there was a widespread attack, which claimed the lives of thousands of members of the Masalit tribe, and it may largely fall within the category of genocide crimes. This is a crime named in international humanitarian law, the law of war, and even in Sudanese criminal law.
Muhanna also noted that the commission of sexual assault crimes that affect both genders under the threat of weapons are undoubtedly war crimes. In addition, some civilian girls were taken to western Sudan or neighboring West African countries. He continued that these are new crimes that the world has not known in modern history. It is a heinous crime that may take us back to the eras of slavery and enslavement, which the world has recovered from for centuries. He expected that these results would lead the council to recommend to the Security Council to refer these very serious violations to the International Criminal Court prosecutor and then to the International Criminal Court.
Deliberate Misleading
Legal expert Dr. Rafat Mirghani Mustafa, the former head of the National Human Rights Commission, commented on the violations committed against women during the war. He pointed out that during this armed conflict, many pieces of information emerged about cases of sexual assaults, especially in the capital cities. He also noted that information indicated that these violations were committed by elements affiliated with both parties to the armed conflict. He said that earlier they demanded that both parties take all necessary measures to ensure the protection of women from all forms of violence, including sexual violence, repression, and all forms of violations, including sexual violations. He also mentioned that the Commission called for an investigation into this information by enabling an independent entity to conduct investigations into these allegations.
He said that no one can talk about these violations amounting to crimes against humanity without an investigation. He stated that they, in the National Human Rights Commission, continued to demand that the concerned authorities in the government conduct investigations to know the truth first, and then determine the responsibilities.
Rafat expressed his regret that many parties tried to invest in these violations to achieve their political goals. He warned that some of the lies practiced by elements of the former regime in the Ministry of Foreign Affairs and some state institutions could harm the truth and the rights of the victims.
He continued, I know very well that they are not keen on human rights, as evidenced by their failed attempts to mislead about the violations committed during the years of the Bashir regime and attempts to mislead about the violations committed after the October 25 coup, including sexual violence crimes committed in December 2021, which they continuously deny.
