CDCF remains in a permanent session to evaluate the Declaration of Principles
The Face of Truth
Ibrahim Shglawi
The international community’s silence regarding the crimes of the Rapid Support Forces militia, which continues to commit violations against citizens since the outbreak of the Sudan conflict in mid-April of last year, and its indifference to the suffering of civilians, encourages the militia to persist in massacres and abuses without fear of punishment. The rate of civilian violations and killings has escalated in recent days in several villages in Al-Jazirah; in Seraeha village, 147 unarmed citizens were killed, along with killings and displacements in other villages such as Tamboul, Baranko, and Wad Al-Noura. In addition, people are being killed in Darfur, Kordofan, and Khartoum State due to the ongoing random shelling of civilians.
Therefore, we call for the importance of joint local, regional, and international cooperation to help restore security and peace for the Sudanese people, who are suffering from the fires of this war. Yesterday, Jaafar Hassan, the official spokesperson for the CDCF Civil Forces Coordination, spoke to Al Jazeera Mubasher, commenting on these brutal violations committed by the Rapid Support Forces militia in eastern Al-Jazirah villages. He said they would address the African Peace and Security Council and all international organizations, as well as address both the army and the Rapid Support Forces militia, stressing the necessity of stopping the war.
Regarding the Declaration of Principles signed with the Rapid Support Forces in Addis Ababa last February, Hassan said that the Rapid Support Forces had not adhered sufficiently to protect the agreement and failed to implement what was agreed upon, explaining that they were waiting for the army as a third party to legitimize the agreement as a fully-fledged Declaration of Principles. He added that they remain in continuous session to evaluate the agreement and consider the temporary ceasefire to allow negotiations. Hassan also stated that what happened in eastern Al-Jazirah could constitute war crimes, and that hate speech and negative mobilization, if not stopped, could make it challenging to end the war and potentially increase the likelihood of it escalating into a civil war.
The spokesperson’s statement on behalf of CDCF certainly opens the door to proving the seriousness of CDCF’s commitment to protecting civilians. Moreover, it obliges them to withdraw from the Declaration of Principles with the Rapid Support Forces militia, given that the militia has not fulfilled any of the provisions related to civilian protection, safe movement, allowing humanitarian aid, and creating conditions for citizens’ return. According to observers, this document represents a heavy ethical and political burden on the CDCF Coordination, which could eventually threaten its unity. The impacted population, suffering from abuses by the militia with which CDCF allies and supports, will not forgive CDCF for this disgraceful stance of supporting the militia politically and through media. This position will also open doors for its political opponents to justify isolating it politically.
The Rapid Support Forces’ violations against civilians have reached an intolerable limit and now threaten to lead to a civil war, the very war that CDCF has repeatedly warned against. Thus, CDCF’s withdrawal from the Declaration of Principles is a crucial step toward rebuilding trust between CDCF, its supporters, the national political parties, and the Sudanese people. There is a need to discuss the consequences of partnering with an entity that has failed to protect civilians and fulfill its commitments, which requires moving beyond this partnership.
Such a withdrawal could provide the necessary balance in the political stance and help unify efforts to achieve peace and stability. Therefore, achieving justice and peace necessitates lifting the cover and support for the militia’s repeated abuses. Here, CDCF Civil Forces Coordination must play a role if it is truly committed to upholding human rights principles. These corrective steps may also encourage a broader mobilization of political parties toward joint action to restore security.
Changing political direction toward national unity will pave the way to accelerate the peace process and may facilitate the formation of a broad front that includes all those seeking to end the vicious cycle of violence and crimes and perhaps ease the path for a Sudanese-Sudanese dialogue.
Therefore, the CDCF Civil Forces Coordination must take this bold step to ensure that these humanitarian disasters and violations do not recur by rebuilding relations with national parties to unify efforts for security and stability in the country.
To conclude, this withdrawal is not merely a tactical step but a political and moral duty towards the Sudanese people, who aspire to peace, justice, and security. Hence, clear condemnation and initiatives to lift support for the militia will help achieve peace and restore calm.
Thus, the truth lies in the importance of national alignment, which may put international silence regarding the crimes committed by the Rapid Support Forces militia under scrutiny and responsibility for our country, moving away from this glaring neglect of its commitment to protecting human rights. Continuous disregard for such violations only increases the militia’s audacity, encouraging them to persist in committing massacres against unarmed citizens. Continued political and media support for the militia reinforces its ability to commit crimes and persist in violations. Therefore, we renew our call to all national political parties and the CDCF Civil Forces Coordination to unite and withdraw political and media support from the Rapid Support Forces militia and side with the national front supporting the Sudanese Armed Forces in restoring security and achieving peace.
Wishing you health and well-being,
Shglawi55@gmail.com