Hundreds of civilians have been killed in Sudan since the conflict began last month, and the United Nations Human Rights Council narrowly approved a motion to increase monitoring of human rights violations in the country on Thursday.
The Western-led motion condemning abuses by Sudan’s warring military factions was approved with 18 votes in favor and 15 votes opposed. Britain and the United States both supported the motion.
Following the vote, British Ambassador Simon Manley stated, “I think it’s really important that the people of Sudan know that we here in the Human Rights Council in Geneva are watching what’s happening, and we are appalled by what we see.”
Many other countries, however, have expressed their dissatisfaction.
Not a single African country, not even longtime allies, supported the initiative, demonstrating yet another sign of growing opposition to Western initiatives to increase scrutiny in the council.
In the end, “heavy Saudi lobbying split the African group,” according to one diplomat. Arab states had earlier expressed their opposition to the motion, citing concerns that it could derail ongoing peace talks backed by Saudi Arabia.
The outcome of the vote, which gives the United Nations’ Sudan expert more powers to monitor abuses, among other things, was closely watched by Western diplomats. It has been watered down several times in recent days in an attempt to gain support.
Sudan’s ambassador, while calling for “African solutions to African problems,” framed the conflict as an internal matter.
Fighting between the Sudanese army and rival paramilitary forces has turned Khartoum’s residential areas into war zones since mid-April, killing hundreds and injuring thousands.
The UN High Commissioner for Human Rights, Volker Turk, told the 47-member Geneva-based council that both sides in the Sudan conflict had “trampled” on international humanitarian law.
The Pakistani envoy warned that the meeting could exacerbate the situation, and China expressed its displeasure.
Sudan’s Ambassador, Hassan Hamid Hassan, criticized the meeting in general. “Why are you rushing to hold such an ad hoc session at this time, especially since no African or Arab countries have supported it?” he asked.
According to the SAF, “what’s happening in Sudan is an internal affair, and what the SAF (Sudanese Armed Forces) are doing is a constitutional duty to all armies in all countries around the world.”
