By Elizabeth Borrego Rodriguez
Chief United Nations Correspondent
The emergence of hostilities between the Sudanese army and its military rival, the Rapid Support Forces, in Wad Madani further worsened the situation for civilians from Khartoum and other violence-affected areas.
This city, the second largest in the country and located about 140 kilometers southeast of the capital, was the stopover for thousands of Sudanese seeking safety before December 15.
According to the International Organization for Migration (IOM), increasing fighting in the area has led to the displacement of more than half a million people, a number that continues to rise, including many who had previously left their homes.
However, the total number of displaced people since the start of the crisis could exceed 7.4 million people, requiring an urgent increase in resources and commitment to address the humanitarian situation.
The context for the displaced population requires urgent global attention and an immediate ceasefire, said IOM Director General Amy Pope, after personally confirming the devastating impact during a recent visit to eastern Chad.
This organization estimates that six million people have left their homes and fled to other parts of Sudan since the crisis began, while 1.7 million civilians have sought refuge across the borders of South Sudan, Chad, Ethiopia, Egypt, the Central African Republic and Libya have.
“A ceasefire is urgently needed so that people can rebuild their lives in dignity. “We must not turn our backs on the suffering of millions of people affected by such a devastating conflict,” said Pope.
“Now more than ever, we need all possible support to continue providing life-saving humanitarian assistance and driving recovery and long-term solutions,” he added.
HUMANITARIAN RESPONSE UNDER THREAT
IOM launched an appeal to raise $307 million in 2024 with the goal of reaching 1.2 million people affected by the crisis, including internally displaced persons, refugees, returnees and third-country nationals.
To date, this United Nations agency has provided assistance to more than one million people in Sudan and neighboring countries, with cash assistance, safe transport and critical support in the areas of health, protection, water, sanitation and hygiene.
However, agency experts warn of a growing risk in providing aid within the African country due to the war that broke out in April 2023.
Peter Kioy, head of the IOM mission in Sudan, described the situation of the Sudanese people and the workers trying to help them as dangerous.
“The humanitarian community is unable to monitor or access the areas to or from which displaced people are fleeing, making it really difficult for us to ensure the international protection of the rights to which they are entitled,” he said in a recent report interview.
According to the envoy, the lack of assistance on the ground makes Sudanese civilians even more vulnerable.
Access remains a key issue for the humanitarian community; We need safer access for humanitarian actors, he added, in line with the United Nations (UN) call.
The conflict parties had agreed during the peace talks to grant humanitarian access, but had not yet complied with this, the IOM representative complained.
“Recently, the conflict reached the states of Al Jazirah and White Nile, forcing humanitarian actors to flee. Truck drivers do not feel safe entering some of these places to provide assistance,” Kioy explained.
At least 45 aid workers have died or remain detained since the conflict began, while fuel shortages are also affecting the movement of personnel, humanitarian supplies and electricity generation needed for operations.
UNSUPPORTED HUMAN RIGHTS
The Sudanese government, which has primary responsibility for protecting civilians, must take concrete steps to ensure sufficient aid reaches all those in need and ease access for humanitarian convoys, human rights expert Radhouane Nouicer said.
He, also appointed by the UN High Commissioner to monitor Sudan, acknowledged that violations of human rights and international humanitarian law are continuing as fighting continues.
After speaking with civil society representatives, Nouicer uncovered horrific reports of human suffering, including hundreds of suspected cases of enforced disappearances and several cases of arbitrary detention by both parties to the conflict.
At the same time, he warned of the increase in violence and hate speech on ethnic grounds, particularly in the Darfur region, where the Rapid Support Forces and allied Arab militias have attacked the African Masalit community.
Reports of the recruitment of children and the mobilization of civilians into so-called “popular” resistance groups or of sexual violence against women and girls are also deeply worrying.
According to United Nations estimates, a total of around 25 million civilians, including more than 14 million children, are dependent on humanitarian aid and protection.
Sudan, one of the most fertile countries, is running out of food and millions of people are suffering from acute hunger, complained the human rights commissioner.
Despite the enormous need, providing assistance remains extremely difficult due to ongoing hostilities, persistent insecurity, attacks on aid workers and bureaucratic hurdles, he lamented.
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