Girls as young as nine gang-raped by paramilitaries in Sudan – report
GuardianJul 21
Report: Sexual Violence in Sudan Civil War is Widespread
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Above: Goods move back and forth on horseback across the border between Sudan and Chad on April 25, 2024 in Adre, Chad. Image copyright: Dan Kitwood/Staff/Getty Images News via Getty Images
The Facts
A report from Human Rights Watch released on Monday claims that the Rapid Support Forces (RSF), actors in Sudan's civil war fighting the Sudanese military, are responsible for widespread acts of sexual violence. The report focuses on instances of sexual violence in Khartoum.
Khartoum first saw conflict break out between the paramilitary RSF and the government Sudanese Armed Forces (SAF) in April 2023. The report claims that in Bahri and Omdurman, victims of sexual abuse ranged from ages 9 to 60, and abuse was perpetuated by both sides in the conflict.
The Spin
Pro-establishment narrative
The war in Sudan has become a forgotten conflict, and every day that passes without intervention is a mark of shame that must be addressed by the international community. The evidence for egregious human rights abuses continues to mount, and the UN has enough grounds to act and sanction perpetrators and help restore order. This must be done to avoid further suffering and avert a looming famine on the ground.
Establishment-critical narrative
The crisis in Sudan is partially the fault of the world community, as they incentivize armed groups to take part in peace talks that they have no plans on upholding. In Sudan, much-needed reforms were put on the back burner in order to secure a cessation of fighting, which created a powder keg situation in the country. The "rules-based order" has to rethink how we engage with violent groups and put civilians first.
