UNHRC passes resolution on human rights abuses in Sudan

Geneva: The United Nation’s top human rights body adopted a resolution Thursday that drew attention to mounting civilian deaths and rights abuses in Sudan since a bloody conflict erupted between the African country’s two top generals last month.

The violence in Sudan has so far killed more than 600 people, including civilians, and displaced hundreds of thousands. The fighting has also spread to other regions, namely the restive Darfur province.

The Human Rights Council made up of 47 UN member states narrowly passed the resolution with 18 states voting for the resolution, 15 against and 14 other nations abstaining. The resolution aims to further scrutinize human rights violations taking place in Sudan since April 15. The fighting in Sudan started as a result of a power struggle between the chief of Sudan’s military Gen. Abdel Fattah Burhan, and rival Gen. Mohamed Hamdan Dagalo, who commands the powerful paramilitary Rapid Support Forces. Arab and African nations, including Sudan, featured heavily among the 15 countries that rejected the UN move, citing it as a potential barrier to talks underway in Saudi Arabia.

Algeria’s representative, Faouzia Boumaiza-Mebarki, said the resolution could send a negative message to the “opposing sides” and scupper the talks. Likewise, China’s ambassador said the country and its warring parties should be “free from external pressure.”

Most Western countries voted in favour, with Europe and the United States having co-sponsored the draft resolution. Late in the day, the US State Department announced that representatives of the two forces had signed a declaration recognising their responsibilities “to facilitate humanitarian action to meet the emergency needs of civilians.”