Activists call to restore communications in the devastated Zalingei of Central Darfur
September 19, 2023 (ZALINGEI) – On Wednesday, human rights activists hailing from Darfur launched an initiative to advocate for the reinstatement of communications and internet services in Zalingei, the capital of Central Darfur State. Their goal is to facilitate the delivery of essential humanitarian aid to the civilians impacted by the ongoing conflict between the army and the Rapid Support Forces (RSF).
Since May 17, Zalingei has experienced a complete disruption of communication and internet services due to intense clashes between the two factions. Leaked images from the city depict widespread destruction, including significant harm to vital institutions like Zalingei University.
The hostilities between the army and the paramilitary have resulted in complex humanitarian challenges and the displacement of numerous residents from the city. Some have sought refuge in areas controlled by the Sudan Liberation Movement led by Abdel Wahid Nur (SLM-AW) in Jebel Marra, where they grapple with severe food and medicine shortages.
The Darfur Advocacy Group issued a statement urging Sudanese to support and exert pressure on the conflict parties. They further stressed the urgent need to restore the city’s communication network and internet access and ensure the delivery of humanitarian aid to Central Darfur’s capital.
The statement accused the warring parties of obstructing humanitarian assistance to civilians affected by the conflict. It alleged that the RSF paramilitary and their affiliated militias had invaded city neighbourhoods, looted, disrupted service institutions, and targeted international organizations’ headquarters. Additionally, the activists accused the assailants of engaging in heinous acts, including murder, arrest, and sexual assault.
The repeated attacks on medical professionals at Zalingei Hospital by the RSF and militias have resulted in dire humanitarian conditions, prompting many healthcare workers to flee the city, exacerbating the suffering of civilians.
The Darfur Advocacy Group is a media and human rights platform comprising legal experts and activists dedicated to safeguarding Darfur’s civilians through monitoring and reporting human rights violations.
Abdel Basit Alhaj, a lawyer and legal researcher with a focus on Darfur issues, informed Sudan Tribune that tribal militias aligned with the RSF deliberately severed the city’s main communication cable on the eastern side of Zalingei, preventing civilians from communicating with the outside world. He also accused General Ali Yacoub, the RSF Commander in Central Darfur, of instructing the obstruction of the state’s communication system repair.
Alhaj emphasized that destroying the communication sector constitutes a war crime as it is not a military target. He asserted, “These grave crimes must be spotlighted for the world to be informed about the events within Zalingei.”
He described the violations occurring in Darfur during the conflict between the army and the RSF as deeply troubling and dangerous, particularly regarding the patterns in which these crimes are being committed.
Concerns are mounting over the potential outbreak of a civil war in Darfur, as most Arab tribes have declared their support for the RSF against the Sudanese army. Meanwhile, local tribes accuse the paramilitary forces and their affiliated militias of committing war crimes and engaging in ethnic cleansing that has affected thousands of civilians in the war-torn and displaced region since 2003.
Civilians flee to SLM-AW areas
The leader of the civil authority in the SLM-AW controlled areas, Mujib al-Rahman Mohamed al-Zubair, disclosed to Sudan Tribune, “The number of civilians seeking refuge in the movement’s controlled areas has reached approximately 450,000 individuals from the five states of Darfur, in addition to Khartoum and North Kordofan. Among them, over 100 are wounded due to the conflict.”
Al-Zubair further revealed a distressing statistic, stating that more than 50 women have fallen victim to sexual assault, with rapes occurring both on the streets and in their residences by the warring parties.
Al-Zubair stressed the severe shortages of essential supplies such as medicines, relief materials, food, clean water, and shelter in the areas under the movement’s administration. He noted a continuous influx of people fleeing the conflict, further straining the already limited resources.
(ST)