Can a humanitarian light from Paris shine on the darkness of Khartoum’s April 15th war?
By Yasir Arman
A CALL FOR A CPMT:
– 15th April 2024, marks one year of the forgotten Sudan war on the international agenda, and it adds great value for Paris to host the International Humanitarian Conference for Sudan on the same date.
– The humanitarian conference by France, Germany, and the European Union presents a real opportunity in the competing international priorities to focus attention on the catastrophic humanitarian situation in Sudan. Importantly, it comes at a time when both warring parties in Sudan are preparing for a new wave of violence that will only exacerbate the humanitarian crisis and the civilian tragedy.
– The venue, timing, and participants of this conference, from Sudan, the region, and the international community, need to:
> Converge their efforts to put strong pressure on the two warring parties to accept an immediate lengthy humanitarian cessation of hostilities monitored on the ground.
> Create a new regional and international momentum to put an end to the war in Sudan and;
> Unite the regional and international efforts, especially after the joint effort of the international community expressed in the adoption of UNSC RES/2724.
– Sudan needs sustainable peace that addresses the injustices of the past on a new democratic dispensation that does not reward those who are behind this war.
CPMT:
Given the high human costs and gross human rights violations, which amount to war crimes, committed by the two warring parties against the civilian population, the crucial need for civilian protection and the opening of humanitarian corridors, it might be of extreme importance to revisit the experience of the past, especially on issues of civilian protection.
An agreement to protect civilians from military attacks was signed in March 2002 by the Sudan government and the SPLM as a result of Senator John Danforth and the IGAD’s efforts. At the time, this established a Civilian Protection Monitoring Team (CPMT) on the ground, which monitored and investigated attacks against civilians. Such an agreement is much needed in any humanitarian cessation of hostilities to protect civilians and stop the current violations.
Lastly, Sudanese from different backgrounds in the conference need to speak in one voice on the need to stop the war and address the humanitarian situation. Humanity before politics.