Crimes expose the falsehood of the slogans raised on the tips of April’s guns
The Displaced, Umm Baru, Kornoi, Al-Tina, and Northern and River Nile States – and the Voice of Reason!
By Yasir Arman
’Today was one of the sad days of the April war – a day that revived memories of past violations and war crimes committed in the name of the “War of Dignity,” “The State of56,” and the “New Sudan.”
The coup of October 25 and the war of April are both offspring of the Islamists’ corruption. Their guns, whether united or divided, cannot build a new Sudan, nor can they preserve the dignity of our people – a people they have displaced and humiliated beyond measure. The April war is a new and distinct version of the crimes of the former Inqaz (Salvation) regime.
Humanity has established laws for war, yet today’s videos, like those before them from ISIS and other atrocities, violate every such law. These videos have stripped away any false pride in the so-called “victory of El Fasher” and reopened old, festering wounds. Death breeds only more death; it deserves no celebration, only sorrow and grief. Sudanese people are brothers and kin on both sides of this war – so reconcile with your brothers, and fear God.
Why do they record these crimes on video? One of them, while insulting a captive, says: “This Dinari is from such-and-such state – a gift to Amsib.” That Amsib and his foster sister Hayat Abdelmalik are devoid of all humanity or purpose. Their only mission is to spread racism and sabotage Sudan’s future. Only those who share Amsib’s nature can admire him. It is upon the wise to restrain this outburst of primal instincts before it is too late.
Victory in a single battle does not mean victory in the war, and winning the war does not mean building a new society. When the Rapid Support Forces (RSF) took control of Gezira State, we said truthfully that it was a trap; one that served neither their political nor military interests. What happened afterward proved that, painful and tragic as it was.
Following the events in El Fasher, we reiterate the need for wisdom and humanity in dealing with civilians, especially those displaced. The displaced in Darfur have a long and painful history filled with violations and hardship. Similarly, Umm Baru, Kornoi, and Al-Tina must be treated with care as they are not mere military garrisons but living communities.
The constant talk about my Northern and River Nile States as though they were “properties” of the National Congress Party is false. Such rhetoric could corrupt the war – corrupt as it already is – and deepen communal wounds, turning a political conflict into a deadly ethnic one that yields no victory. This serves neither our people nor our nation. Wars end, but wounds remain. We must walk the path of reconciliation and honorable brotherhood, not that of blood. The fighting must remain between soldiers, not communities.
We call on both parties to stop attacks on civilians and civilian infrastructure. These are war crimes that do not expire with time. Inside Sudan and abroad, we must intensify campaigns to stop the war. We all know our country stands on the brink of fragmentation and collapse: If we lose our people and our land, what personal or collective achievements shall we celebrate?
Finally, we urge the international community to pressure both parties to open humanitarian corridors, protect civilians, withdraw all armed forces from towns and villages under their control, and leave them to civilian police. Civilian space must expand at the expense of the military one. UN agencies and humanitarian organizations must be allowed to deliver aid, and the International Committee of the Red Cross should oversee the treatment of prisoners and detainees.
To achieve this, we call on the Quartet, led by the United States, to immediately convene a high-level meeting in Jeddah, Saudi Arabia, to establish a humanitarian ceasefire, for the war is spreading. We also call on the African Union–led Quartet to hold a high-level meeting and coordinate with the U.S.-led Quartet to prevent Sudan’s collapse, one whose regional and international repercussions will be deep and unmistakable. All of this requires consultation with the Sudanese people and their democratic civil forces, as well as with both warring parties.