UNAMID Condemns violent attacks on peaceful protestors, civilians and IDPs in North, South and West Darfur
Zalingie, 28 July 2020- UNAMID notes with deep concern the recent increase in violent attacks on peaceful protestors, civilians, rural communities and camps of internally displaced persons (IDPs) in various localities in North, South and West Darfur. The Mission condemns the loss of life, injuries and displacement resulting from such attacks whose main victims are women and children. It calls on the relevant government authorities to apprehend the perpetrators and bring them to justice.
The Mission regrets that these incidents have taken place while the Government of Sudan and the armed movements are striving to reach a peace agreement in an attempt to bring sustained peace and stability to the Darfur region and indeed the whole of Sudan. The recurrence of such incidents at this moment of Sudan’s history can only aggravate division and discord amongst communities and derail the gains of the revolution.
While the Mission has been working closely with the relevant Sudanese authorities and communities to de-escalate tensions and prevent further escalation of violence, UNAMID calls on all stakeholders to intensify prevention measures to avoid further deterioration of the situation. In this regard, the Mission welcomes the timely announcement by Prime Minister Dr. Abdalla Hamdok on the deployment of a joint protection force to protect civilians in Darfur.
UNAMID hopes that this force will be fully deployed as soon as possible and will be adequately equipped and trained to protect all residents of Darfur without exception. The civilian population in Darfur has endured enough suffering, and they deserve to live in peace and tranquility without fear of being attacked. UNAMID wishes to re-emphasize that the primary responsibility of protecting civilians lies with the Government, particularly in areas where UNAMID has withdrawn in the context of its drawdown. UNAMID remains ready to assist the Government in fulfilling this primary responsibility to the extent possible within the limits of UNAMID’s mandate.
UNAMID will continue to work closely with local, state and federal authorities towards reinforcing Government’s protection capacities and improving the protective environment in Darfur through its State Liaison Functions (SLFs) in collaboration with the UN Country Team.