Human Rights Watch Highlights Sexual Violence Crisis in South Sudan

Human Rights Watch has accused the RSF of perpetrating widespread sexual violence in South Sudan, documenting cases of gang rape and sexual slavery. This report highlights the severity of abuses linked to the ongoing conflict, urging international intervention to protect civilians. The UN has raised concerns about a massive scale of sexual violence, while RSF has dismissed these allegations as propaganda.

Human Rights Watch (HRW) has reported widespread sexual violence perpetrated by the paramilitary group Rapid Support Forces (RSF) and their allied militias in southern Sudan, claiming this is part of a larger pattern of abuses during the ongoing conflict that Began in April 2023. The organization documented numerous cases of sexual violence against women and girls aged seven to fifty in South Kordofan state, detailing incidents of gang rape and sexual slavery. This report follows an earlier accusation by HRW, which highlighted numerous abuses against the ethnic Nuba civilians, suggesting these actions are war crimes.

HRW’s findings coincide with a recent statement from an independent UN fact-finding mission, which criticized both sides in the conflict for committing various abuses, with the RSF notably accused of extensive sexual violence, including large-scale gang rapes. In contrast, RSF representatives have dismissed these allegations, branding them as propaganda and asserting that any abuses occurred due to other factions’ actions. The conflict has led to significant casualties and displacement, affecting millions of civilians and exacerbating what the United States has termed a humanitarian crisis.

In addition to RMF’s documented cases, personal testimonies from survivors reveal horrifying details of the violence they endured. One survivor shared her trauma of being gang-raped by six RSF members in front of her family, while another described her imprisonment with others, enduring repeated sexual assaults for months. Such atrocities highlight the dire need for international action to protect civilians and hold perpetrators accountable.

The UN humanitarian chief has underscored the urgency of addressing this escalating crisis, pressing for a more robust international response to the epidemic of sexual violence against women in Sudan. HRW has called for the UN and African Union to deploy missions aimed at safeguarding civilians in the region.

The conflict in Sudan, which reignited in mid-April 2023, has greatly deteriorated the humanitarian situation, with reports indicating that tens of thousands have lost their lives and millions have been displaced. Amidst this chaos, the RSF, originally established to combat insurgents, has increasingly engaged in violent skirmishes with the Sudanese armed forces. The rise of sexual violence, particularly against women and girls, has been a disturbing trend during this time, prompting international humanitarian organizations to document these abuses and call for intervention.

The alarming reports from Human Rights Watch and the UN regarding the widespread sexual violence in South Sudan necessitate immediate international attention and action. The persistence of such atrocities amidst the ongoing conflict demands not only protection for civilians but also accountability for those committing these heinous acts. The call to deploy protective missions by HRW underscores the global responsibility to address and mitigate these egregious human rights violations.

Original Source: www.newarab.com