Sudan Events – Follow-ups
The governor of Darfur region, Mini Arko Minawi, and the Commissioner of the Humanitarian Commission, Salwa Adam Beniya, on Monday held a trial for UN agencies and humanitarian organizations in front of the press, accusing them of remaining silent about the violations committed by the Rapid Support Forces (RSF) against civilians and distributing aid to its fighters.
During the meeting, Minawi stated that humanitarian organizations have remained silent about the RSF’s violations against civilians outside war zones. He accused the international community and organizations of staying silent out of “fear or embarrassment,” pointing out that the RSF in Geneina, the capital of West Darfur, targeted civilians at the beginning of the war instead of the army and continued to do so until now, as seen in East Gezira.
He confirmed that the RSF besieged El Fasher, the capital of North Darfur, and blocked food supplies, whether from organizations or traders, which he described as genocide. This was in addition to bombing vital sites and infrastructure in the city.
Minawi also pointed out that the RSF had looted and detained trucks carrying humanitarian aid in several areas, without the UN agencies or humanitarian organizations condemning these actions.
In the same context, Salwa Adam Beniya, the Commissioner of the Humanitarian Commission, stated that the government has evidence proving that the organizations distributed hundreds of tons of aid to the RSF forces, which entered through land crossings in Darfur.
She continued, “The organizations brought tons of aid through the Tineh and Adry crossings, while El Fasher is besieged and the rest of Darfur’s population is either displaced or refugees. So, to whom was the aid distributed?”
Salwa Beniya explained that by handing over the aid to the RSF, the organizations had acted outside of their mandate, and they remained silent and did not declare that the aid had been forcibly seized.
She mentioned that despite all this, the organizations complain about difficulties, claiming that the government is hindering their activities.
She added, “This is not true. Perhaps the organizations submit incorrect reports, and instead of condemning the parties obstructing the aid and staying silent about them, they come and criticize the government.”
The commissioner accused some organizations of exceeding their mandate and committing violations such as allowing staff to enter without visas, while expressing her readiness to cooperate with the organizations, but according to the established standards.
