Joint Statement: Extend the Mandate of the Fact-Finding Mission in Sudan

September 3, 2024

We, the Sudanese human rights organizations, civil society forces, unions, and political parties, the undersigned, call on the member states of the Human Rights Council to extend the mandate of the fact-finding mission in Sudan.

The Need for Accountability

The formation of the independent international fact-finding mission in October 2023 is a necessary step to investigate the crimes resulting from the war that has been raging since mid-April 2023. The mission must be given full telephone and logistical support to fulfill its mandate, including investigating violations and abuses of international human rights law and international humanitarian law.

Challenges to the International Community

The continuation of the armed conflict poses challenges to the international community to fulfill its moral obligation to ensure accountability for large-scale crimes committed by both parties. The fact-finding mission was unable to investigate all the crimes committed amid increasing difficulties in monitoring and documenting the ongoing crimes.

Renewing the Mandate

Renewing the mandate of the Fact Finding Mission is essential to addressing the current human rights crisis in Sudan – by strengthening accountability and addressing the crisis of impunity. The Armed Forces and Rapid Aid Forces have shown no concern for protecting civilians and have used deliberate disinformation to cover up and deny their crimes.

Supporting Victims’ Rights

The only way to support victims’ rights is to have access to justice, effective and proper remedies. There is an urgent need for strong international accountability mechanisms and meaningful and equal participation by women and other marginalized groups.

Signatories

Human Rights Organizations and Entities

• Emergency Lawyers
• Nuba Mountains Lawyers Authority
• East Nile Human Rights Observatory
• Lawyers Without Borders
• Maritime Observatory for Human Rights
• Organization of Lawyers Against Discrimination and Corruption
• Kordofan Human Rights Observatory
• April 15 War Survivors Initiative
• Journalists for Human Rights Organisation
• The United Lawyers Centre
• Darfur Bar Association

Professional Unions and Entities

• Sudan Journalists Syndicate
• Collection of Meteorological Workers
• The Central Committee for Medical Laboratories
• Sudan Central Physicians Committee
• University Teachers Association
• Democratic League of Lawyers
• Advisory Committee
• Sudan Environmentalists Association
• Sudan Bankers Association
• Sudan Craftsmen and Workers Association
• Sudan Central Pharmacists Committee
• Association of Sudanese Journalists in Uganda
• Sudan Journalists Network
• Bar Association Steering Committee
• Democratic Collection of Journalists
• Assembly of Pensioners
• Unity of Sudanese Unions

Youth Organizations and Entities

• Coordinating Youth Forces

Feminist Organizations and Entities

• Coordinating Women’s Work – Mansim
• Ta’a Feminization Association
• Bhairiyat Women’s Institute
• Noura Foundation for Defeating Violence against Women and Girls
• April 15 War Survivors Initiative
• Anh Organization

Political Parties, Movements, and Armed Struggle Movements

• Beja Exhibition Conference
• Sudan Liberation Forces Movement
• Sudan Congress Party
• Republican Party
• Nasserist Party/ Social Justice Movement
• Sudan Liberation Movement/ Transitional Council
• Arab Socialist Nasserite Party
• Sudan Army and Liberation Movement / Abdel Wahid Muhammad Nour
• Nasserite Democratic Unionist Party
• Popular Movement – Democratic Revolutionary Current
• Broad National Front
• National Baath Party
• The Federal Rally Party
• National Umma Party

Civil Society Organizations and Initiatives

• Institute of Awareness
• White Flags Initiative
• Nados Channel
• Nafaj Institute
• Sudan Research, Training and Development Centre
• Taiba Press Institute
• Center for the Development of Coexistence and Social Peace
• Freedom and Return Initiative