The UN official warned of the displacement of six million people from their homes in Sudan, saying that they are not just numbers, but people whose lives have been uprooted and changed forever.
In her latest report to the UN Security Council on the situation in Sudan, Salami said: “Civilians in Sudan have suffered for nearly seven months of violent conflict, and a humanitarian tragedy that is getting darker by the day.” “As fighting continues to intensify, more than half the population – 25 million people – need help and protection.”
The United Nations says six million people have been displaced from their homes inside Sudan or to neighbouring countries.
The statement of commitments adopted by the parties to the conflict in Jeddah earlier this week represents a moment of truth for the country, the UN official said, adding: “We owe it to the people of Sudan to ensure that promises made by the Sudanese Armed Forces and the Rapid Support Forces to protect civilians and provide unhindered humanitarian access.”
Salami stressed that these obligations include the protection of civilians and civilian infrastructure.
“But as we have seen since the conflict erupted last April, very little has been saved, even hospitals have been attacked, destroyed or occupied,” she said.
The UN Humanitarian Coordinator for Sudan, Clementine Nkwita Salami, noted that the UN has recently received worrying reports of escalating violence and attacks against civilians – including what she described appear to be ethnically based in Darfur.
Salami said she would continue to call on all parties to the conflict in Sudan to abide by their obligations under international human rights and humanitarian law. “This is not optional; these attacks must stop and those responsible must be held accountable.”
Source: Al-Taghyeer
