Geneva – United Nations Palais des Nations
Amid the escalating humanitarian tragedy endured by civilians in Sudan as a result of grave violations and war crimes committed by the Sudanese army and allied militias, an
international symposium was held at the Palais des Nations in Geneva on Monday, 29 September 2025, in Room 9. The event took place on the side-lines of the 60th session of the
Human Rights Council under the title: “The Impact of Armed Conflicts on Human Rights in Africa.” The symposium, organized by international human rights organizations, was chaired by Dr. Dianko Lamine, a renowned expert in human rights and international relations. It brought together a distinguished panel of experts, activists, and journalists, including Dr. Arbab
Ahmed Abokeif, Dr. Limam Boussif, Dr. Mariam Shaw, researcher Anas Himedan, journalist Karine Oriot, and activist Braeah Markaz. The participants presented comprehensive papers
and interventions highlighting the Sudanese army’s direct responsibility for exacerbating violations against civilians.
In their discussions on Sudan’s humanitarian crisis and its global implications, the speakers stressed that more than 30 million people face acute food insecurity, half of them women and
children, under relentless bombardment targeting markets, hospitals, and critical infrastructure. They underlined that the Sudanese army bears direct responsibility for the
collapse of the health and education systems and the forced displacement of millions, making Sudan one of the world’s worst humanitarian catastrophes.
Papers addressing crimes against humanity shed light on mass atrocities in Darfur, Kabmo Tayba, and Al-Jazira, where hundreds of civilians, including women and children, were
massacred. The interventions documented systematic patterns of arbitrary detention, enforced disappearances, and the use of sexual violence as a weapon of war — all part of a deliberate strategy by the Sudanese army to terrorize local communities. These violations, the participants emphasized, amount to war crimes and crimes against humanity demanding
urgent international accountability. Other interventions examined the dangerous role of extremist Islamist groups in fueling the conflict, highlighting the involvement of the Muslim Brotherhood and its allies in providing logistical and manpower support to the Sudanese army. Speakers stressed that these groups not only incite conflict but also directly commit atrocities against civilians, reinforcing the army’s grip on power and perpetuating its war against the Sudanese people.
On the situation of Sudanese women, panellists highlighted horrific abuses, including mass rape, sexual enslavement, and systematic marginalization. They noted that these violations
are employed as a weapon of war, designed to fracture social cohesion and instil fear, reflecting the Sudanese army’s orchestrated policies of oppression.
A dedicated session also addressed the Sudanese army’s use of chemical and internationally banned weapons. Testimonies and reports presented confirmed the targeting of civilian areas with shells releasing toxic gases, choking fumes, and causing severe burns and respiratory failure. Participants stressed that these practices constitute a flagrant violation of the
Chemical Weapons Convention and international humanitarian law, placing the Sudanese army squarely responsible for war crimes requiring international condemnation and
accountability.
Further discussions focused on the recruitment and deployment of mercenaries by the Sudanese army to consolidate its military control. Reports documented the use of both local
and foreign militias to attack civilians and destroy infrastructure. The participants emphasized that outsourcing war to mercenaries flagrantly violates international humanitarian law, stripping civilians of protection and turning them into the expendable fuel of a conflict waged by hired fighters with no regard for human obligations.
Equally alarming was the situation of journalists in Sudan. Panellists underscored that journalist have become direct targets of the Sudanese army’s campaign of arrests, threats,
killings, censorship, and communication blackouts. The military’s war, they noted, is not only killing civilians but also silencing every voice seeking to expose the truth.
The symposium concluded with a focus on the role of the United Nations and the international community in restoring peace and ending the suffering in Sudan. Speakers
emphasized that continued international silence only emboldens perpetrators. They called for urgent action through the Human Rights Council’s mechanisms and reinforced accountability before the International Criminal Court as the only way to protect civilians and end the Sudanese army’s cycle of impunity. The event concluded with a clear appeal to the international community to intensify efforts to stop violations, protect civilians, and end the war waged by the Sudanese army against its
own people, underscoring that Sudan’s tragedy is a real test of the international system’s ability to uphold human rights and safeguard human dignity.
