West Darfur: Human rights defenders highly targeted by Sudanese Armed Forces and Rapid Support Forces for their work in Elgenina

(28 June 2023) African Center for Justice and Peace Studies (ACJPS) would like to express deep concern about the safety and security of human rights defenders in Elgenina, West Darfur. Eight human rights defenders whose names have been withheld for their safety have been targeted in Elgenina since the armed conflict between Sudanese Armed Forces (SAF) and Rapid Support Forces (RSF) erupted on 15 April 2023. ACJPS would like to call upon SAF and RSF to desist from the continued targeting of civilians. We further call upon governments of neighboring countries to ensure safety of refugees including human rights defenders and legalize their status.

In Elgenina, the conflict escalated when civilians particularly non-Arab tribes raided a weapons store belonging to regular forces. This prompted the Arabs to join the RSF against the non-Arabs resulting into the killing of several people including human rights defenders.

Although the human rights defenders have taken different security measures, they are still being targeted by different armed groups. Worse still, Elgenina has been cut off from the rest of the world as communication including internet has been disrupted since 22 May 2023, making it difficult for the HRDs to access assistance.

A group of thirteen human rights defenders whose identities have also been concealed were able to flee to Chad. ACJPS was reliably informed that the group is living in dire conditions and are in need of rehabilitation and supplies.

Background

 The ongoing armed conflict between the SAF and the paramilitary RSF has only increased the already existing harassment, arbitrary arrests, detention and torture of human rights defenders. Human rights defenders in Darfur suffer heavy harassment and are targeted by the conflicting parties for their active work on human rights. ACJPS has previously reported about human rights defenders who have been killed as a result of the conflict. This has forced many to flee the country and seek asylum in neighboring countries.