The Darfur Bar Association (DBA) on Thursday welcomed the UN Human Rights Council resolution to establish a fact-finding mission to investigate the human rights violations committed in the ongoing war between the Sudanese army and the in Sudan since April 15.
On Wednesday, the UN’s top human rights body voted to establish a fact-finding mission to probe human rights violations in Sudan’s monthslong war. The resolution was adopted with 19 out of the council’s 47 members voting in favor of establishing the mission. Sixteen members opposed it, while 12 countries were absent.
In a statement obtained by Radio Tamazuj, the association welcomed the council’s decision while stressing the importance of accountability for the individuals and entities involved in the commission of war crimes and crimes against humanity in Sudan.
“Those who committed war crimes and crimes against humanity must be held accountable. The Darfur Bar Association is ready to cooperate with any entity mandated by international law to prosecute the perpetrators of war crimes and crimes against humanity and to prevent impunity,” the statement read in part.
According to the UN Human Rights Council, the mission will consist of 3 members with experience in international humanitarian law and international human rights law and to be appointed for an initial term of one year.
The mission will investigate and establish the facts, circumstances and root causes of all alleged human rights violations and abuses and violations of international humanitarian law in the ongoing war between the Sudanese army and the paramilitary Rapid Support Forces (RSF).
More than 9,000 people have been killed in the conflict, according to the Armed Conflict Location & Event Data project, which tracks Sudan’s war.
The fighting has forced over 4.5 million people to flee their homes to other places inside Sudan and more than 1.2 million to seek refuge in neighboring countries, the U.N. migration agency says.