Sudan: A truce of separation

"It follows the committing of genocide and ethnic cleansing by the Rapid Support Forces (RSF) militia in the city of el-Fasher in Darfur one of the most horrific humanitarian crimes in Sudan's modern history, and indeed in the history of humanity. El-Fasher, once a symbol of diversity and coexistence, has been turned into a devastated city emptied of its population."

"This calls for a careful political reading that does not stop at moral slogans, but instead unpacks the motives and potential consequences especially with regard to Sudan's geographic, social, and political unity. In popular culture, there is a saying: If you see a poor man eating chicken, then either the poor man is sick or the chicken is sick. This proverb captures the essence of the legitimate political suspicion regarding the timing of this ceasefire."

"Truces for humanitarian purposes, in principle, are meant to alleviate civilian suffering and may pave the way towards ending conflicts. In the case of Sudan, however, what raises alarm is that this ceasefire was proposed after the catastrophe occurred, not before it after the RSF categorically rejected any humanitarian commitments, including the protection of hospitals and the securing of safe corridors for civilians to flee. Humanitarian organisations have been operating in most regions of Sudan, including Darfur, despite security complexities and in the absence"

The proposed humanitarian ceasefire in Sudan follows genocide and ethnic cleansing by the Rapid Support Forces (RSF) in el-Fasher, Darfur, leaving the city devastated and emptied of its population. The timing of the ceasefire proposal provokes political suspicion because it arrives after mass atrocity and after the RSF rejected humanitarian commitments such as protection of hospitals and safe corridors. Humanitarian organizations have been operating across Sudan, including Darfur, despite security challenges and without a legal ceasefire. There is concern that a belated ceasefire could enable impunity, alter territorial or social balances, and undermine Sudan's geographic, social, and political unity.

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