UAE Funding Alleged Ethnic Cleansing, Murders, and Rapes in Sudan
Sudan’s Rapid Support Forces are exacerbating acts of ‘ethnic cleansing,’ murder, and rape, with alleged backing from the UAE to further its aggressive agendas.
Nearly 700,000 people have been forced to flee “ethnic cleansing” in the Darfur region of Sudan since the outbreak of civil war.
The UAE is facing accusations of causing ethnic cleansing campaigns by supporting the Rapid Support Forces led by Mohammed Hamdan Dagalo (Hemedti), who is accused of committing these massacres.
In Washington D.C., the capital of the United States, the first Sudanese protests of the new year took place outside the Emirati embassy. Over 200 individuals from the Sudanese diaspora and their allies assembled on February 18, chanting “Revolution, revolution, revolution” alongside other slogans.
They displayed a prominent banner at the embassy entrance reading: “Rapid Support Forces responsible for killings, funded by UAE.”
Egeland, having just come back from touring camps in Chad where displaced individuals have sought refuge, expressed deep anguish over reports of appalling atrocities, particularly rampant sexual violence against women.
He lamented the mass killings of young people, characterizing the situation as “ethnic cleansing” perpetrated by the Rapid Support militias.
According to United Nations estimates, a minimum of 13,000 individuals have lost their lives, although the actual figure could surpass this. A confidential United Nations document revealed that casualties in El Geneina, Darfur, alone were estimated to be between 10,000 and 15,000 people.
Numerous calls for justice for the victims highlight allegations that Abu Dhabi supplied additional weaponry to the Rapid Support Forces, disguising it as humanitarian aid for Sudanese refugees in Chad. This assertion was reportedly affirmed by a United Nations investigation.
Hemedti, the head of the Rapid Support Forces, took control of gold mines located in North Darfur. The gold extracted from these mines is reportedly traded in the UAE, where Hemedti’s younger brother resides.
In a report presented to the Security Council in January, the United Nations disclosed that weapons and ammunition were flown from Abu Dhabi to eastern Chad. Subsequently, they were loaded onto truck convoys, transported across the border into Darfur, and supplied to the Rapid Support Forces, who were allegedly involved in “ethnic cleansing” activities.
The report found that the increased weaponry obtained by the Rapid Support Forces significantly shifted the balance of power in Darfur and other parts of Sudan.
Recently, ten Democratic lawmakers penned a direct letter to the UAE foreign minister, cautioning that the nation’s backing of the RSF poses a substantial threat to the UAE’s reputation.
Reflecting on the protest outside the UAE Embassy in Washington, Safaa Al-Tayeb, a rally organizer representing the Nuba tribe in South Kordofan, highlighted that funding for the Sudanese Armed Forces and the Rapid Support Forces comes from nations like the UAE, the United States, and Russia.
She further remarked, “These nations driven by their energy needs exploit our people, land, and resources to bolster their economies. Their intentions are evident: to drain Sudan of its resources and marginalize its population.” Emphasizing that “such atrocities must cease.”
The protest was characterized by continuous chants, including “Sudan is not for sale” and “The Rapid Support Forces kill, the UAE pays.”
Sudanese drums beat in front of the Emirati embassy, along with chants. Dania Abdullah, a visual artist who participated in organizing the protest, said: Drums are part of the fabric of Sudanese identity, which participated in the struggles against coups and the demand for democratic rule.
Abdullah Halakhi, senior advocate for East and Southern Africa at Refugee Defenders International, asserted that the UAE has exerted the most significant efforts among all nations to suppress the development of democracy in the area.
“They have financed regimes in Tunisia, Algeria, Egypt, and Libya and are now supporting the Rapid Support Forces in Sudan. “Checkbook diplomacy is useful to them.”, he added.
Abu Dhabi’s actions in Sudan suggest a disregard for the lessons learned from involvement in Libya, Yemen, and Somalia. These experiences underscore the importance of refraining from meddling in the internal affairs of other nations and instead prioritizing a foreign and diplomatic strategy rooted in mutual interests, rather than nurturing proxy forces.
European parliamentarians criticized the UAE last week for funding “war crimes and sexual violence” in Sudan, where internal conflict has persisted since April 15, 2023.
Ongoing internal conflict continues between the Sudanese Armed Forces and the Rapid Support Forces, both of which have reportedly received political, military, and financial backing from the UAE, as confirmed by Sudanese officials and official reports from the United States and Europe.
According to the European microscope of Middle East issues, the Strasbourg Policy Center, a famous platform for international policy discussions, organized a dialogue meeting entitled “The UAE’s role in war crimes in Sudan.”
During the event, a distinguished panel of European experts delved into the complex dynamics surrounding the UAE’s involvement in Sudan’s civil war.
During the event, a distinguished panel of European experts delved into the complex dynamics surrounding the UAE’s involvement in Sudan’s civil war.
The speakers addressed the various aspects of the UAE’s contributions to the conflict through careful discussion and comprehensive analysis and highlighted its strategic interests and operational strategies.
