Sudan’s War Leaves Thousands Forcibly Disappeared, Families in Limbo
The conflict in Sudan has resulted in the forced disappearance of thousands of people, with many families still searching for their loved ones. According to human rights defenders, the number of cases exceeds 3,177, including 500 women and 300 children. However, some reports suggest that the actual number could be as high as 50,000.
Waleed, a survivor of the Rapid Support Forces’ detention centers, returned home after two years, but his family barely recognized him due to malnutrition and physical abuse. His story is not unique, as many families have reported similar experiences. The Sudanese army’s recapture of Khartoum led to the release of some detainees, but many more remain unaccounted for.
The Rapid Support Forces have been accused of using forcibly disappeared individuals as human shields, while others have been subjected to torture, beatings, and extortion. Families have been forced to pay large sums of money in exchange for the release of their loved ones, with some falling prey to brokers who take advantage of their desperation.
Human Rights Watch has accused both the Sudanese Armed Forces and the Rapid Support Forces of committing war crimes, including the liquidation of people in detention without trial, torture, and mutilation of bodies. The UN Independent International Fact-Finding Mission in Sudan has been tasked with investigating these violations.
The African Center for Justice and Peace Studies has been working to build a national strategy to combat enforced disappearances, which have become a hallmark of the conflict in Sudan. The center’s human rights defenders have pointed out that the pattern of enforced disappearances has changed since the war began, with the government and its affiliated armed groups involved in the disappearance of civilians in government-controlled areas.
The Sudanese Group for Victims of Enforced Disappearances has reported that the rates of enforced disappearances have risen to 1,140 people in the past year, with the Rapid Support Forces demanding ransoms from families in exchange for the release of their loved ones. The group has also documented cases of people being forced to work and killed in airstrikes, as well as citizens being arrested, killed, and buried in detention yards.
The fate of thousands of forcibly disappeared individuals remains unknown, leaving their families in a state of limbo, torn between hope and despair. The international community has been urged to take action to address the issue of enforced disappearances in Sudan and to hold those responsible for these crimes accountable.
