Sudan has taken a legal step by lodging a case with the United Nations’ highest tribunal against the United Arab Emirates (UAE), accusing the Gulf nation of violating the genocide convention. According to Sudan, the UAE allegedly supplied arms and funding to the Rapid Support Forces (RSF), a paramilitary group involved in the ongoing conflict within the country. The International Court of Justice (ICJ) made the announcement on Thursday. The UAE, however, has dismissed the case as a mere publicity ploy and indicated plans to push for its dismissal.
The ICJ explained that Sudan’s submission addresses alleged offenses committed by the RSF and allied militias. These offenses reportedly include “genocide, murder, property theft, rape, forced displacement, illegal entry, vandalism of public properties, and human rights abuses,” particularly targeting the Masalit community.
In response to the legal proceedings, the UAE released a statement characterizing Sudan’s action as “nothing more than a cynical publicity stunt.” It accused Sudan of attempting to deflect attention away from the recognized involvement of the Sudanese Armed Forces in extensive atrocities that continue to harm the nation and its inhabitants.
Both the RSF and Sudanese military have been implicated in human rights violations during the conflict. The UAE’s statement further elaborated that the accusations in Sudan’s filing “lack any legal or factual footing” and constitute another tactic to detract from the devastating war. Out of respect for the ICJ, which serves as the primary judicial body of the United Nations, the UAE pledged to seek the swift dismissal of what it deems an unfounded claim.
Sudan contends that the UAE played a “complicit” role in the alleged genocide against the Masalit people. The claim asserts that the UAE facilitated this through significant financial, political, and military support to the RSF militia, as reported by the court.
Sudan has formally requested the court to enforce urgent interim actions on the UAE. These measures, known as provisional measures, are meant to urge the UAE to prevent further killings and other crimes against the Masalit community.
Sudan and the UAE are both bound by the 1948 genocide convention, having signed it in the past. The recent conflict in Sudan erupted in mid-April 2023 when longstanding disputes between the military and paramilitary factions within the nation escalated into violence in Khartoum and other areas.
The conflict has resulted in over 24,000 fatalities and has displaced more than 14 million individuals, equating to roughly 30% of the population, according to the United Nations. An estimated 3.2 million people have fled to neighboring countries.
This legal development at the world court coincides with recent political movements in the region. Less than two weeks prior, the RSF and its allies had endorsed a charter to potentially establish a parallel governance structure, responding to military advances against them by Sudan’s army.
Observations from the Conflict Observatory, supported by the U.S. State Department, indicate aircraft involvement in transferring UAE arms to the RSF. These flights reportedly navigated through Aéroport International Maréchal Idriss Deby in Amdjarass, Chad. The UAE, however, maintains that these flights were intended to aid a local hospital.
In early 2023, the U.S. Treasury Department enacted sanctions against RSF leader Mohammad Hamdan Daglo Mousa, also known as Hemedti, and seven RSF-controlled companies within the UAE. This included charges linked to gold smuggling from Sudan. Concurrently, the U.S. formally recognized the RSF’s actions as genocide.
The UAE, comprising seven Emirates on the Arabian Peninsula and an ally of the U.S., faces recurrent accusations of arming the RSF, allegations it persistently denies, contrary to existing evidence.
The UAE insists on calling for an immediate ceasefire to the hostilities. The statement underscored that Sudan’s legal move does not relieve the Sudanese Armed Forces of their moral and legal obligations for the crisis in their nation.
Two decades ago, the Sudanese region of Darfur came to epitomize genocide and war crimes, mainly perpetrated by the infamous Janjaweed militias against African ethnic groups, with an estimated toll of up to 300,000 deaths and 2.7 million displacements.
It is important to note that decisions from the International Court of Justice, often referred to as the world court, can extend over several years but hold binding legal authority.
