AFRICA/SUDAN - New ceasefire in the country, but the population is in desperate need of humanitarian aid

Monday, 22 May 2023

Khartoum (Agenzia Fides) - The heavy air raids that have hit the city of Omdurman and the northern part of Khartoum, which are located on the other side of the Nile from Khartoum, have further accelerated the need for a new ceasefire that guarantee freedom of movement of civilians throughout Sudan and protect them from violence, harassment, recruitment and other forms of abuse.
To facilitate the delivery of urgent humanitarian aid and restore essential services across the country, the United States and Saudi Arabia mediated this Saturday, May 20, on a new agreement between the Sudanese Armed Forces (SAF) and the Rapid Support Forces (RSF), which have pledged to defend the sovereignty, unity and territorial integrity of Sudan. It reaffirms the principles and commitments established in the Jeddah Declaration of Commitment to protect the civilian population of Sudan, agreed on May 11, 2023 (see Fides, 8/5/2023). However, the people are suspicious, since 12 truces have been announced to date that have never been respected. Local sources report that until they hear the sound of artillery in their neighborhoods and until they see the humanitarian aid, they will not know if there is a true ceasefire, which is scheduled to start on Monday, May 22, 2023 by a designated short-term period of seven days.
In addition to the dead and wounded, the number of missing is increasing. A committee of citizens of the capital has collected data on 269 disappeared, almost all young people between the ages of 20 and 35, who have never returned home, having left their homes in search of food or medicine. Due to the abandonment of police stations, citizens do not know who to report the disappearance of their relatives.
Pope Francis has launched an appeal in favor of the Sudanese people. At the end of the Regina Caeli, on Sunday, May 21, he asked that they lay down their arms. "I ask the international community to spare no effort to make dialogue prevail and alleviate the suffering of the population". (AP) (Agenzia Fides, 22/5/2023)


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