In Sudan T.V Forum with the Public Prosecutor

Abdul-Aziz Ali Omer

First, condolences to families in Sudan, Morocco and Libya where they are affected by war, earth tremor and cyclone respectively. Morocco has started to provide financial indemnities to their natives . when will Sudan follow suit to offer a redress to its wounded community? Last week, Sudan T.V broadcast in its Forum devoted a special episode of its weekly interview for two legal giants: Juma Al-Wakil ,the Executive Director of National Human Rights Commission and his Eminence Khalifa Ahmed, an Attorney-General., a graduate of Juba University with a Master degree in law. He passed the Bar Exam with distinction in 1993. In 1995, he was appointed to the Department of Justice. He served as the head of an ad hoc committee for sea ports and another one for the offences of Al.Gezira Agricultural project. Currently, he is a chairman of a committee on the abuses and practices of the insurgent forces of Rapid Support . He is a successor to Mubarak Mahmoud who was relieved. The interview came after the public prosecution had circulated an indictment sheet that included 46 suspects. On August,2023, the president of Transitional Sovereignty Council set up a committee for the on-going violations of Human Rights and war crimes composed of representatives of the Public Prosecution, Ministries of Foreign Affairs, of Justice and of the Defense ,Sudanese Armed Forces, police and General Intelligence Service. On August 12, after swearing-in, the committee proceeded to carry out its task which in a Sudan T.V Interview specified as conducting judicial investigations and listing all violations perpetrated by the Rebel Rapid Support Forces in Khartoum and other states of Sudan. Later on, Khalifa says the committee has a plan to freeze and withhold funds of Rapid Support Forces after listing all their financial assets. ” The U.S.A Treasury imposed a political penalty on the Rapid Support Forces’ the T.V journalist said, and Khalifa Ahmed contradicted saying ” These are economic sanctions” ,he paused and added ” we are taking legal measures”. Khalifa went on estimating that until September the prosecution office received 1,86 reports that involve charges of thefts, plundering , deception and rapes. ” That is a huge General public response’ he remarked in his preliminary assessment. On the other hand, Juma Alawakil noted that the reports of raping ranged from 112 to 56 cases in Nyala and Khartoum respectively adding multiple assaults are still connived due to the fears of social stigma. ” The use of rape as a kind of weapon” he said ” is degrading for a man and a woman” As to sources of reports, Juma said the National Human Rights Commission receives and verifies reports from its subsidiary offices in Al Fashir, Kadugli, Kassala, the Civil Society Organizations, Higher Council for the Child Welfare and the Unit for Combating violence against Women and Children. He referred to the Sudan interim constitution 2005 in the setting up of the National Commission for Human Rights. With regard to involvement of children, Juma described the children involvement in hostilities as an infringement of the Sudan Child Act 2010, the Supreme Council for Child Welfare Act 2005 as well a breach of the Child International Treaty. He deplored the condition of Mygoma Children and the incident of killing the vice Consul at the Egyptian Embassy .” 18 of chanceries were attacked and their properties had been pillaged” Juma told the Sudan T.V audience that act flouted the Vienna Convention on Diplomatic and Consular Relations .Invoking the diplomatic protection, he added that they should have been kept intact.. In reality, the wonderful reception , good hospitality enjoyed by the alien subjects including diplomatic agents couldn’t have been accomplished without a group of Sudanese Armed Forces that had been assigned to escort evacuees from Khartoum to Port Sudan. Juma Al-Wakil felt sad as he thought of heinous crimes such as the assassination of west Darfur Governor General Khamis , mass exodus and racially instigated mass murder and devastation of museums and land Department registry
Mulana Khalifa Ahmed , the public prosecutor reiterated that the committee is still investigating the allegations of genocide , assembling videos and testimonies to gather sufficient evidences to bring the culprits to a national tribunal. Khalifa said ” We will travel outside Sudan to meet victims , to listen to their grievances against Rapid Support Forces. He added ” we will disseminate prescribed forms to be filled up with any prospective complainants abroad. He continued:” Under the law of criminal procedure, the Rapid Support Forces elements incurred liability for violating the individual and the public rights” which means there are collective and individual accountability whether the acts are committed in a contravention of instructions or with some collusion of commanding officers. Mulana Khalifa Ahmed commended the efforts of Regular Forces in tracking the stolen properties such as vehicles . He said ” trucks could be retrieved throughout meticulous interrogations after claimants prove their ownerships and rights to possession in cooperation with the Traffic Police Authority . With respect to items of loots like money and jewelries, Khalifa pointed out that their appraisal would be in accordance with procedures of criminal law noting that the plaintiffs can’t reclaim them now as they would be retained by the legal committee to decide on later. It’s worthy of note that in a Sudan T.V programme titled ” Deliberations” , the former Sudan’s chief of Interpol Mukhtar argued ” As for the pieces of loot transplanted to neighboring countries ,they can documented and reported to the Secretariat-General to issue a warrant of pursuit for recovery”. The Sudan T.V journalist asked the public prosecutor whether victims can obtain reparation , and he assured her that they shall be compensated according to their plan in the future. On his part, Juma A-Wakil re-assured the Sudanese families through Sudan T.V that the National Human Rights Commission is tracing the case of 504 persons reported missing or disappearing in coordination with the International Committee of Red Cross and the Sudanese Red Crescent Society. But until the repatriation of war prisoners, we will be waiting. We will be waiting for the silence of guns, the return of fugitives from justice and hearing the voice of an air-hostess waking us with these dreamy words:” Ladies and gentlemen, Will you please fasten your seatbelts as we are about to land in Khartoum Airport to attend the first session of trial in a peaceful country of a democratic society.