Nip in the Bud

By: Muawad Mustafa Rashid

According to news articles South Sudan government summoned the Ambassador of Sudan in Juba over alleged a abuses against South Sudanese persons following the liberation of Wad Madani by the Sudanese army.

The Sudanese army had downplayed these crimes and considered them “individual transgressions,” but army commander Lieutenant General Abdel Fattah al-Burhan announced the formation of an “investigation committee” into the killings, slaughter, and burning that took place in the city after his forces recaptured it from the “Rapid Support Forces,” and set a period of one week to complete the investigation into these atrocities.
Its investigations include collecting evidence, testimonies, and statements, besides summoning the persons concerned.
The state of South Sudan must, for the second time, know very well that Sudanese justice will not be lenient with any southern citizen proven to be involved in the rebellion in all the states of the country, and what is happening in Gezira State is not violations, but rather criminal arrests that will go to the judiciary to have its say, and we are not keen on straining our relations with any neighboring country, especially the state of South Sudan, with which we have a cultural heritage and kinship ties, and the government of the south must understand the situation, and it is also responsible under international law and humanitarian law for protecting members of the Sudanese community present in their country.
We urge the Sudanese Ministry of Interior to take strict measures to protect our South Sudan brothers in Wad Madani or any other place from any attacks that might take place by some individuals.
Failing such measures will definitely lead to dire consequences.
It is important to nip such isolated assaults in the bud.