Demonstrations in Darfur and Chad Camps in Support of Conviction of "Kushayb" for War Crimes

SadaNews - Several camps for displaced and refugee Sudanese individuals in the Darfur region of western Sudan and in neighboring Chad witnessed demonstrations in support of the International Criminal Court's conviction of former Rapid Support Forces leader, Ali Kushayb, on charges of committing war crimes and crimes against humanity in Darfur.

The General Coordination of Displaced and Refugee Camps in Sudan reported that the marches originated from several camps, expressing the displaced and refugees' support for the ICC's decision, which they viewed as a step towards achieving justice for the victims.

The spokesperson for the coordination, Adam Rajal, stated that these protests reflect the aspirations of the displaced and refugees for accountability for those responsible for the violations that occurred in the region.

The spokesperson urged the International Criminal Court and the international community to intensify pressure on the Sudanese government to surrender the remaining wanted individuals, foremost among them former president Omar al-Bashir, and former ministers of defense and interior Abd al-Rahim Muhammad Hussein and Ahmed Harun.

Last Monday, the International Criminal Court convicted the former leader of the Sudanese Janjaweed militia, Ali Muhammad Ali Abd al-Rahman, known as Ali Kushayb, of committing war crimes and crimes against humanity during the civil war that took place in the Darfur region 20 years ago.

The court president, Judge Joanna Korner, stated that the crimes include murder, rape, torture, and mass executions of civilians during 2003 and 2004.

The defendant, born in 1949, denies committing the crimes attributed to him, asserting that he is not the wanted man.

Abd al-Rahman fled to the Central African Republic in 2020 after the transitional Sudanese government announced its intent to cooperate with the International Criminal Court, before voluntarily surrendering himself, saying that he "was desperate and feared that the Sudanese government would kill him," adding, "If I had not said that, the court would not have received me, and I would have been among the dead."

Kushayb is described as a senior leader of the Janjaweed militia who supported the Sudanese government against rebel groups in the Darfur region during President Omar al-Bashir's rule, and he belongs to the "Taa'isha" tribe in the region.

He was a member of the government Popular Defense Forces and a leader of the Janjaweed militia in Darfur from August 2003 to March 2004, serving as a liaison between the government and the Janjaweed while simultaneously participating in attacks against targeted groups.

Source: Sudanese press + agencies