LONDON: The British government has been urged to step up its efforts to prevent the further escalation of violence in Sudan, amid concerns about an “unfolding genocide.” It came after a mass grave was discovered in West Darfur on Thursday.
The UN’s Human Rights Office said the bodies of at least 87 people, including women and children, were found at the burial site. It added that it has obtained credible information that suggests the victims were killed by the Rapid Support Forces, a militia has been engaged in a conflict with former ally the Sudanese Armed Forces since April.
David Alton, a crossbench peer in the House of Lords, the upper chamber of the UK parliament, and a member of its Human Rights Committee, told The Independent newspaper on Friday that he had spoken to politicians about the situation in Sudan.
“There is an unfolding genocide happening in Darfur and the international community is doing nothing,” he added.
Lord Alton in particular criticized what he described as the “lamentable” response from the British government.
“Mass graves are synonymous with 20 years ago,” he said. “It is an appalling indictment of the abysmal failure of the international community that two decades later, a commitment of ‘never again’ has been allowed to happen all over again.
“There is no end to the suffering which the people of Darfur have had to endure, we should hang our heads in shame.
“What started then has been a slow-burn genocide that never ended. The perpetrators were never held to account … and surprise, surprise, it is now happening again on a shocking scale.”
Vicky Ford, the Conservative MP for Chelmsford, who chairs an all-party parliamentary group on Sudan and South Sudan, said that more than 2 million people have been forced to flee their homes in Sudan since the current fighting began, and 25 million people are in need of humanitarian aid.
She told The Independent the British government is aware of the situation and is engaged in discussions with international partners. She added that Andrew Mitchell, the minister of state for development and Africa, “absolutely understands the critical nature of this situation and the risk of it spreading.”
Ford continued: “There are more questions about other potential steps the UK government could take, and I hope they … take them as soon as possible.”
Mitchell said in a statement that the UK has provided more than £250 million ($327.3 million) in humanitarian aid to Sudan over the past five years, with a further £21.7 million to come, and has set up a £5 million fund to help those forced to flee the country.
“The UK’s immediate objective in Sudan is to stop the violence and atrocities being committed, ensure civilians are protected, and push for immediate, safe and unfettered access for humanitarian organizations,” he said.
“The UK continues to support local peace-building activities in Darfur, working with international nongovernmental organizations and civil society actors to end the conflict as soon as possible and support efforts to sustain a ceasefire.”