In an intervention delivered during the 53rd session of the Human Rights Council, Humanists UK called for the UN Special Adviser on the Prevention of Genocide to work with other UN bodies to address the violence from the viewpoint of her mandate. In light of the recent escalation of ethnic violence and oppression in Sudan and Myanmar respectively, Humanists UK welcomes the calls for action from UN bodies addressing these atrocities.
The intervention was delivered by video to the Special Adviser on the Prevention of Genocide. Humanists UK’s representative Felix Baur said:
‘Following decades of atrocities, the ethnic violence in Darfur has reached a new high as Sudan enters its third month of its current civil war. Nomadic ‘Arab’ groups affiliated to the RSF militia have been committing atrocities and spreading hate speech against the Masalit community. They reportedly assassinated the governor who accused them of “genocide”, and are now killing people fleeing the decimated city of El-Geneina in West Darfur to neighbouring Chad.
‘In Myanmar, the persecution and systematic abuses of its Rohingya population have continued throughout and following the military junta’s coup. While hundreds of thousands have fled to neighbouring states, in Myanmar itself, the junta massively obstructs international aid following a devastating cyclone. They consciously reinforce the humanitarian disaster and leave particularly marginalised communities at risk – first and foremost Rohingya in villages, or arbitrarily confined to camps.’
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For further comment or information, media should contact Humanists UK Director of Public Affairs and Policy Richy Thompson at press@humanists.uk or phone 020 7324 3072 or 020 3675 0959.
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