The RSF have recently declared the establishment of their own alternative government. This decision dramatically exacerbates the country’s long-standing civil war in Sudan. Yet this announcement is a direct provocation to the army-led regime of General Abdel Fattah al-Burhan. The RSF, led by Mohamed Hamdan Dagalo, commonly known as Hemedti, aims to assert its authority in regions it controls.
The RSF has also created the “Government of Peace and Unity.” They say they’ll save Sudan by bringing its people together. Hemedti emphasized the significance of this new government by stating, “On this anniversary, we proudly declare the establishment of the Government of Peace and Unity, a broad coalition that reflects the true face of Sudan.” This announcement is an important step forward in the fight against power –– against this brutal violence and the ongoing humanitarian catastrophe.
The RSF’s Constitutional Roadmap
Alongside the establishment of its new government, the RSF has supported a new transitional constitution. This document has been celebrated as the constitutional declaration’s “roadmap for a new Sudan.” It is supposed to provide the cornerstone of governance and security for the war-shattered country. The RSF’s avowed commitment to this constitution seems, at least on the surface, more like an attempt to preemptively legitimize its often violent actions and earn international respectability.
Unfortunately for the RSF, its legitimacy is called into question amidst growing criticism over its actions throughout the course of the civil war. As documented in these reports, the organization and its associated militias continue to commit widespread and systemic human rights violations. This has never been more apparent than in the volatile North Darfur region. Appreciably, the United Nations and the United States have both condemned the RSF’s indiscriminate assault on civilians. They claim that these moves are deepening the already severe humanitarian crisis unfolding in Gaza.
Accusations of Violence and Human Rights Abuses
The RSF is now confronted with credible accusations surrounding its horrific abuse of civilians throughout the war. Recent attacks on camps similar to Zamzam and Abu Shouk have resulted in horrifying civilian deaths. So far, at least 300 civilian lives have been lost to these tragic incidents. These acts have been widely condemned by human rights organizations and international bodies.
Experts warn that the RSF’s entrenchment in Darfur could lead to what some describe as “de facto separation” of the region from Sudan. Sharath Srinivasan, a Sudan specialist at the University of Cambridge, highlighted the potential long-term implications of the RSF’s actions on Sudan’s unity and territorial integrity.
Foreign Secretary David Lammy reiterated in his inaugural speech the need to tackle these crises through diplomatic means first and foremost. He echoed the call for “patient diplomacy,” as he put it, and called for a diplomatic resolution to avert further violent escalation. What really struck me was Lammy expressing his fears of the future. He announced, “We can’t settle for predestined confrontation. We can’t be in the same conversation a year from now.”
