JUBA-The Refugees Rights Watch South Sudan asked the government of Sudan to fulfil its human rights obligation by protecting South Sudanese refugees amid a surge of grave violations.
In press release issued on Wednesday, the watchdog group condemned human rights violations committed against South Sudanese refugees by the Sudanese army during their operation in Madani city.
“Refugees Rights Watch strongly condemns the grave violations committed by the Sudanese Army Forces against South Sudanese refugees in the city of Madani,” partly reads a statement.
“Reports indicate acts of killings, slaughter, and arbitrary arrests targeting defenseless civilians engaged in marginal jobs after they were stranded and unable to return to their homeland,” it added.
Rights watch emphasized that such human right abuses are a deliberate breach of international humanitarian law and refugee protection agreements.
The body called on the Sudanese warring parties to cease hostilities, other forms of violence and assaults against unarmed refugees.
“We call on the Sudanese authorities to halt all forms of violence and assaults against refugees and ensure the protection of their human rights.”
The watchdog demanded for the initiation of an independent international investigation to identify those responsible for these crimes and hold them accountable.
The body further appealed to the international community and humanitarian organizations to intervene urgently to provide protection and humanitarian assistance to refugees in Sudan.
“We call for urgent plans to enable refugees to voluntarily and safely return to South Sudan or provide secure asylum alternatives,” they group noted.
“Targeting refugees who fled the horrors of war and conflict in search of safety is a flagrant violation of humanitarian principles and places the lives of thousands of innocent people at risk,” they continued.
It also appealed to all concerned parties to shoulder their moral and legal responsibilities to ensure justice and protect the refugees.
