Experts are urgently demanding an immediate halt to
the flow of weapons to both warring factions in Sudan, as the conflict rages on
with devastating consequences.
Former Tanzania Chief Justice Mohamed Osman Chande, a
key voice in the international effort to bring peace, said the only path to ending
the war in Sudan is to strip both warring sides—the Sudanese Armed Forces (SAF)
led by General Abdel Fattah Al-Burhan and the Rapid Support Forces (RSF)
commanded by Mohamed Hamdan Dagalo, known as Hemedti—of their weaponry.
Chande was speaking during a symposium convened by the Wayamo Foundation where international law experts, civil society groups and
members of the diplomatic corps discussed and explored practical approaches to
advancing accountability for international crimes in Africa.
Chande who is the Chairman of the United Nations fact-finding mission in Sudan said while sanctions may serve as a deterrent, they
have failed to prevent these factions from continuing to arm themselves,
perpetuating the cycle of violence and destruction.
"Our Mission also continues to receive reports of
SGBV (women and men, including minors), including rape, forced marriages and
sexual slavery. Particularly from Nyala, Al Fasher, Khartoum and
Omdurman," he said.
The discussions which have been ongoing since Thursday
last week highlighted a critical turning point in the fight against
international crime through the use of modern technology and open-source
investigations to hold perpetrators accountable and prevent further atrocities.
The experts further emphasized the convergence of
technology and international law which they said holds great potential in
disrupting criminal networks that perpetuate violence and atrocities, particularly in conflict zones like Sudan.
Mikel Delagrange a Senior International Legal Advisor, at Wayamo foundation, highlighted that a critical piece of the puzzle is
identifying who is financing armed groups which could be key in taking
effective action.
He stressed the importance of disrupting criminal
activities in real-time and thoroughly examining the nature of criminal
enterprises.
"As criminals continue to evolve their methods to
evade accountability, we must adapt our practices to ensure that our actions
lead to meaningful accountability and what we are doing adds value," he
said.
Tina Alai, Transitional Justice Advisor, United
Nations Commission on Human Rights in South Sudan on the other hand said they
have since called for the creation of hybrid courts in Sudan as a measure of
accountability as the lack of it would undermine the prospects of the rule of
law.
The hybrid courts she said may be established in cases
where the International Criminal Court (ICC) may not be able to intervene
immediately.
Such courts have been successful in addressing atrocities as seen in Rwanda and Sierra Leone.
In closing, Christopher Kiyaseh, an analyst for the
Center for Advanced Defense Studies (C4ADS), highlighted the growing role of
open-source investigations in uncovering illicit networks.
He said they have been able to uncover a lot of
networks whether connected to external countries or private military corporations.
“These networks don’t operate in isolation—they leave
a digital trail,” Kiyaseh explained.
“Through this digital trail, we can follow the money
and uncover the illicit systems that fuel these crimes.”
He further emphasized how such investigations are
essential in supporting strategic litigation and ensuring that sanctions can be
effectively applied.
“Through
collective action and collaboration, we can elevate these investigations to a
higher level,” Kiyaseh said.
The use of open investigations and digital footprints
he said has significantly advanced the ability to track, document and disrupt
international crimes.
The experts concluded that the combination of legal
frameworks, Judicial creativity, universal jurisdiction, innovative tools, and
cross-border collaboration offers a promising path forward in the pursuit of
justice, particularly in regions like Sudan.
