Situation in Sudan (per 7 June)
- US and Saudi monitoring teams and observers are planning to deploy in Sudan so as to carry out investigations on the implementation of the Jeddah agreement.
- Indirect ceasefire talks are reportedly resuming under the auspices of the US and Saudi Arabia. No further details have been disclosed yet and none of the warring sides has confirmed or commented on their participation in talks.
- Both Sudan Armed Forces (SAF) leader al-Burhan and Rapid Support Forces (RSF) leader Hemedti spoke to Faisal bin Farhan, Saudi Minister of Foreign Affairs, on Tuesday recalling their previously announced stances.
- More than 40 Sudanese journalists and media organisations experienced violations amid conflict in Sudan between 15 and 31 May, reported the Sudanese Journalists Syndicate. The violent incidents are occuring in conflict zones across the whole country.
- Journalists are being arbitrarily arrested, abducted, threatened and killed. Press media premises have been targeted and many were raided.
- Political advisor of the RSF, Youssef Ezzat, will reportedly travel to Paris, Berlin, and London for talks with European powers on the situation in Sudan and the position of RSF in the conflict.
- 13.6 million children in Sudan are in need of humanitarian assistance.
- 618,000 school age children have been displaced which increases the risk of being recruited as child soldiers in armed groups and severely jeopardises their protection.
- 46 verified attacks have been carried out on health care facilities across Sudan, confirmed by the World Health Organisation (WHO).
- Specialised medical care such as renal dialysis centres, obstetric and neonatal care centres have been extremely limited due to lack of staff members, security concerns or power cuts, says WHO.
Refugee Situation (per 7 June)
- About 1000 refugees fleeing Sudan cross the Metema bridge daily to seek refuge in Ethiopia. Refugees show a high level of trauma and report many cases of sexual violence.
- Human trafficking and smuggling networks are thriving because of the conflict situation in Sudan.
- Traffickers and smugglers are following groups of refugees and displaced people from Khartoum to Gadaref, abducting them and trying to sell them.
- 1,428,551 have been reported to be internally displaced inside Sudan with an increase of more than 218,000 IDPs leaving their home in one week between 30 May and 6 June.
- 476,811 refugees crossed to neighbouring countries with Sudan, reports IOM.
Situation in Tigray (per 7 June)
- The war in Tigray was the deadliest conflict in 2022 globally with over 100,000 recorded deaths, which was more than “the wars in Ukraine, Yemen, Myanmar, Nigeria, Somalia, Mali and Burkina Faso combined” show data of the Peace Research Institute Oslo.
- Conflict-related deaths in 2022 reached a new global highpoint in 28 years.
- The Tigray Pension Association held a peaceful demonstration in Mekelle calling on the government to pay out their pension allowances, which were stopped as the war in Tigray broke out in November 2020.
Situation in Ethiopia (per 7 June)
- The World Food Program (WFP) rebutted the news that two of the senior management persons of the WFP Ethiopia, Claude Jibidar and Jennifer Bitonde, have resigned. According to the statement Mr Jibidar is currently on leave but remains an employee of WFP.
- WFP says it has not received any resignations from WFP Ethiopia staff.
- The aid diversion may span across 8 regions and may implicate Ethiopian authorities, sources say.
- Human Rights Watch (HRW) published a report on 1 June documenting ongoing harassment and expulsion of Tirgrayans from Western Tigray. The Ethiopian government denounced the report, calling the investigation “distorted and misleading portrayal” which is not supported by credible evidence.
- In its statement, the government accused HRW of having a one-sided interest in reporting on the situation in Tigray which hampers peace and reconciliation efforts.
- Cases of forced disappearance and arbitrary and incommunicado detention are increasing in several parts of Ethiopia, said the Ethiopian Human Rights Commission (EHRC). Most of the cases are recorded in Addis Ababa, and Oromia and Amhara regions.
- Persons are often arrested from their homes or in the street. They are taken by the security personnel in governmental uniforms to undisclosed locations without any court order.
- EHRC called on the Ethiopian government to take immediate measures and ratify the International Convention for the Protection of All Persons from Enforced Disappearance.
- Safaricom Ethiopia and Prepay Nation have announced a partnership which will allow Ethiopian diaspora to send mobile airtime from abroad to their relatives in Ethiopia.
- Ethiopia and their allies have allegedly violated international law, including human rights and humanitarian law, by imposing starvation on the civilian population in Tigray, said a report by Allard K. Lowenstein International Human Rights Clinic at Yale Law School.
International Situation (per 7 June)
- Mike Hammer, US Special envoy to the Horn of Africa, met with the AU Monitoring, Verification and Compliance Mechanism team during his visit to Mekelle.
- Representatives of Qatar, Somalia, Turkey, UAE, UK and US met in Doha to discuss security and political issues in Somalia.
- The delegations discussed counterterrorism coordination as well as further plans for ensuring stability in areas newly liberated from al-Shabaab.
Links of interest
مشاورات سعودية أمريكية مع طرفي النزاع لنشر فرق مراقبة في السودان
Sudanese warring factions to resume indirect talks as clashes intensify
Violations against journalists in Sudan war
Hemeti sends envoy to tell Europe how RSF protects civilians
Sudan: Clashes between SAF and RSF – Flash Update No. 15 (6 June 2023)
The bridge to Ethiopia carrying Sudan’s refugees to safety
IOM Displacement tracking matrix: Situation report 7
New figures show conflict-related deaths at 28-year high, largely due to Ethiopia and Ukraine wars
World Food Program: Statement on Ethiopia
Ethiopia: Behind the World Food Programme apparent resignations
በኢትዮጵያ እየጨመረ የመጣው ሰዎችን አስገድዶ የመሰወር (Enforced Disappearance) ድርጊት በአፋጣኝ ሊቆም ይገባል
Safaricom Ethiopia and Prepay Nation partner for international mobile top-up service
Ethiopia: Behind the World Food Programme apparent resignations
Quint Joint Statement on Somalia
Disclaimer: All information in this Situation Report is presented as a fluid update report, as to the best knowledge and understanding of the authors at the moment of publication. EEPA does not claim that the information is correct but verifies to the best of ability within the circumstances. Publication is weighed on the basis of interest to understand potential impacts of events (or perceptions of these) on the situation. Check all information against updates and other media. EEPA does not take responsibility for the use of the information or impact thereof. All information reported originates from third parties and the content of all reported and linked information remains the sole responsibility of these third parties. Report to info@eepa.be any additional information and corrections.
Martin Plaut 