Sudan's Media Issue Joint Plea, Decry Violations Against Press

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Following four months of war between the Sudan Armed Forces (SAF) and the Rapid Support Forces (RSF), with many reports of violations against journalists and media by all sides, Sudanese media institutions and press organisations, including allAfrica publishing partner Radio Dabanga, have issued a joint plea to address the critical state of press freedom in Sudan, calling on Sudanese political forces and civil society to integrate media into their activities, advocate for journalist protection, and engage in post-conflict initiatives. The 14 signatories to the joint appeal also urge the international community to pressure conflicting parties to uphold international law, protect journalists, and provide technical and financial support to ensure the sustainability of a free press in Sudan. In earlier news, Radio Dabanga reported that community leaders had discovered 30 hidden mass graves in West Darfur, containing an estimated 1,000 bodies of people reported to have fallen victim to the ongoing attacks on the state capital El Geneina since fighting started four months ago. The Rapid Support Forces (RSF) have been accused by Saleh Arbab Suleiman, the representative of the Masalit tribe El Farsha, of deliberately obscuring evidence of war crimes committed in El Geneina by burying bodies in hidden locations and forcing the Sudanese Red Crescent Society (SRCS) to hand over bodies. UN humanitarians on Tuesday called for action to be taken to end the conflict which is having a "devastating impact" on people's lives, health and well-being. In a statement, the UN High Commissioner for Human Rights Volker Türk warned that the "disastrous, senseless war in Sudan, born out of a wanton drive for power, has resulted in thousands of deaths, the destruction of family homes, schools, hospitals and other essential services, massive displacement, as well as sexual violence, in acts which may amount to war crimes".