Kampala — A group of 21 imminently accredited international human rights, pro-democracy, lobby, and special interest civil society organisations* have made a joint appeal to the Sudanese Armed Forces (SAF) and their allied militias, to "end ethnically motivated killings, enforced disappearances, and destruction of agricultural camps" in Sudan's El Gezira state, where members of ethnic groups, originally from Darfur and Kordofan, have worked the land as agricultural workers since colonial times in the early 1920s.
In a joint statement today, the organisations say they hope "to once again draw attention of the world community to the tragedy faced by residents of the agricultural camps, locally known as Kanabi, in El Geizra, central Sudan. These camps are currently the scene of pernicious violence and massive violations of human rights and international humanitarian law. In this connection, we refer to the joint NGO statement issued on 15th January 2025, entitled "Ethnically motivated extra-judicial executions in Sudan."
Kanabi are communities of farm workers are mostly from non-Arab ethnic groups in western and southern Sudan who settled in the area decades ago. Kanabi communities have come under attack in recent weeks.
On January 14, the SAF-aligned Sudan Shield Forces on January 14 denied accusations it had been involved in abuses against Kanabi communities and expressed support for SAF-led investigations.
"The systematic and targeted killings, enforced disappearance, destruction of human habitats and displacement of residents of the agricultural camps carry the characteristics of an ethnic cleansing campaign," the group laments. "The victims are civilians, mainly agricultural workers (Tama, Masalit, Bargo, Fur, Gimir, Margarete, Zaghawa, Misseriya, Rizeigat and a host of other ethnic groups from the greater Kordofan and Darfur region). The ancestors of these people were encouraged by the British, Sudan's then-colonial rulers, to settle and till the land in El Gezira scheme in the 1920s."
The group highlights: "The number of potential victims of this campaign could reach millions of people to be targeted in a terror campaign to force them to leave the area because of their ethnic or regional origins." The statement says that reports indicate that since January 2025, at least 160 camps were destroyed or burned down and their inhabitants were robbed of valuables, cash, jewellery and vehicles. Stored agricultural produce, food items and more than 5,000 cattle (sheep, goats and cows) were also stolen. Thousands of victims of this violence were starved and rendered destitute to force them to flee to Sennar, Kosti, El Gedaref, El Fao, and other towns and places.
"The Sudanese army and security forces and tribal militia groups allied to them, mainly the Sudan Shield Forces, are collectively responsible for the crimes committed against the camps' residents," the group says.
They strongly urge the African Union Special Envoy on the Prevention of Genocide and other Mass Atrocities Mr. Adama Dieng and the Special Advisor to the UN Secretary General on the Prevention of Genocide Ms. Virgina Gamba "to study the nature of violence meted out to the residents of the agricultural camps in EL Gezira. We call upon them to determine whether the commission of such massive and serious violations of human rights and international humanitarian law on ethnic and racial origin, if not prevented or halted, might lead to genocide."
The group further demands that the security forces and their allied militia groups end ethnically motivated killings, enforced disappearances, the destruction of the agricultural camps in El-Gezira. All individuals that ordered the commission of such crimes should be held accountable and the victims and their families should be compensated. The demand that the army assumes its responsibility to protect all people in Sudan without discrimination. It should disband all tribal militia groups and immediately halt the distribution of assault firearms to civilians in any part of the country.
In their statement, the group also requests that "all publicly known scaremongers and race-baiting individuals should be apprehended and held accountable for their role in propagating hate speech, ethnic hatred and targeted killings."
The Sudan Sheild Forces and the SAF have been approached by Radio Dabanga for comment on the joint statement. In the past, with the exception of official statements, all belligerents have been reticent to respond to questions from Radio Dabanga regarding ongoing military operations.
*Signatories:
1. Abwab Organization for Development and Social Peace, Kampala
2. African Centre for Democracy and Human Rights Studies, Banjul
3. African Organization for Rights and Development, Kampala
4. Afrika Jom Centre, Senegal
5. Al Fajr Organization for Peace, Development and Justice, Nairobi
Sign up for free AllAfrica Newsletters
Get the latest in African news delivered straight to your inbox
6. Canabi Congress, Sudan
7. Centre du Commerce International pour le Développement, Conakry
8. Darfur Victims Support Organization, Kampala
9. Democratic Monitor for Transparency and Rights, Kampala
10. Human Rights Institute of South Africa, Johannesburg
11. Independent Commission for Human Rights in Norh Africa, Morocco
12. Interfaith International, Geneva
13. Lifeline Relief and Rehabilitation Organization, Kampala
14. Nubian Center for Peace and Democracy, Kampala
15. Rencontre Africaine pour la Défense des Droits de l'Homme, Dakar/Geneva
16. Réseau de Formation et de Recherche sur les Migrations Africaines, Switzerland
17. Sudan Knowledge Centre, Switzerland
18. Sudanese Refugees Advocacy Group, Australia
19. Sudanese Women Union, Khartoum/Nairobi
20. The Agricultural Workers Initiative for Rights and Development, Kampala
21. Ubuntu Centre for Peace and Strategic Studies, Kampala
