عربي English Türkçe اردو فارسى
Logo
Latest News
Arab World

Human Rights Council Appoints Chair of Fact-Finding Mission for Sudan

Mohamed Chande Othman. (UN)
Mohamed Chande Othman. (UN)
TT
TT

Human Rights Council Appoints Chair of Fact-Finding Mission for Sudan

Mohamed Chande Othman. (UN)
Mohamed Chande Othman. (UN)

President of the United Nations Human Rights Council Vaclav Balek announced on Monday the appointment of Mohamed Chande Othman of Tanzania as Chair of the Independent International Fact-Finding Mission for Sudan.

Balek also appointed Joy Ezeilo of Nigeria and Mona Rishmawi of Jordan/Switzerland to serve as two members of the Mission.

The Human Rights Council established the Fact-Finding Mission in October for an initial duration of one year.

It aims “to investigate and establish the facts, circumstances and root causes of all alleged human rights violations and abuses and violations of international humanitarian law, including those committed against refugees, and related crimes in the context of the ongoing armed conflict that began on 15 April 2023, between the Sudanese Armed Forces and the Rapid Support Forces, as well as other warring parties.”

The Mission was further requested to collect and analyze evidence in view of any future legal proceedings; to identify, where possible, individuals and entities responsible; and to make recommendations with a view to ending impunity and ensuring accountability and access to justice for victims.

Othman has served as Chief Justice of Tanzania from December 2010 to January 2017.

In 2017, he was appointed Eminent Person by the UN Secretary-General Antonio Guterres and charged with the examination of new information relating to the death on September 17-18, 1961 of the second UN Secretary-General, Dag Hammarskjold, and other members of his party.

In 2015, he was appointed by then UN Secretary-General Ban-Ki-moon as Chairperson of the Independent Panel of Experts on the Dag Hammarskjold Investigations.

In 2019-2020, he served as a member of the Independent Expert Review of the International Criminal Court and the Rome Statute System, having been appointed by the Assembly of State Parties of the Rome Statute of the International Criminal Court.

Othman’s previous experience includes that of Prosecutor General of East Timor from 2000 to 2001, Chief of Prosecutions of the International Criminal Tribunal for Rwanda from 1998 to 2000, and Senior Legal and Justice Sector Adviser for UNDP-Cambodia.

He has also served as a member of the UN Human Rights Council’s High-Level Commission of Inquiry into the Situation in Lebanon following the Israel-Lebanon Armed Conflict in 2006, as the UN Human Rights Council’s Independent Expert on the human rights situation in the Sudan from 2009 to 2010 and as the Chair of the Commission of Human Rights Experts on Ethiopia from 2022 to 2023.

Ezeilo, is a distinguished Law Professor and Senior Advocate of Nigeria with expertise in international human rights, criminal law, comparative constitution and the rights of women and children in Africa.

As for Rishmawi, she is a former senior official at the United Nations where she last served as Head of Office for the UN Special Envoy for Syria based in Damascus, Syria.

Most Viewed

 
 
Arab World

Experts Warn Floods to Continue to Impact Humanitarian Situation in Yemen

Yemen receives high levels of rainfall annually (AFP)
Yemen receives high levels of rainfall annually (AFP)
TT
TT

Experts Warn Floods to Continue to Impact Humanitarian Situation in Yemen

Yemen receives high levels of rainfall annually (AFP)
Yemen receives high levels of rainfall annually (AFP)

Although Yemen's rainy season nears its end, experts on Thursday warned of heavy showers in several areas across the country, nevertheless with a decrease in their frequency and intensity.

Heavy downpours in war-torn Yemen over the past weeks have triggered flash flooding and landslides, causing significant casualties and damages in properties and infrastructure.

On Tuesday, experts and meteorology centers forecast scattered rains on the easternmost province of Mahra, the western highlands in the provinces of Taiz, Ibb, Lahj, Rayma, Dhamar, Sanaa, Al Mahwit, Amran, Hajjah and Saada, as well as the western coast in the provinces of Hajjah, Hodeidah and Taiz, and the plains in the provinces of Abyan, Shabwa and Hadramaut.

In forecasts posted on social media, the experts warned of thunderclouds carrying huge amounts of rain, accompanied by hail, thunder and strong winds, urging residents to take the necessary precautions.

Since early this month, Yemen has witnessed a drop in rainfall. In July and August, Yemen experienced severe flooding due to prolonged heavy rainfall, fueled by unusual weather patterns. Numerous governorates across the nation were impacted, especially the governorates of Hodeidah and Al Mahwit.

The International Rescue Committee (IRC) this week warned of a deepening humanitarian disaster in Yemen as ongoing floods, which began in March and intensified in July and August, continue to devastate multiple governorates.

The floods have displaced tens of thousands of families, destroyed vital infrastructure, and fueled the rapid spread of cholera.

Floods have severely impacted the governorates of Hodeidah, Hajjah, Marib, Saada, and Taiz, with nearly 268,000 individuals affected as of last month.

IRC warned that while rainfall has stopped in September, the risk of additional flash floods remains high due to already saturated ground and poor drainage systems.

Severe Impact of Floods

IRC said that floods have severely impacted the governorates of Hodeidah, Hajjah, Marib, Sadah, and Taiz, with nearly 268,000 individuals (38,285 families) affected as of last month, according to OCHA reports.

It said the heavy rains, expected to persist into September, have caused widespread destruction of homes, agricultural land, and infrastructure, further limiting access to food - an issue that more than 17 million Yemenis are already struggling with due to conflict, economic decline, and rising food prices, all exacerbated by the climate crisis.

In Taiz alone, an estimated 70 to 100% of agricultural land has been destroyed. While rainfall has stopped in September, the risk of additional flash floods remains high due to already saturated ground and poor drainage systems.

The IRC urgently called on the international community to scale up financial and logistical support to meet the immediate and long-term needs of those affected by this disaster. Without timely action, the situation in Yemen will continue to deteriorate, putting more lives at risk, it warned.

Rapid Spread of Cholera

“Yemen is facing a crisis on multiple fronts—ongoing conflict, severe flooding, and now a cholera outbreak that has been rapidly spreading across several governorates,” IRC’s Acting Country Director in Yemen, Isaiah Ogolla, said.

Ogolla said people’s lives are at immediate risk, and the destruction of water and sanitation facilities is likely to worsen the spread of the disease.

“In response, the IRC is launching emergency operations in the hardest-hit districts of Hajjah, Hodeidah, Al-Mahwit and Taiz, providing cash assistance to approximately 2,000 affected households,” he said.

The IRC acting country director noted that the initial phase will focus on addressing immediate needs, with further assessments planned to guide potential interventions in water and sanitation, such as establishing water points and emergency latrines.

Ogolla said the IRC and its partners have conducted assessments across the affected areas, revealing that nearly 9,600 people have been displaced due to the floods in Taiz, Hajjah, and Hodeidah.

The floodwaters have severely damaged water, sanitation, and health infrastructure, increasing the risk of further cholera outbreaks across these regions.

On Tuesday, the King Salman Humanitarian Aid and Relief Center (KsRelief) distributed emergency shelter aids to those affected by torrents and floods in the Mawza district of Taiz Governorate.

The emergency aid included 100 tents and 370 shelter bags, benefiting 2,220 individuals affected by floods.