The “Jeddah Declaration” was issued by the Sudanese Armed Forces and the Rapid Support Forces. Below is its text: The Jeddah Declaration.
Commitment to protect civilians in the Sudan
Boot:
Conscious of the need to alleviate the suffering of our people as a result of the fighting in Sudan since (April 15, 2023 AD), especially in the capital city of Khartoum, and to meet the demands of the current humanitarian situation faced by civilians.
In response to the calls of brotherly and friendly countries through their many initiatives, on top of which stands the Saudi-American initiative.
We, the undersigned Sudanese Armed Forces and Rapid Support Forces, reaffirm in this declaration our fundamental obligations under international humanitarian law to facilitate humanitarian action to meet the needs of the civilian population.
We reaffirm our firm commitment to the sovereignty of the Sudan and the preservation of its unity and territorial integrity.
We understand that adherence to the Declaration will not affect any legal, security or political status of the signatories and will not involve participation in any political process.
We applaud the efforts of the friends of the Sudan, who are using their good offices and relations to ensure respect for international humanitarian law and international human rights law, including adherence to the Declaration and its immediate implementation.
None of the following paragraphs shall replace any obligations or principles under international humanitarian law and international human rights law applicable to this armed conflict, in particular the Second Additional Protocol of 1977 to the four Geneva Conventions of 1949, which shall respect all sides.
obligations
1. We agree that the interests and security of the Sudanese people are our top priorities and reaffirm our commitment to the continued protection of civilians, including by providing safe passage for civilians to voluntarily leave areas of active hostilities to a destination of their choice.
2. We reaffirm our responsibility to respect international humanitarian law and international human rights law, including the obligation to:
A. Always distinguish between civilians and combatants, and between civilian objects and military objectives.
B. To refrain from any attack that could cause incidental harm to the civilian population that would be in excess of the concrete and direct military advantage expected.
V. Take all possible precautions to avoid and minimize harm to the civilian population in order to evacuate civilian centers, including residential buildings. For example, civilians should not be used as human shields.
Dr.. Ensure that checkpoints are not used to violate the principle of freedom of movement for civilians and humanitarian organizations.
e. Allow all civilians to voluntarily and safely leave combat areas and any besieged areas.
I. Commitment to protect needs and necessities necessary for the survival of the civilian population, which may include food, agricultural land, crops and livestock. Looting, looting and destruction are also prohibited.
d. Commitment to evacuate, refrain from possession, respect and protect all private and public facilities such as medical facilities, hospitals, water and electricity facilities, and refrain from using them for military purposes.
h Commitment to respect and protect medical transport such as ambulances and refrain from using them for military purposes.
I. Duty to respect and protect medical personnel and public facilities.
J. Respect and not violate the rights of civilians to travel and travel on roads and bridges inside and outside the state of Khartoum.
K. Take all possible measures to collect and evacuate the wounded and sick, including combatants – without discrimination – and allow humanitarian organizations to do this, not interfere with medical evacuations, including during active hostilities.
j. Refrain from recruiting and using children in hostilities.
M. Refrain from participating in enforced disappearances and arbitrary detention of civilians.
n. Refrain from any form of torture or other cruel, inhuman or degrading treatment, including sexual violence of all kinds.
With. Treat all persons deprived of their liberty humanely and provide key humanitarian organizations with regular access to persons in detention.
3. We recognize that humanitarian action aims to alleviate human suffering and protect the lives and dignity of non-combatants or those who have ceased hostilities. We agree on the need to resume essential humanitarian operations and protect humanitarian workers and property, including:
A. Respect for the basic humanitarian principles of humanity, impartiality, neutrality and independence of humanitarian operations.
B. Allow and facilitate the rapid and unimpeded passage of humanitarian aid, including medical and surgical equipment, and ensure freedom of movement for humanitarian workers required to carry out their duties. It includes:
(1) Facilitate the safe, expeditious and unhindered passage of humanitarian personnel along all available routes (and any existing humanitarian corridors) as required to and within the country, including the movement of humanitarian aid convoys.
(ii) Adopt simple and expeditious procedures for all logistical and administrative arrangements for humanitarian relief operations.
(3) Stick to regular humanitarian breaks and quiet days as needed.
(4) To refrain from interfering in major humanitarian operations and not to accompany humanitarian workers when they carry out humanitarian activities, taking into account the amended directives and procedures for humanitarian activities in Sudan.
V. Protect and respect humanitarian personnel, property, supplies, offices, warehouses and other facilities. The armed forces should not interfere in the activities of humanitarian operations. While respecting the principle of neutrality of humanitarian actors, armed actors must ensure the security of transport corridors and storage and distribution areas. It is also prohibited to attack, stalk, intimidate, or arbitrarily detain people, or attack, destroy, or steal supplies, facilities, materials, units, or aid vehicles.
4. To make every effort to ensure that these obligations – and all obligations under international humanitarian law – are fully disseminated within our ranks and that focal points are appointed to interact with humanitarian organizations to facilitate their activities.
5. Enabling responsible humanitarian organizations such as the Sudanese Red Crescent and/or the International Committee of the Red Cross to collect the dead, register their names and bury them in consultation with the competent authorities.
6. Take all necessary measures to ensure that all persons under our instruction, direction or control comply with the rules of international humanitarian law, in particular the obligations contained in this Declaration.
7. In pursuance of the principles and commitments set out in this Declaration, we commit to give high priority to discussions to achieve a short-term ceasefire to facilitate the delivery of emergency humanitarian assistance and the restoration of essential services, and we also commit to planning subsequent broad discussions to achieve a definitive cessation of hostilities .
The Declaration was signed in Jeddah (May 11, 2023) in cooperation with the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia and the United States of America.