By Geneva | June 18, 2025
On Wednesday, June 18th, 2025, the United Nations Human Rights Council (UN HRC) hosted a powerful side event titled “Silenced Genocide in Sudan” in Geneva. The gathering brought together witnesses, analysts, and experts to expose the atrocities committed by the Rapid Support Forces (RSF) in Sudan’s ongoing war—atrocities that have been systematically ignored or downplayed by much of the international community.
Among the key speakers was Mr. Yaslam Ibrahim Altayeb, a survivor of RSF captivity and founder of The Right Narrative, whose personal account gave voice to the immense suffering endured by the Sudanese people. His testimony was complemented by insightful presentations from two leading experts: Mr. Oscar Rickett, a journalist and researcher at Middle East Eye, and Dr. Matthew Hedges, an academic specializing in security studies and a renowned scholar on the Abu Dhabi ruling family.
Opening Remarks: A Journalist’s Perspective
The event began with Mr. Oscar Rickett, a respected journalist and researcher at Middle East Eye, who provided a powerful journalistic overview of the conflict in Sudan. Mr. Rickett highlighted how the RSF’s brutal campaign against civilians has been allowed to continue under the guise of a “power struggle” between generals—a framing that dangerously oversimplifies the crisis.
Drawing from extensive on-the-ground reporting, Mr. Rickett emphasized that the war’s roots lie not just in internal political tensions but in foreign interference, particularly the role of the United Arab Emirates (UAE) in backing the RSF militarily, financially, and diplomatically. He warned that such involvement transforms the RSF from a rogue paramilitary group into a foreign proxy, waging a war of destruction with regional ambitions in mind.
Unmasking Foreign Interference: Dr. Matthew Hedges
Following Rickett, Dr. Matthew Hedges, an academic specializing in security studies and a leading expert on the Gulf region, took the floor. Dr. Hedges, who wrote his doctoral thesis on the Abu Dhabi ruling family, provided a rare and deeply informed analysis of how the UAE has emerged as a destabilizing force across the Middle East and Africa.
He outlined a clear pattern: from Libya to Yemen, and now to Sudan, the UAE has supported non-state militias and authoritarian regimes that serve its strategic and economic ambitions. In Sudan, the RSF has become a tool of this foreign agenda—perpetrating atrocities in service of external interests rather than national sovereignty.
Dr. Hedges also noted the alarming silence of the international community, which has repeatedly failed to confront the UAE despite mounting evidence of its involvement in gross human rights violations. He warned that petrodollar diplomacy has compromised international principles, allowing aggressors to act with impunity while victims are left unprotected.
The Survivor’s Testimony: Mr. Yaslam Ibrahim Altayeb
The most gripping moment of the event was the testimony of Mr. Yaslam Ibrahim Altayeb, a Sudanese civilian who survived captivity by the RSF. He shared first-hand accounts of mass murder, torture, rape, and the complete breakdown of civilian life. His words painted a grim picture:
- Over 150,000 civilians murdered
- More than 10,000 rape cases, including gang rape and rape of underage girls
- Some girls died from their injuries or committed suicide out of shame and trauma
- Girls were captured and sold as sex slaves in Darfur, Chad, Niger, and Central African Republic
“One of the most notorious cases was broadcast by CNN, BBC, and other global media outlets, yet no action was taken—neither to defend these women nor to rescue the girls sold like property across borders,” Yaslam said.
He condemned the complete failure of the international community to respond, stating that these are not isolated crimes but systemic tools of warfare deployed by a foreign-funded militia—the RSF.
Mr. Yaslam also challenged the common narrative, rejecting the framing of the war as a conflict between the Sudanese Armed Forces (SAF) and the RSF. Instead, he asserted, this is a proxy war waged by the UAE and its backers against Sudan.
“The SAF was not acting alone. They were joined by the police, intelligence services, and millions of Sudanese civilians who took up arms in defense of their homeland. This is not a civil war—it’s a war of aggression and occupation.”
He warned that the mischaracterization of the war as a power struggle has distorted international understanding and empowered the aggressors, while suppressing Sudanese voices.
The Cost of Misrepresentation and Political Collusion
Mr. Yaslam also denounced Sudanese political factions that have defended or downplayed the UAE’s role or the RSF’s crimes, misleading international actors in the name of opposition politics. He stressed that opposing a regime is not the same as aiding the enemy of the nation.
A Call for Action
The speakers issued a unified plea:
- Reframe the war accurately as a foreign-led war of destruction
- Sanction the UAE for its role in funding war crimes
- Support Sudanese voices, not foreign propaganda
Conclusion: Breaking the Silence
The event made clear that Sudan is under foreign assault, and silence is complicity. Through testimony and evidence, the speakers exposed a dark truth the world has chosen to ignore.
Published by The Right Narrative
Amplifying Truth. Challenging Silence. Voice for the Voiceless.
🌍 www.therightnarrative.net