THE conflict in Sudan is about militias “inflicting violence on civilians”, according to the chair of the House of Commons Foreign Affairs Aspect Committee.
Alicia Kearns said a hearing on Sudan would be held today as Western countries scramble to evacuate thousands of citizens.
She told GB News: “I think we have every reason to be very optimistic, but we also have to be very cautious. This is good news. It is a ceasefire.
“That is the best news for the people of Sudan who need humanitarian aid, you need water, you need food and medical support, but it also gives us a chance to evacuate our people safely. But this remains complex.
“The reality is the two warring sides are not well organised and well managed and well trained militaries, they are militia groups, they are people who will be high on the joy of looting.
“We have those who will be in breakaway groups who may continue to try and inflict atrocities. So this isn’t simple even though we do have this overarching good news.”
In a discussion with Andrew Pierce and Bev Turner, she continued: “The Foreign Secretary said we will evacuate British passport holders, that will be who is able to be evacuated but with a priority for women with children.
“There are many families out there because it was Eid, but also those who are disabled, medically unwell or old.
“So the key is now making sure we can get those vulnerable communities first and foremost to the evacuation points, but this is still going to be a very complex few days.”
Asked why governments were taken by surprise, she added: “I’ll be holding an evidence session of the Foreign Affairs Committee to delve more deeply into that: could we really not have foreseen this?
“The reality is we were moving towards a peaceful transition and then the egos of two men who are in control of militia groups that have previously committed war crimes, decided that they were no longer happy to be part of a rules-based organised diplomatic process. They wanted control.
“This is all about ego. This is all about power. This is about control. And unfortunately, it is about the joy of inflicting violence on civilians.”
