The Sudanese Alliance for Rights strongly condemns the forced eviction of residents from Al-Khairat and surrounding areas in East Nile Locality, Khartoum State, carried out by Sudanese government authorities on 19 May 2025.
This act, which saw the demolition of homes, shops, schools, and public facilities with residents still inside constitutes a grave violation of Sudanese law and fundamental human rights. The affected communities, primarily composed of citizens from Kordofan and Darfur, have lived in these areas for over two decades, with legal recognition and public infrastructure approved by successive governments.
The evictions were conducted without the legally required notice or due process, and they targeted communities perceived to be sympathetic to the Rapid Support Forces (RSF). This reinforces long-standing concerns about the discriminatory treatment of marginalised populations under the pretext of state authority.
These actions amount to a politically motivated campaign of collective punishment, not lawful governance. Under Sudanese law and international standards, forced evictions are prohibited unless conducted with full legal safeguards, including prior notice, meaningful consultation, and adequate compensation and resettlement options all of which were blatantly ignored.
Violations of International Law
These actions also amount to violations under several binding international legal frameworks to which Sudan is a party:
- International Covenant on Economic, Social and Cultural Rights (ICESCR): Article 11 recognises the right to adequate housing and prohibits arbitrary or unlawful evictions.
- Universal Declaration of Human Rights (UDHR): Article 25 affirms the right to a standard of living adequate for health and well-being, including housing.
- African Charter on Human and Peoples’ Rights: Article 14 protects the right to property, while Article 16 guarantees the right to health and Article 18(1) upholds the protection of the family.
- UN Basic Principles and Guidelines on Development-Based Evictions and Displacement (2007): These guidelines require consultation, notice, legal remedies, and resettlement measures before any eviction can take place.
The evictions appear to be politically and ethnically motivated, targeting communities perceived to be sympathetic to the Rapid Support Forces (RSF). This raises grave concerns about discrimination, collective punishment, and abuse of state power, undermining the principles of equality and justice under the rule of law.
The Sudanese Alliance for Rights urges:
- Immediate cessation of all unlawful evictions.
- Full accountability for the officials involved in ordering and carrying out these demolitions.
- Urgent humanitarian support and restitution for the affected families.
- International attention to the Sudanese government’s continued violation of its own laws and the rights of its citizens.
We stand in solidarity with the residents of Al-Khairat and all communities facing systemic injustice. Forced eviction is not development—it is violence under the guise of authority.
Sudanese Alliance for Rights
28 May 2025