Sudan’s Criminal Underworld: A Web of Corruption and Crime
A recent report has shed light on Sudan’s troubled criminal landscape, revealing a complex web of corruption, human trafficking, and organized crime that threatens to destabilize the country.
The Complexity of Sudan’s Criminal Landscape
The report highlights the pervasive influence of former Janjaweed militias, now operating as Support Forces (RSF), which have links to other mafia-style groups in Sudan. Corrupt police and border guards facilitate human trafficking, allowing victims to be transported through security checkpoints and across international borders without intervention.
- Criminal networks operate with impunity, playing a crucial role in drug and human trafficking, with some traffickers having ties to tribal groups such as the Rashaida and Tabo tribes.
- Foreign actors, primarily Libyans, are also involved in the trade, moving victims through Libya and Egypt before reaching Europe.
- The report highlights the involvement of criminal networks from neighboring countries, including the Central African Republic (CAR) and South Sudan, in smuggling illicit goods over Sudan’s borders.
A Lack of Governance and Corruption
The report notes that Sudan’s deep-seated governance issues are contributing factors to the failure to address organized crime. These include:
- A history of 16 separate coup attempts, six of which were successful.
- Entrenched corruption, a weak rule of law, and poor transparency and accountability.
Despite ratifying international treaties related to transnational organized crime, Sudan is in violation of international arms laws and has limited legislative frameworks to combat organized crime. The report calls for the transitional government to improve human trafficking legislation to allow authorities to better define and tackle the practice.
Criminal Justice and Security
The report highlights the lack of specialized judicial units tasked with countering organized crime. Although the constitution guarantees an independent judiciary, the judiciary is in practice influenced by either the president or security forces. Organized criminal actors have largely captured law enforcement, using it to repress efforts to fight against organized crime.
- Sudan’s border is extremely long and difficult to monitor, making it highly porous to cross-border crime.
- The country lacks the necessary resources to prevent corruption among state-embedded officials and often relies on criminally involved pro-government militias to enforce policies.
Civil Society and Social Protection
The report highlights the dire situation for drug users and human trafficking victims in Sudan, who are often subjected to criminal penalties for crimes committed while being trafficked. The country’s efforts to support victims of modern slavery are minimal, with only 2% of identified mechanisms in place to aid victims in exiting slavery.
- The transitional government has made some improvements in resolving unclear divisions of responsibility between human trafficking organizations and improving capacity for coordination of anti-trafficking mechanisms.
- However, civil society organizations (CSOs) continue to face challenges, with the government treating them as opposition rather than partners.
Conclusion
Sudan’s criminal underworld is a complex web of corruption, human trafficking, and organized crime that requires immediate attention from authorities. The country’s governance issues, lack of political will, and inadequate legislative infrastructure have created an environment conducive to criminal activity.
- A comprehensive approach to addressing organized crime in Sudan is necessary, including improving legislation, strengthening law enforcement, and supporting victims of human trafficking and modern slavery.
- Until these issues are addressed, Sudan is unlikely to make significant progress in combating its criminal underworld.