“UN in Peril as Social Media Call to Kill Its Emissary in Soudan Sparks Turmoil”

An appeal to hate and violence is causing concern in Sudan. In a video circulating on social media, a man publicly targets the UN envoy in Khartoum, Volker Perthes, and calls for his assassination. The United Nations has called on Sudanese authorities to open an investigation.

Reporter stationed at the region, Florence Morice

The video was filmed during a conference bringing together officials from various Sudanese Islamist parties and figures linked to the ousted regime of Omar al-Bashir. In it, a man who claims to be named Adelmoneim targets the UN envoy.

“I request a fatwa (…) to spill his blood” he says, before adding that he is “willing to do it”. The man then accuses Volker Perthes of committing “offenses” by having “excluded” certain factions from current discussions aimed at putting the democratic transition back on track. In these talks, the UN plays the role of “facilitator”. The signature of the final agreement, which includes security sector reform, was postponed indefinitely last week.

“Deepen the divisions”

On Tuesday evening, conference organizers distanced themselves from the man, but still criticized the “negative role,” they say, played by the UN in this process, which would impose “a foreign vision on the Sudanese people.” Supporters of Omar al-Bashir’s Islamist-military dictatorship regularly call for the UN envoy to leave the country.

“Appeals to hatred and violence will only deepen divisions but will not prevent the mission from carrying out its activities,” the UN responded in a statement. The UN organization is calling on Khartoum not to let this matter pass and to initiate an investigation.