impairing the recognition, enjoyment or exercise, on an equal footing, of human rights and fundamental freedoms in the political, economic, social, cultural or any other field of public life.19 Ethnic cleansing: This is an unlawful practice(s) aimed at changing the ethnic, religious, or racial composition of an affected population (commonly referred to as ‘ethnic cleansing’) and such constitutes a serious violation of IHL. The Geneva Conventions and their Additional Protocols strictly prohibit targeting individuals or groups based on their ethnic identity. Such violations are considered to be war crimes, crimes against humanity with elements of genocide under international law20. Ethnic Targeting: an act of targeting, undermining or treating differently certain individuals based on their ethnicity, religion, culture, colour, or origin21. Article 17 of Geneva Convention (Additional Protocol II), prohibited the forced movement of civilians: The displacement of the civilian population shall not be ordered for reasons related to the conflict unless the security of the civilians involved or imperative military reasons so demand. Should such displacements have to be carried out, all possible measures shall be taken in order that the civilian population may be received under satisfactory conditions of shelter, hygiene, health, safety and nutrition. Civilians shall not be compelled to leave their own territory for reasons connected with the conflict.22 The ‘strange faces order’: The ‘strange faces order’ targets individuals whose facial features appear to be from western Sudan. As a verbal directive, there is no actual text accompanying the ‘strange faces order/law’ which is, for instance, published in the Sudan gazette. The order operates via a set of verbal orders that authorities apply to any person seemingly of western Sudanese origin who has fled to the northern Sudan states and 19 Article 1 International Convention on the Elimination of All Forms of Racial Discrimination, 1969. https://www.ohchr.org/sites/default/files/cerd.pdf 20 Oxford Public International Law: Ethnic Cleansing There is no clear definition for ethnic targeting however HUDO Centre described the term. 22 https://ihl-databases.icrc.org/assets/treaties/475-AP-II-EN.pdf 21 14