BRUSSELS — A German Member of the European Parliament (MEP) found himself at the center of controversy after inadvertently inviting two representatives of a Sudanese paramilitary group to discuss peace in Sudan. These individuals are associated with the Rapid Support Forces (RSF), which are implicated in horrific acts including mass killings, sexual violence, and other severe human rights violations.
Lukas Sieper, an independent MEP known for aligning himself with center-left and liberal policies, organized the event through a U.K.-based think tank, aiming to promote “lasting peace” in Sudan. Unbeknownst to him, the two invited guests were linked to the RSF, a group that has been sanctioned by the European Union due to its involvement in a violent civil war that has resulted in widespread famine and has drawn accusations of genocide from international organizations.
Event cancellation and reflections on oversight
The meeting, set to occur in Brussels on Wednesday, was called off just a day prior after other lawmakers and the office of Parliament President Roberta Metsola alerted Sieper to the troubling backgrounds of the individuals he had invited. Reflecting on the situation, Sieper remarked,
“As an MEP, as a young lawmaker, this is a situation to learn from. It shows me that you always have to double check the information, even if you work with people that you build trust with on prior events.”
The RSF is currently engaged in a violent power struggle against the Sudanese military, headed by General Abdel Fattah al-Burhan, the de facto leader of the country. This conflict has led to the deaths of over 150,000 people and has displaced around 12 million. The United Nations has labeled it as the largest humanitarian crisis globally, with Human Rights Watch asserting that attacks by the RSF may constitute ethnic cleansing and potential genocide.
The implications of the incident
This incident raises significant concerns regarding the protocols for granting access to the European Parliament. Although the event was ultimately canceled at the last moment and no indication suggests any malintent on Sieper’s part, recent years have seen various lobbying scandals involving undue influences, notably from representatives of Qatar, Morocco, and the Chinese tech firm Huawei.
Sieper highlighted the risks posed by such groups trying to infiltrate the Parliament, stating,
“I’m quite certain that I was chosen by the RSF people deliberately because I am young, I’m inexperienced, I’m a non-attached member, so people know that I don’t have a big group behind me.”
Gamaal El Attar, executive director of the International Federation for Rights and Development (IFRD), a human rights organization based in Belgium, noted that the EU’s sanctions against the Sudanese group, imposed in 2023, had seemingly emboldened them to seek a presence in Brussels to counteract advocacy efforts. When the identities of the two RSF members were revealed, the IFRD promptly informed other MEPs, who subsequently reached out to Sieper to address the sensitive nature of the invitations.
The Sudanese government formally requested the cancellation of the event titled “Ending the Conflict in Sudan and Opportunities for Achieving Lasting Peace,” citing the RSF’s involvement in violent acts and insisting that providing a platform for them could undermine the EU’s commitment to Sudan’s unity, sovereignty, and territorial integrity.
In response to the controversy, about 50 members of the Sudanese diaspora residing in Belgium, the U.K., the Netherlands, and Germany gathered in Brussels to protest the event. They held banners proclaiming, “RSF and UAE killed my family” and “no to the legitimizing of the militia,” demonstrating their strong opposition just meters away from the Parliament.
Sieper expressed his regret over the invitation and attended the protest to clarify his position, stating that he wanted to make it clear that he did not intend to support the RSF’s actions. His presence was met with applause from the crowd as he acknowledged their participation, saying,
“Thank all of you who participate in this manifestation today. You are proving that civil society works. You are proving that democratically elected politicians like me can be held accountable for their actions.”
A spokesperson for the European Parliament declined to provide further comments on the incident.