A Look into Sudan's On-Going Humanitarian Crisis
By: Katie Teague/Arab America Contributing Writer
Another revolution is upon us, this time in the east-African country of Sudan. Since the media is preoccupied with keeping us updated on the President, few spotlights are being shown on the injustices occurring in this Arab nation. To better understand the nature of Sudan’s humanitarian crisis, let’s start by reviewing the chain of events leading up to the issue.
Think back to the Arab Spring of 2011. While other Arab states fought for and underwent drastic changes in government and power, Sudan made little progress. Protestors who attempted to overthrow President Omar Hassan Ahmad al-Bashir were quickly suppressed, and so Sudan was a minor actor in the Arab Spring. explains in the Atlantic:
“In 2011, those who sought to ignite popular opposition to Bashir’s rule were mostly young activists and college students. Their domains were the country’s universities and upper-middle-class neighborhoods. Though their efforts were short-lived—in a matter of weeks, they were defeated, with demonstrators arrested, tortured, or forced into exile—protests took place again in 2012 and 2013.”
Eight years later, things are different. Protestors were determined to oust Sudan’s dictator, and as of April, they have succeeded. In Bashir’s place? The Transitional Military Council, led by Gen Mohamed Hamdan “Hemeti” Dagolo; the man largely responsible for the Darfur genocide which resulted in the “deaths of more than 300,000 people, the displacement of millions and destabilization of the entire region”.
The situation in Sudan is worsening, as protestors fight for justice; first from President al-Bashir and now from military leader Hemeti. Despite the brutal killings that have occurred on Sudanese soil, little has been done for aid as the West turns its shoulder the other way.As of right now, attempts to protest the conflict peacefully have failed, as protestors have been met by opposing forces once again. The atrocities occurring in Sudan since unrest began in February have been numerous and violent:
- “In the last 10 days, at least 124 people have been killed by regime forces and more than 700 have been injured.”
- “On June 3rd, troops attack pro-democracy demonstrators in Khartoum. Eyewitnesses say that the police and paramilitary Rapid Support Forces (RSF) shot at protesters, killing at least 60 people and injuring over 300, according to the Central Committee of Sudan Doctors (CCSD). The CCSD later reports that an additional 40 bodies were recovered from the River Nile, bringing the death toll from the attack to more than 100.”
If the situation does not improve soon, we may have yet another Arab nation unravel at the hands of its violent authoritarian leadership. And what’s disturbing is how little media coverage these events are getting:
Given the lack of news stories covering Sudan’s ongoing crisis, there is something you can do. Spreading awareness is key, especially since the nation is under a complete internet blackout, as instigated by the current Sudanese government to disband and punish protestors:
The Sudanese voices must be heard before they can be helped. Below is a list of actions compiled by CNN writers “There’s a humanitarian crisis happening in Sudan. Here’s how people are trying to help“