By Samantha M
As of April 2023, Sudan erupted into its third civil war. The civil war is between the Sudanese Armed Forces (SAF) and the Rapid Support Forces (RSF). The current civil war erupted due to power struggles between the two rival parties. The civil war has now lasted two years and is one of the biggest humanitarian disasters in the world right now.
The power struggles of the two groups heightened after the military coup of the government in October 2021 that was led by the leader of the SAF, General Abdel Fattah al-Burhan. The coup terminated the transitional civilian government that had been in place after the 2019 coup that overthrew Omar al-Bashir.
The RSF has committed violence against civilians through ethnic cleansing and genocide in Darfur. In Darfur, the RSF have targeted civilians of non-Arab groups and the Masalit tribe. The RSF have committed killings, sexual violence, looting, torture, and destroyed infrastructure, impacting thousands of innocent Sudanese civilians.
12 million Sudanese people have been forced out of their homes. This has led to a refugee crisis. Sudan currently has 840,000 refugees and asylum seekers. Other neighboring countries have received thousands of Sudan refugees escaping the conflict. These countries include Chad, South Sudan, Egypt, Libya, Ethiopia, and the Central African Republic.
Gender-based violence has affected thousands of women and girls. An exact number is not available at this time due to the ongoing conflict preventing reports and accurate accounts. Women and girls are more vulnerable to gender-based violence since the civil war began.
Healthcare infrastructure has been destroyed since the beginning of the conflict. Healthcare officials have been targeted, and there is a limited amount of healthcare supplies and workers. This exacerbates the issue further since civilians who are wounded or experiencing illness do not have access to a healthcare facility. Due to lack of sanitation, close quarters in refugee camps, and lack of nutrition, illnesses and diseases have spread in Sudan such as cholera, dengue fever, malaria, measles, and poliomyelitis.
When it comes to basic nutrition and access to food, 635,000 people, including those in the camp for displaced people, are experiencing famine according to the IRC. Humanitarian aid is desperately needed in order to help deliver food, vaccines, and healthcare for refugee civilians. Humanitarian aid has been difficult and dangerous to deliver due to the rival parties’ beliefs that NGO and aid workers are not neutral actors. At least 84 humanitarian workers, all Sudanese nationals, have been killed since the current conflict began in 2023.
A ceasefire is urged in order to save the innocent civilians who are currently displaced and in danger in Sudan. Sudan has been forgotten when it comes to news coverage and international concern. The people of Sudan are facing a humanitarian disaster and crimes against humanity with no end in sight. Countries around the world need to be involved because this has led to Sudanese refugees having to be supported by neighboring countries who can barely support the influx of refugees. The protection of innocent lives should be the concern of all world countries, especially when it comes to protecting the next generation of the world who are children.