Sudanese refugees and ethnic South Sudanese families who have fled from the war in Sudan gather ... [+]
While the situation in Sudan does not receive much attention, the humanitarian crisis continues to deepen. Indeed, as indicated by the United Nations Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs (OCHA), “Sudan is facing one of the fastest unfolding crises globally, with unprecedented needs emerging in such a short period.”
On February 23, 2024, OCHA provided concerning updates on the severity of the issue. According to OCHA, the conflict between the Sudan Armed Forces (SAF) and the Rapid Support Forces (RSF) displaced over 8.1 million people (around 15% of the total population of the country) since April 2023, with around 6.3 million people being displaced internally, and around 1.8 million people who fled abroad. Among those displaced are close to 4 million children making Sudan the largest child displacement crisis in the world. Out of the 1.8 million people who fled the country, more than 1.6 million have sought refuge in the neighboring countries of Central African Republic, Chad, Egypt, Ethiopia and South Sudan.
About 25 million people, including over 14 million children, are in need of humanitarian assistance and support. About 17.7 million people (37% of the population) face acute hunger, and 4.9 million in emergency levels. As OCHA adds, “At least 3.5 million children are projected to suffer from acute malnutrition in 2024, including over 700,000 who are expected to suffer from severe acute malnutrition and require specialized, uninterrupted life-saving treatment.”
While humanitarian organizations continue to reach some of those in need, OCHA reports various challenges when delivering humanitarian assistance, including “insecurity, looting, bureaucratic impediments, poor network and phone connectivity, lack of cash, and limited technical and humanitarian staff on the ground – have been affecting the delivery of humanitarian assistance in many parts of the country. Fuel shortages also affect the movement of humanitarian staff and supplies and the generation of power needed for operations (maintaining cold chain storage, supplying water, etc).”
The Federal Ministry of Health (FMoH) and the World Health Organization (WHO) Sudan Outbreaks Dashboard recorded around 10,730 suspected cholera cases, including 296 associated deaths as of February 19, 2024. While the trend is said to be on a downward trajectory, with 15 million people across the country lacking access to health care and between 70 – 80% of health facilities not functioning due to the ongoing conflict, the situation continues to be highly concerning.
The dire humanitarian situation will continue as the conflict rages on. A newly published U.N. report mapping the situation between April and December 2023, based on interviews with 303 victims and witnesses, as well as analysis of photographs, videos, satellite imagery and other open-source information, shows the severity and nature of the atrocities in Sudan.
Among others, the report confirmed that in Darfur, thousands were killed in RSF attacks, with some attacks being ethnically motivated. The report finds that between May and November 2023, the RSF and its allied Arab militia carried out at least 10 attacks against civilians in El-Geneina, the capital of West Darfur, killing thousands of people, most of them from the African Masalit ethnic community.
The report reveals that by mid-December 2023, at least 118 people had been subjected to sexual violence, including rape, gang rape and attempted rape. There were at least 19 children among the victims. Many of the rapes are said to have been committed by RSF members, in homes and on the streets. One woman was repeatedly gang-raped over a period of 35 days.
Commenting on the findings, U.N. High Commissioner for Human Rights Volker Türk said: “The guns must be silenced, and civilians must be protected. A credible re-start of inclusive talks to restore civilian-led government is desperately needed to open a path forward.” However, as the evidence suggests, the is no end in sight. The U.N. reported on “credible video evidence [showing] that several students traveling by road in North Kordofan State may have been beheaded by men in SAF uniform in El-Obeid City (...) The video footage which was posted on social media on 15 February shows troops parading with decapitated heads in the street while chanting ethnic slurs.”
As the world looks away, the perpetrators enjoy impunity as never before. The silence of the world will define the fate of the people of Sudan.
