For the last two years, all eyes have been on Gaza, and rightfully so. However, in a time where news is at our fingertips, it still feels as though we have tunnel vision when it comes to global issues. TikTok seemingly controls the narrative when it comes to widespread awareness, and up until recently, ongoing genocides in Africa have slipped through the cracks of mainstream coverage.
One of the largest issues going on in Africa right now is a mass genocide in Sudan. Upwards of 150,000 people have been murdered on top of other atrocities that are being committed against women and children throughout the Darfur region of the country. Amongst the most attention-drawing sieges is the city of el-Fasher.
People are cowering in fear of the organized armed militia that is making their way through Sudan and terrorizing the small villages that occupy the land.
Like many, you may be asking yourself when this started and how this is happening. Africa has been victim to centuries of colonization and apartheid, which led to weak government structures across the continent. Sudan is one example.
In April 2023, Sudan was plunged into a civil war between its army and the leading militia, known as the Rapid Support Forces (RSF). This has caused nearly 12 million to flee their homes in fear of the group in what the United Nations is calling the world’s largest humanitarian crisis, according to data from the British Broadcasting Corporation. But why did this civil war start?
Prior to the war, Sudan was under the rule of the widely disliked Omar al-Bashir. Because of this, the Sudan military and the aforementioned RSF joined a well-built alliance to stage a coup in 2019. The people craved democracy; however, after the former leader was ousted, Lieutenant-General Abdel Fattah al-Burhan, the leader of Sudan’s military, was not willing to give up control and took the stage as the country’s leader.
This caused a division between the Sudanese military and the RSF. The RSF wanted power too, but was undermined by Burhan, causing the alliance to dissolve in April 2023. The RSF is approximately half the size of the Sudan Armed Forces at 100,000 members.
This skewed the power in Sudan and the RSF now holds control of the Darfur region of Southwest Sudan and the Sudan Armed Forces hold control of northern and eastern Sudan. However, small militias are popping up around the country that support the RSF.
The Associated Press cites that one of the reasons the RSF is targeting the Darfur region of Sudan is because this area is extremely saturated with gold, making it a source of wealth for the country.
There has been discourse surrounding a theory that the RSF is partnered with the United Arab Emirates and is exploiting Sudan of their gold resources to send to the UAE in exchange for weapons. The Emirati government denies that it has any involvement with the RSF, however, the UN has evidence that weapons manufactured in Europe are being utilized by the militia in Sudan.
Members of the United Nations have stated that they will not let this go and will be urging the European Commission to hold a meeting to discuss the possibility of renegotiating trade with the UAE so long as they keep finding evidence that these European weapons are making their way through the United Arab Emirates to the RSF.
In response to the claims, the Envoy of the Minister of Foreign Affairs to the European Union (EU) has stated that the Emirati government has denied these claims several times, which puts the UN and EU in a unique position of whether or not to renegotiate its trade deals with the UAE. The UN justification is there are other ways for the RSF to locate these weapons, although substantial evidence of trade between the RSF and UAE remains.
While there are still many unknowns about the genocide occurring in Sudan, one fact remains: people are being killed by the thousands, and nothing is being done.
Survival should not depend on luck. Being born in a country with a stable government, regardless of a certain gender, race or religion are basic human rights and we must not turn a blind eye to Sudan.
All. Eyes. On. Sudan.
