Sudan: Global Food Monitor Declares Famine in Darfur

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Facts

• According to a report published by the Famine Review Committee of the Integrated Food Security Phase Classification on Thursday, the 15-month-long war in Sudan has caused famine in parts of Sudan’s North Darfur region — especially the Zamzam camp for displaced people.^[1][2]
• The report posits that North Darfur is experiencing the fifth phase of food insecurity or “the worst form of hunger,” indicating famine, in which at least one in five people or households have an extreme lack of food and face starvation.^[3][4]
• With escalating conflict severely impeding humanitarian access, the report found that famine is likely to persist at the Zamzam camp — which reportedly houses at least 500K people — at least until October.^[5][6]
• The paramilitary Rapid Support Forces has laid siege to Darfur, reportedly blocking aid to reach the displaced camps for months. The report warned that children in the area are “at death’s door” due to blockades on essential supplies.^[7]
• This is just the third time a famine determination — which means that displaced people have already started dying of hunger, malnutrition, and infection — has been made since the monitoring system was set up 20 years ago.^[8][9]
• According to the World Food Program, more than half of Sudan’s population faces acute hunger — including 755K people facing catastrophic conditions. More than 10M Sudanese are displaced.^[10][11]

Sources: ^[1]UN News, ^[2]Washington Post, ^[3]Associated Press, ^[4]Ipcinfo, ^[5]Reuters (a), ^[6]Sudan Tribune, ^[7]Al Jazeera, ^[8]UNICEF USA, ^[9]Reuters (b), ^[10]New York Times and ^[11]XINHUA.

Narratives

• Pro-establishment narrative, as provided by CNN. It's more important than ever to protect Sudan from collapsing entirely. With millions who fled horrific violence going hungry for months, a repeat genocide is underway in the war-torn country. This is a people-made crisis, and it can be resolved if the guns are silenced and agencies are empowered to deliver relief to people forced to leave their homes. The country not only needs urgent funding, but the gravity of the situation on the ground demands safe and unimpeded humanitarian access.
• Pro-establishment narrative, as provided by New York Times. It's more important than ever to protect Sudan from collapsing entirely. With millions who fled horrific violence going hungry for months, a repeat genocide is underway in the war-torn country. This is a people-made crisis, and it can be resolved if the guns are silenced and agencies are empowered to deliver relief to people forced to leave their homes. The country not only needs urgent funding, but the gravity of the situation on the ground demands safe and unimpeded humanitarian access.
• Establishment-critical narrative, as provided by Down To Earth. Sudan's Darfur region was once dubbed the nation's breadbasket as it contributed over half of the country's total cereal production. Despite conflict, displacement, and humanitarian access constraints, it shouldn't be facing famine. The US-backed secession of what's now called South Sudan — to gain control of its oil — has turned Sudan upside down, causing the harrowing conditions in Darfur. The UN's warning will be brushed aside as the Western elites have no desire to fix the mess they've created.
• Establishment-critical narrative, as provided by World Socialist Web Site. Sudan's Darfur region was once dubbed the nation's breadbasket as it contributed over half of the country's total cereal production. Despite conflict, displacement, and humanitarian access constraints, it shouldn't be facing famine. The US-backed secession of what's now called South Sudan — to gain control of its oil — has turned Sudan upside down, causing the harrowing conditions in Darfur. The UN's warning will be brushed aside as the Western elites have no desire to fix the mess they've created.

Predictions