UN Chief: Sudanese People Living a 'Nightmare of Violence'

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Facts

  • UN Secretary-General Antonio Guterres warned on Monday that the people of Sudan are enduring a 'nightmare' marked by hunger, disease, and ethnic violence amidst the world's largest displacement crisis. However, he also stated that the conditions are not yet suitable for the deployment of a UN force.[1][2]
  • Guterres called for 'decisive action' from rival generals Abdel-Fattah al-Burhan, who leads the Sudanese Armed Forces (SAF), and Mohamed Hamdan Dagalo of the Rapid Support Forces (RSF) to put an end to the ongoing violence. He noted that, 18 months into the war, 25M people now require humanitarian aid.[3][4]
  • The UN has reported that since fighting erupted between the army (SAF) and the paramilitary RSF in April 2023, over 12.2K people have died and over 33K have been injured. Mass killings and sexual violence are reportedly ravaging the country, leaving the people distraught.[5][6]
  • The war has also displaced over 11M people, triggering a devastating humanitarian and health crisis. Some 3M of those displaced have reportedly fled to neighboring countries. Guterres said that, in North Darfur, up to 750K people were facing 'catastrophic food insecurity' and famine.[7][8]
  • On Oct. 25 alone, the RSF reportedly killed at least 124 people in a village in Sudan's El Gezira State — one of the deadliest incidents in the conflict. The US has blamed the Sudanese authorities for undermining, intimidating, and targeting humanitarian officials.[9]
  • In January, International Criminal Court prosecutor Karim Khan suggested that both warring sides may be committing war crimes, crimes against humanity, or genocide in Darfur. Sudan’s UN Ambassador Al-Harith Idriss has blamed 'regional and international players' for the violence.[10][11]

Sources: [1]Firstpost, [2]The North West Star, [3]Voice of America, [4]UN News, [5]Middleeastmonitor, [6]Dabanga Radio TV Online, [7]Democracy Now, [8]Al Jazeera, [9]Arab News, [10]Washington Post and [11]Sudan Tribune.

Narratives

  • Narrative A, as provided by Guardian. As Sudan burns, a cynical game of geopolitical chess unfolds. The UAE funnels weapons to the RSF while Egypt and Saudi Arabia back the opposing SAF. Russia plays both sides opportunistically, even as arms from China, Turkey, Iran, and Serbia flood the battlefield. Meanwhile, the same neighboring countries arming the conflict turn away desperate refugees. The UN's humanitarian efforts remain critically underfunded despite the international community's indifference.
  • Narrative B, as provided by Middleeastmonitor. The unspeakable and underreported tragedy of Sudan is the suffering of its children. Nearly 5M are suffering from hunger — many in crowded refugee camps. Once-ambitious students who nurtured dreams now sit idle, their education stolen. Each day brings new horrors — child soldiers, sexual violence, and the crushing weight of trauma. A generation stands at the precipice with all stakeholders in the conflict bearing responsibility for their future.

Predictions