Sudan crisis

In a country that rarely makes an appearance on news channels in Pakistan and abroad, mass brutalities are taking place – ignored by the rest of the world. Hundreds of thousands of civilians in Sudan are being maimed and killed by a militia, proudly violating the agreements made previously to protect civilians in its war against the Sudanese army. The nine-month-old war started in April last year between the army and the paramilitary group Rapid Support Forces (RSF) – two groups that used to be allies – to seize power. According to data released in October 2023 (six months after the start of the war), around 10,000 people were killed and close to 12,000 were injured. The updated figures are likely to be much higher. This unrest in Sudan has led to a mass displacement crisis, with civilians having no place to go. One unforgettable trait of the year 2023 is that it exposed the masks of decency many countries had worn for decades, making it clear that influential governments see certain humans as nothing more than an inconvenience, whose death and misery are of no significance.

Civilians trapped in the country are being indiscriminately killed, their corpses lying on the streets, and being denied a proper burial. Those left alive are facing hunger and depleting resources. No one is safe in the war zone, and no country or organization in the world has been able to convince the two groups to come to a ceasefire. In case this is forgotten, the unrest in Sudan is hardly organic but is manufactured by those who want access to the country’s minerals and other resources. The sheer senselessness of the violence in the country should make it all the more important to call out the rich nations funding this crisis for profit.

The tale is as old as time: developed nations making progress on the blood of the developing and underdeveloped Global South. Everything is charmed for the Global North. Not even human rights seem to be the same, adding credence to the reality of some being much more equal than others. For example, the Sudanese are seen as dispensable – people whose lives apparently do not matter. But Ukrainians and other white victims deserve unconditional support with no red lines. This is because the exploitation of the Sudanese will help rich nations reach their developmental goals and claim the resources they need to have a powerful standing in global affairs. But in their unquenchable thirst for power, what these countries keep forgetting is that the land never betrays its native, and regardless of how long the fight is, the people of the land manage to survive. Anyone with a conscience would hope the war in Sudan finally comes to an end and the Sudanese have a chance to live in a free country without any intervention from foreign powers.