In April 2023, a civil war broke out between two military factions of the Sudanese government, the Sudanese Armed Forces and the paramilitary group known as the Rapid Support Forces. The conflict has roots in the overthrowing of President Omar al-Bashir, who himself came to power through a coup in 1989.
A civilian government was then established afterwards, which was once again overthrown in another coup in 2021. That coup was staged by Abdel Fattah al-Burnan, the head of the Armed Forces, and Mohamed Hamdan Dagalo, head of the RSF. But political disagreements over power structures between the two have led to the civil war.
The result has been referred to as the worst humanitarian crisis in the world. Over 150,000 people have been killed, and more than 500,000 children have died from malnutrition due to a lack of access to aid.
This disastrous effect has been perpetuated by both sides that are actively committing war crimes, such as destroying hospitals, blockading access to aid and withholding necessary medical resources from over 30 million people. While both the SAF and RSF are committing crimes, the US Department of State has classified the RSF’s actions against non-Arab minority groups as a genocide, especially targeting those who do not practice Islam.
The United Arab Emirates has been accused of providing arms to the RSF in exchange for gold, and its government has been caught profiting from and assisting RSF forces in the war, by setting up aid sites and providing weaponry in exchange for this precious resource. The UAE, of course, has denied these claims.
Any attempt at ending the war in Sudan has failed. Peace talks occurred in Bahrain and Saudi Arabia, but both sides continue to fuel the flame and there seems to be no end in sight. Attempts at humanitarian work have also not been successful, due to the Trump administration deciding to cut aid from Sudan, where twenty-four million people are facing food insecurity.
Despite this, Sudan faces little to no diplomatic recognition. No widespread protests, no influencers with flags or hashtags in their bios—just silence. It seems that the same people who advocated for other political issue have selective empathy when it comes to Sudan, and this only allows for injustice to thrive.
But anyone can make a difference in this crisis, including teens, whether through online advocacy or raising awareness in your local community. It can be as simple as contacting representatives, supporting verified aid organizations, and attending local protests.
The Arab world continues to profit off of this genocide. And until the international community applies the same standards as they have for Palestine and Ukraine, both of which have drastically lower casualty rates, the Sudanese people will continue to be forgotten.
