Grave concern over the situation in Sudan
On the 15th of April, one year will have passed since full scale civil war broke out in Sudan. The situation is beyond dire, over 8 million people are displaced from their homes and the UN recently warned that the population is facing catastrophic hunger. The hope of a democratic Sudan now seems far away, and the country is a glaring example of how fragile democratic transitional periods can be after a peaceful people led revolution.
In the midst of a humanitarian crisis, it is essential that local civil society groups are protected and included in any political process, in the hope of achieving a ceasefire and a lasting peace.
In addition to the general fighting continuing, the warring parties now also clamp down on civil society actors, even those delivering lifesaving assistance. Volunteers are being arrested and threatened, limiting access to humanitarian aid according to local volunteers.
For many Sudanese now, it is a struggle to eat even one meal a day. Reports coming out indicate that mass hunger is looming. The yields of the harvests this year are very low, inflation and lack of access to cash continue to be an issue. The politicization and shutdowns of the telecoms networks are also resulting in civilians not being able to receive assistance through the local mobile money app that many have come to rely on. There is a significant rise in the cost of food and insecurity is making it challenging for traders to even access markets.
Some of the only humanitarian assistance now is being provided by local responders like the Emergency Response Rooms. They continue to bravely do what they can in the midst of immense challenges. These are volunteers that are serving their community in the spirit of mutual aid and within Sudanese cultural traditions like Nafeer – a call to come together and help your neighbours. The grassroots movement that took to the streets in 2019 in the struggle for a better and more democratic society is central to the emergency response today. As NPA, since the war broke out, we have supported these initiatives and their efforts to help their community. Yet, no matter how valuable and effective these efforts are, they are not enough to address the massive needs on the ground. We need safe cooridoors to deliver humanitarian aid, especially in areas that have been inaccessible due to the conflict and active fighting.
While the Sudanese people desperately need a ceasefire and peace, we cannot wait for that to deliver humanitarian assistance. Sudan is now arguably the biggest humanitarian crisis in the world, and we cannot close our eyes and ignore the plight of the Sudanese people; they deserve more than this devastating war and suffering.
The only way to end this war and address the immense humanitarian needs in Sudan is through peaceful dialogue and a political process. It is critical that such processes are inclusive of not just the warring parties, but Sudanese civilians. There is a need to support Sudanese to organize a peace process that is inclusive and represents the diversity of Sudanese society and driven by the values they fought for in the revolution.
NPA stands in solidarity with the Sudanese people on this 1-year anniversary of the war and continue support them in their vision of a peaceful democratic and just Sudan.
