Since April 2023, Sudan has experienced major political disturbances and clashes between Abdel Fattah al-Burhan, the military commander who is the de facto head of state, and the nation’s paramilitary forces, otherwise known as the Rapid Support Forces. Although Sudan’s current internal crisis is overlooked by many around the globe, it is no secret that the conflict developed much earlier than just this past year.
For decades, Sudan has suffered from poor leadership and thus strained relations on both internal and external levels. In 2019, the Sudanese people overthrew former president Omar al-Bashir who was deemed corrupt by the International Criminal Court. Al-Bashir, who became president in the aftermath of the 1989 Sudanese military coup, accumulated multiple arrest warrants during his 26-year presidential term. The warrants were issued following his involvement in war crimes and genocide during the early 2000s War in Darfur. Due to the instability following the removal of al-Bashir, Sudan experienced a military coup d’état that put its current leader, Abdel Fattah al-Burhan, in charge. The controversy sparked by this coup quickly led to the current violence between the country’s government and the Rapid Support Forces, both of whom are fighting to be the highest governing body. Despite this occurring on a governmental level, the political clashes have in turn sparked violence among Sudanese citizens as well.
Since the beginning of the civil war in April, approximately five million people have been displaced, including nearly 1 million refugees fleeing to other countries. The conflict’s close proximity to hospitals has led to numerous healthcare facilities closing, leaving thousands without medical care. According to the World Health Organization, pregnant Sudanese women not only no longer receive adequate care but are also the group most impacted by the war. Additionally, the civil war has exacerbated the problem of malnutrition among children, contributing to the increase in Sudanese refugees worldwide.
In response to these pressing internal issues, other parts of Africa have stepped in to provide assistance to Sudanese civilians. With the rising number of refugees due to this year’s civil war, neighboring countries such as Egypt, Libya, Chad, South Sudan, the Central African Republic, and Ethiopia have taken in civilians to provide shelter, food, and care. The majority of the refugees consist of women and children, and organizations like the United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees have allocated money to support those suffering. As of July 2023, one in every two Sudanese children is in dire need of humanitarian assistance, and international organizations have expressed concerns about being financially capable of providing relief services to Sudanese refugees, especially since the civil war has yet to end.
In the absence of a quick solution to the civil war, Sudan and its people continue to suffer. As a country that has repeatedly faced problems stemming from the lack of a formalized government, the average Sudanese citizen’s quality of life continues to deteriorate. In the 21st century alone, the nation has gone through a series of leaders who illegitimately acquired control, initiated war within Sudan, or engaged in other actions that jeopardized the well-being of its citizens. It is no surprise that today’s Sudan is characterized by a declining economy, crumbling infrastructure, abuses of power, a high murder rate, and a growing number of refugees. However, despite these challenges, the majority of international governments haven’t done much beyond giving statements of disapproval. These words pale in comparison to the public attention brought to the forefront of other global conflicts, like the Russia-Ukraine War.
When Russia initially fully invaded Ukraine in early 2022, citizens and governments alike took firm stances against humanitarian law violations in person and through online platforms like social media. The Ukrainian flag quickly began featuring in profile pictures and became a symbol of American awareness and support for the nation during the war. Senators and House representatives placed the flag on their desks, pins on their clothing, and hashtags circulated the internet all within a short period. And while the Russia-Ukraine War does inflict tragic impacts on millions, it also raises the question as to why other political conflicts garner significantly less attention from the general public and international governments.
Unfortunately, the lack of awareness surrounding violence, civilian struggle, and inadequate government leadership extends beyond Sudan. Sudan’s neighboring countries have experienced similar challenges. These countries include Egypt in 2011 under former President Hosni Mubarak, Libya in 2014 under former President Muammar Gaddafi, and Syria in 2011 under current President Bashar al-Assad. With all of these historic civil wars and revolutions constituting “the Arab Spring,” Sudan’s repeat of a civil war was unsurprising but nevertheless adequately recognized by the general public of these Middle Eastern countries.
However, the West and other parts of the world have made next to no efforts to raise awareness about Sudan’s civil war within their own nations. For example, U.S. President Joe Biden released a statement in April and a second in May to express his condemnation of the crisis in Sudan and to announce trade sanctions. But since those two statements, the White House has infrequently released other statements surrounding Sudan despite the country’s tragic situation. Likewise, the United Kingdom’s government released a statement in May condemning the humanitarian crisis in Sudan while pledging to protect its nationals impacted by the civil war. While the U.K. possesses significant power similar to the U.S. in matters of foreign affairs, their few, performative calls for actions have had little impact on promoting awareness and educating society outside of Africa about the civil war. As a result, the lack of public consciousness in various parts of the world has led to a bubble of ignorance and apathy.
Such a bubble not only promotes the continuation of human rights violations, but also demonstrates the perceived insignificance of African crises compared to those in Eastern Europe. Global organizations like the United Nations lack sufficient incentive to actively resolve internal government conflicts without public outcry, despite international intervention remaining one of the few solutions left to achieve peace in Sudan. Although the civil war primarily impacts Sudanese people, the history of political instability in Sudan extends to other countries.
South Sudan happens to be just one of many historical examples. With the majority of South Sudan’s citizens being Christian and non-Arab, clashes developed between the region and the rest of Sudan, a predominantly Muslim, Arab country. The clashes inevitably led to years of fighting, deaths, marginalization, and ultimately secession on July 9, 2011, consequently shaping Sudanese politics today. This turmoil left South Sudan as a majority Christian nation and the newest African country. However, the new country’s insufficient resources and lack of legislative bodies have continued to cause problems for both South Sudan and Sudan.
The recent creation of South Sudan also placed a heavy strain on Sudan’s primary oil supply and economic profit, as the majority of the country’s oil fields are located in South Sudan. Interestingly enough, most of the former unified country’s processing machinery for oil production is located in the northern region, leading to foreign involvement to moderate the oil disputes between what are now two separate countries. Yet even with this foreign intervention, South Sudan continues to struggle economically today because of their former reliance on unity with Sudan in terms of oil, as well as infrastructure and basic government institutions.
Collectively, these issues bring us to the forefront of today’s civil war as Sudan attempts to rebuild and restructure itself following decades of instability. Sudan’s crisis goes beyond just two groups fighting for supremacy, and the country is in dire need of peace, economic prosperity, amicable relationships with neighboring nations, and global awareness of its history. Despite frequent misconceptions, the country hasn’t crumbled simply due to a lack of potential, but rather due to a lack of good leadership and global consciousness — and its citizens are bearing the consequences.
