CONTENT WARNING: This article contains discussions of war and sexual violence
Many readers will notice that I write extensively about world events. I often get the question from my peers: “Why do you care so much about what happens in other places? Isn’t there enough to focus on here?”
And though the majority of people who read my articles appreciate that I go global, it is important to highlight why I believe the ISU community should also be concerned about these issues, especially when it comes to what is happening in Sudan.
Ames is a city deep in the heart of the American midwest, and naturally, it is less of a concern to many people here what happens 7,000 miles away. It is like asking people in Europe to care about the affairs of an individual U.S. state. You will no doubt find an interest, but nothing substantial.
However, as a university we have a special platform to raise concerns about certain issues, and people in our community often rely on us to direct their attention to certain places. I say this because I know how the community works. My family has been in Iowa for over 100 years and has lived in Ames for close to 70.
As a state, moreover, Iowa is highly intelligent and politically active. Students have displayed intense engagement with my articles about world politics, and I believe that spurring a conversation about Sudan on college campuses can lead to further engagement which can hopefully generate improved outcomes.
Furthermore, what is taking place in Sudan is so abhorrent and so large-scale that it requires the attention of the world. We also undoubtedly have people on campus and in our community who are affected by this crisis, so it is only natural that we should seriously discuss these issues.
So, what is going on in Sudan? According to the United Nations Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs (OCHA), “Sudan faces the worst levels of acute food insecurity in its history, with more than half of its population – 25.6 million people – in acute hunger. That includes more than 8.5 million people facing emergency levels of hunger (IPC 4), as well as more than 755,000 people who are in catastrophic conditions (IPC 5) in Greater Darfur, South and North Kordofan, Blue Nile, Al Jazirah, and Khartoum.”
Given public outrage surrounding topics like the war in Gaza, one might assume – given how staggering the data is – that people are also out protesting for relief in Sudan. However, this is not the case. In no way am I attempting to minimize the horror taking place real-time in Gaza (which our leaders continue to perpetuate), but I simply believe that if we care about the virtues of morality and justice, it is essential that movements which bring awareness to Sudan receive adequate attention and concern.
I highly recommend looking into the investigations conducted by Reuters, which detail the events taking place across the war-torn country. It outlines the brief history of how the most recent conflict between two generals competing for power began, and what events have followed since that fateful day in April, 2023 when shots were first fired.
What is most concerning about the conflict is the sheer brutality of it. In particular, the Rapid Support Forces (RSF) led by Mohamed Hamdan “Hemedti” Dagalo have shown themselves to be merciless in their war-time approach. Their actions stir up traumatic memories of the earlier Darfur genocide committed by a “military-led government in Sudan and their proxy militia, known as Janjaweed.” Tragically, ethnic violence has not ceased.
In fact, it has returned particularly in cities like El Geneina in West Darfur, where the city’s ethnic majority, the Masalit-tribe, has been terrorized by the RSF. For example, in one Reuter’s investigation, mass graves were found in El Geneina, where people were “killed in their homes, in the streets and in mosques.” In addition, women and girls were aggressively sought out to be raped. The situation is so dire in El Geneina that one survivor describes the city as nothing but “swamps of blood” and that the war represented the “end of days.” It is not only in El Geneina where things are grim. This conflict has the potential to destabilize the entire region of North Africa. As the BBC reports, “whatever happens militarily or politically in the capital, Khartoum, ripples across some of the most fragile parts of the continent.”
It is a highly complex and terrifying conflict, with many dynamics that make it difficult to resolve. However, this should not drive people to be defeatist regarding improvement. Sudanese citizens, like any other population, have the right to self-determination. It is up to us around the world to do everything we can to spread awareness so they can realize it.
