Humanitarian protection in Sudan and diaspora response #3

In this blog we will discuss the humanitarian protection in Sudan and diaspora response as for the past month, Sudan has been plagued by intense fighting between the Sudanese Armed Forces (SAF) and the Rapid Support Forces (RSF), resulting in devastating consequences for civilians and critical infrastructure. The clashes have particularly impacted Khartoum, the capital, and the Darfur region.

An agreement was signed on Thursday, 11 May, labelled a “declaration of commitment” in Jeddah by Sudan’s warring factions, following a week of talks mediated by hosts Saudi Arabia and the United States. However, the agreement did not include a ceasefire, and the Sudanese army and the Rapid Support Forces (RSF) paramilitary returned to their war the next day, with air strikes and artillery rounds pummelling the capital Khartoum.

The conflict continues to take a toll on innocent lives, killing at least 676 people and injuring 5,576 since the fighting began, including a popular artist who was known for her calls for unity. In one of her last posts on Facebook, she said: “We have been trapped in our houses for 25 days. We are hungry and living in an enormous fear, but are full of ethics and values,”. In her last post just 12 hours before she was killed, she wrote “To every Sudanese who loves to write, we will write, for the first time, for future generations, a history that is known and with all accuracy and credibility. You are an eyewitness to everything that happened in Sudan.”

The war is affecting essential resources. A factory that played a crucial role in producing supplies for the treatment of malnourished children (UNICEF) was engulfed in flames on 13 May. The Samil Foods factory, which was subsidised by the French nutritional manufacturer Nutriset, produced a vital nutritious peanut paste called ‘Plumpy Nut’, which combats food insecurity for children across the country. The fire not only destroyed supplies to treat 14,500 malnourished children but also caused irreparable damage to the factory’s machinery.

Moreover, the ongoing violence poses a severe threat to the main planting season and exacerbates the risk of food insecurity for the population (ReliefWeb). The conflict has resulted in dramatic price increases for staple goods and shortages of essential imported items, such as wheat flour, oil, and tomato paste. Insecurity and transportation disruptions have further hindered access to food and other necessities. Cash is depleting in banks, due to insecurity and looting. And because of the intermittent internet connection, banking apps continue to be disrupted, leaving room for exploitation. Live NetBlocks metrics show a further collapse of internet service with the connectivity across the country now at 1% of ordinary levels amid severe energy and fuel shortages and damage to the infrastructure resulting from the conflict.

Map showing locations in Sudan that are affected. Humanitarian protection in Sudan and diaspora response

Beam reports interactive map showing locations of clashes between the Sudanese Army and the Rapid Support Forces.

Diaspora Role

Sudanese in the diaspora continue to actively engage in providing a humanitarian response and trying to bridge the gap caused by the reduced INGO and NGO operations in the country. They are fundraising and conducting crisis advocacy and media engagement to raise global awareness of humanitarian needs in the country #KeepEyesOnSudan.

We are seeing innovative ways of raising funds such as a comedy night where Ola Labib, a Sudanese comedian, held a comedy night with other comedians in London and raised money for medical assistance.

Fundraiser posted to raise money for medical supplies in Sudan. Humanitarian protection in Sudan and diaspora response

Community support

A lot of support and messages of solidarity have been extended to the Sudanese diaspora from organisations in host countries. Croydon Refugee & New Communities Forum, which is a platform for Migrant Voices, called for an urgent meeting to explore ways to respond to the displacement crisis, focusing on unaccompanied minors and secondary displacement. Another urgent meeting was convened by the African and Caribbean Leadership Consortium in Northern Ireland offering support to the Sudanese diaspora.

While the above support is appreciated by the diaspora, Sudanese are calling for support from the international community to initiatives on the ground in Sudan. There are several initiatives by grassroots and resistance committees responding to the crisis. Several emergency rooms emerged in neighbourhoods in Khartoum addressing the urgent needs for evacuation, medical assistance and creating safe corridors.

Salama posts and responds to urgent daily needs from all over Khartoum through their facebook page. #سلامة #salama

ٍٍSalmeen is an initiative started by a Sudanese diaspora Doctor to address the urgent needs on the Sudanese border with Egypt. A group of volunteers worked tirelessly and erected medical first aid tents, fixed the broken toilet facilities, and cleaned the border area to create a safer healthier environment. #مبادره_سالمين

The Safe Passage initiative aims to create safe passages for people to travel in the current conditions in Sudan. In addition, it is intended to provide food supplies for affected families. This was created by diaspora members and is operated via whatsapp.

Advocacy

To help humanitarian protection in Sudan the diaspora response continues by the diaspora continuing to advocate for human rights in Sudan. There are many examples of crisis advocacy. Prominent activists, including three female healthcare professionals, have received alarming threats in the past week. Sudan Women’s Rights Action advocacy (SUWRA) issued a joint statement in response to this alarming situation, signed by Governance Programming overseas (GPO), Sudanese Women Unionists, Justice Center for Advocacy and Legal Consultations amongst others, urging both parties in the conflict and the international community to prioritize the protection of Women Rights Defenders (WHRDs) in line with international human rights standards. They call for humanitarian aid organisations to provide emergency relief services and support the work of local WHRDs and feminists. Additionally, there is a need for the UN Human Rights Council to establish an international investigation mechanism to investigate threats and reprisals against WHRDs and document cases of sexual and gender-based violence. Women and feminist movements globally are urged to amplify the voices of Sudanese WHRDs, drawing attention to their plight and advocating for their safety.

Another example of an advocacy campaign is one initiated by Sudan’s Doctors for Human Rights on twitter via posters calling for Human Rights Principles to be upheld.