Sudan's Human Rights Crisis.

Sudan, Africa’s third largest country is nestled in the heart of Africa on the West Coast of the River Nile. Its ascension would stem from the great Egyptian Empires of the Pharaonic Period and would eventually be settled by Arab nomads who would spread Islam to majority of the population, however the South would remain largely Christian and Animist.

Such a rich and diverse country, with such a bloody past was bound to create issues in governance. While attaining independence from the British in 1953, Sudan has seen a flurry of military regimes and half-hearted parliamentary governments. Since 1983, over 2 million people have died in Sudan due to ongoing famine and political strife. 

This exacerbated the political divide and in 2011, South Sudan gained autonomy from its Northern counterpart. The divide deepened, and now it split the population and the makeshift government, which has led to rampant human rights atrocities which are seen today.  

Sudan’s current borders were devised by the British over a century ago, resulting in the South being a lush ground for vegetation, in comparison to its Northern region, which resembles a desert wasteland.

When South Sudan declared independence, this created huge agricultural issues, as the South provided much of the food for the Northern region. The central government in Khartoum was too indifferent to the needs of each region, eventually erupting into a brutal Civil War.

This sprung out into many proxy wars and militias striving for control leading to tribal conflicts in which hundreds of villages were burned to the ground and thousands of innocent people displaced. The Human Rights atrocities committed led to the President Al-Bashir being indicted for war crimes by the ICC. The total death toll reached 300 000 and is still rising. As the demonstrations become more widespread, rampant and systematic rape, pillaging and murder is becoming commonplace.

President Bashir’s regime was overthrown in April 2019, leaving the army to take control in a military coup which established a Transitional Military Council to administer the country. This resulted in suspending the nations constitution and dissolved all elements of the Government, leaving the Military in full control of the nation.

Currently, there is no stable, central government. The military coalition is losing control of the region and with an economic crisis at its tail, the government has implemented new measures that raised prices of commodities such as food, water and fuel. 

To tackle inflation, they essentially stopped money from reaching the people, grossly inflating the currency. The demonstrations grew as the restrictions placed further limitations on the people, eventually the movement shifted from social reform to political reform, a change in the system, a change in the government. 

This led to countrywide protests. The peaceful demonstrators rallied in such high numbers that they threatened the security of the regime and was so met with brute force. This has led to political suppression of the demonstrators, being abused and attacked within the streets and an internet blackout within the country.

The situation is worsening daily. The nation celebrated the end of Ramadan with a bloody Eid. Hundreds of worshippers were massacred, and the streets were red with blood. Mass rape of women and children have been reported and is becoming more widespread as desperation and brutality are ripping the nation apart. As the government lose more control, they will become more ruthless to maintain even a shred of control over the nation.

The future of Sudan looks bleak, but there is a ray of hope. The people of Sudan have united under a common cause and millions are demonstrating and protesting, demanding real change. What is happening in Sudan right now can be the emergence of true independence, where the people can finally be free to choose their path into the future. 

But they cannot do it alone, their neighbouring countries, the United Nations and indeed the World need to recognise what is happening in Sudan right now will have drastic effects on its future. Let us all hope that it remains a bright one.