By Enyichukwu Enemanna
The prolonged political crisis in Sudan has portrayed Africa as a continent where the lives of the citizens are not accorded adequate value by those presiding over our affairs. This is manifestly seen in the way warring parties in the country have been going about their businesses despite the bodies of citizens littering all over the street on the account of their refusal to lay down arms and give room for dialogue.
Leadership that ought to be synonymous with empathy, humaneness and care is believed to be lacking in the minds of many African leaders, a development that has over the decades perpetually kept the continent on the lower radar of developmental affairs. Poverty, hunger, starvation, disease have remained with the people despite overwhelming mineral deposits underneath the earth that could serve as catalyst for infrastructural and human capital development.
The United Nations has warned that no fewer than five million people in parts of the war-torn country could face “catastrophic” hunger in coming months as a result of the lingering political crisis.
The Heritage Times (HT) recalls that war broke out in Sudan on April 15 last year after weeks of tension between the army and para-military organisation, the Rapid Support Forces (RSF) over details of the country’s democratic transition and the integration of the RSF into the army, four years after former ruler Omar al-Bashir was deposed in an uprising.
Many Sudanese and analysts see the war as essentially a battle for political and military supremacy between army chief Gen Abdel Fattah Al Burhan and his one-time ally, now RSF commander, Gen Mohamed Dagalo.
Both have long been suspected of harbouring political ambitions. The Heritage Times (HT) also recalls that in 2021, they jointly derailed Sudan’s democratic transition when they staged a coup that toppled a civilian-led transitional government. Both claimed the move was necessary to spare the country a civil war.
However, 11 months down the line, the impact of the war has extended to agricultural production, damage to major infrastructure and livelihoods, disruptions to trade flows, severe price increases, impediments to humanitarian access, large-scale displacement among others.
In a note to the Security Council on Friday, United Nations aid chief Martin Griffiths called for urgent action to forestall impending humanitarian crisis. “Without urgent humanitarian assistance and access to basic commodities … almost 5 million people could slip into catastrophic food insecurity in some parts of the country in the coming months,” Griffiths wrote.
He said it was likely that some people in West and Central Darfur would move into those famine conditions as security worsens and the lean season, which lasts from April-July approaches – the time of year when food availability is low because farmers are planting. Cross-border aid delivery from Chad to Darfur is a “critical lifeline,” Griffiths said.
He noted further that about 730,000 children throughout Sudan are projected to suffer severe acute malnutrition, including over 240,000 children in Darfur, Griffiths wrote.
“An unprecedented surge in the treatment of severe wasting, the most lethal manifestation of malnutrition, is already being observed in accessible areas,” Griffiths said.
Also, according to a globally recognised food security index, the number of Sudanese facing emergency levels of hunger, one stage before famine – has more than tripled to almost five million since the war broke out.
In the country’s capital, reports say hundreds of thousands of people face a daily struggle to find food as communal kitchens they depend on are threatened by drastic reduction in supplies, coupled with communications blackout across various parts of the country in recent weeks. In Darfur, some areas have reportedly not received any aid since the war started.
About 25 million people, representing half Sudan’s population are in need of humanitarian aid while nearly 8 million have fled their homes, the U.N. has said.
“We are in grave danger of epic, biblical style famine in Sudan,” Jan Egeland, head of the Norwegian Refugee Council, said in an interview after visiting camps in Chad mid-February where over half a million Sudanese refugees now reside.
Parties Guilty Of War Crimes — US
Several rounds of US-and-Saudi brokered peace talks have failed over the last few months as destruction continues in most part of the country already dealing with poverty and economic crisis.
Washington while expressing worry over the humongous humanitarian crisis created by the war accused the Sudanese Armed Forces (SAF) and para-military Rapid Support Forces (RSF) of being guilty of war crimes.
The US Secretary of State Antony Blinken in a statement said Washington found that the RSF and their allied militias committed crimes against humanity and ethnic cleansing.
“The expansion of the needless conflict between RSF and the SAF has caused grievous human suffering,” Blinken said.
He urged both sides to “stop this conflict now, comply with their obligations under international humanitarian and human rights law, and hold accountable those responsible for atrocities.”
The RSF has been accused of orchestrating an ethnic massacre in West Darfur, 20 years after the region was the site of a genocidal campaign. Also In the capital, Khartoum, residents have accused the para-military of rape, looting and imprisoning civilians.
Experts have also said SAF’s air and artillery attacks on residential neighbourhoods believed to be RSF strongholds could be considered violations of international law, especially with the massive civilian casualties recorded in such attacks.
No Peace With Traitors — Al-Burhan
The Sudanese army chief Gen Abdel Fattah Al-Burhan has repeatedly denounced the RSF as “traitors” and promised a decisive victory in a speech, rejecting calls for a ceasefire. Despite his claim that the RSF will be defeated since August last year, there is no indication this has been achieved seven months later.
“We do not make deals with traitors, we do not make deals with anyone who has betrayed the Sudanese people,” al-Burhan told cheering soldiers at the Flamingo Base in Port Sudan.
Al-Burhan at that time had embarked on a tour of bases in army-controlled regions and thereafter travelled to Saudi Arabia and later Egypt, where it was speculated that a peace deal will imminent but it later collapsed.
“We are dedicating all our time to this war … to ending this rebellion,” al-Burhan said, promising a quick and decisive victory. According to him, the RSF “are completely exhausted – just a little effort and they will be finished.”
Meanwhile, the RSF leader Gen. Mohammed Hamdan Dagalo has said he was committed to a cease-fire to end the devastating war. He had met in Pretoria with South African President Cyril Ramaphosa where he briefed Ramaphosa on the “considerable efforts taken to end this war.”
“I emphasized our unwavering commitment to cease hostilities.”
It’s A Product Of Greed, Insensitivity — Analyst
Meanwhile, an African affairs analyst and a lecturer at Baze University Abuja, Nigeria, Dr. Nkem Clifford blamed the lingering war on the insensitivity of the Army commander and the RSF leader, accusing them of placing their personal interest above the unity and peaceful co-existence of their country.
He said the squabble between both parties on who heads the government has led to the killing of over 15,000 persons since April last year, expressing worry that the citizens are at the receiving end of fight.
He said, “Well I am not surprised that nearly one year, nothing has been achieved in terms of ceasing hostilities among these two leaders – on their own rights. Don’t also forget Sudan is historically a politically volatile country that is constantly prone to arm struggle. It was this same unending political squabble that later led to the creation of South Sudan in 2011, which today is the youngest country in the world.
“Don’t ask me about how South Sudan has been faring since this exit because you know over half of the years it has existed as an independent nation was used in fighting internal battles and one man still remains at the helm of affairs till date, which on its own is also a recipe for war.
“But in all these, one can easily deduce greed and avarice on the side of those holding leadership positions in Africa. They would rather see the country in turmoil and chaos than relinquishing power when it is time to do so.
“That is also why you see people, only in Africa who have spent 10, 20 and in some cases 30 years in office yet they are ready to spill blood to remain in office,” he stated.
Dr. Clifford therefore called on the military and RSF leaders to explore dialogue to ensure an end to the crisis in the overall interest of the “suffering” and “disadvantaged” Sudanese. He further advised that machinery should be put in place to commence transition to civilian rule through a credible electoral process.
