What’s Happening?
The World Continues to Ignore Sudan
For the last three years, the violence in Sudan that erupted between the Sudanese Armed Forces (SAF) and the Rapid Support Forces (RSF), and exacerbated by external influences, has led to thousands of senseless deaths and millions of Sudanese forcibly displaced from their homes, making this the largest humanitarian catastrophe and fastest growing displacement crisis in the world.
Famine, particularly among children, is widespread. Islamic Relief research found that almost half of Sudan’s crucial community kitchens have closed in the past six months, exacerbating the risk of famine, which in many places, has reached calamitous levels.
Sexual violence is rampant and used as a weapon of war against Sudanese women who are forced to fend for themselves. Both the Sudanese Armed Forces and the Rapid Support Forces are responsible for countless atrocities, war crimes, and acts that meet the definition of genocide.
And yet, the international community and our own government remains totally silent, offering empty promises of a vague humanitarian truce or otherwise, shifting aside and deprioritizing the devastating conflict. Human rights organizations and Sudanese activists continue, year after year, to raise the alarm on the massacre of the Sudanese, so brutal that bloodstains were picked up by satellite images and confirming our worst fear: genocide has, yet again, taken place in Darfur.
Policy Perspectives
Where is Congress?
Aside from a couple of targeted sanctions implemented by the U.S. Department of Treasury and occasional acknowledgements from administration officials, the U.S. government has failed to produce any meaningful action. The need for humanitarian assistance and aid grows rapidly each year, but with the shuttering of USAID and sharp cuts to foreign aid in general, very little can be done for the Sudanese, especially with programs focused on lifesaving health, nutrition, wash and protection service delivery coming to an end this July.
Now, more than ever, Americans need to ramp up the pressure on Congress to call for an immediate ceasefire, implement a humanitarian truce, and deliver life-saving food and medical assistance. Thousands of Sudanese civilians are being killed in plain view of the international community; we cannot afford to look away.
Angry about the injustice the Sudanese are facing? Join Emgage Action on the Hill April 20-23 and demand Congress take immediate action to end the violence in Sudan. We need volunteers to amplify the voices of the Sudanese people and make it clear to lawmakers that we have a responsibility to act.
Last week, we hosted an amazing panel of experts to talk about the recent escalation in Darfur, how we got there, and what peace looks like for Sudan. If you missed it, you can watch it here.
On Our Radar
Sudan Advocacy Week: April 20 - 23
Feeling frustrated? Want to do something? Emgage Action is organizing volunteers for our upcoming Sudan Advocacy Week to urge Congress to strengthen action on humanitarian access and civilian protection. Interested? Sign up today!
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