Sudanese civilians facing extreme levels of violence, abuse, malnourishment

By Linda Bordoni

The fighting between the Sudanese Army and the paramilitary Rapid Support Forces (RSF) has so far killed at least 15,000 men, women and children. It has displaced over 9 million, of whom 8 million are within the nation and over a million in neighbouring Chad and South Sudan. 

An estimated 25 million people need humanitarian assistance to survive, and aid deliveries have been blocked in some areas.

Aid workers on the ground, such as MSF doctors and staff, are appealing for the protection of civilians and of medical workers as, they say, civil infrastructure including health facilities are targeted by fighters. They also denounce a shocking level of cruelty on the part of soldiers and militias who reportedly massacre civilians in total disregard for Humanitarian Law.

Violations against children

Speaking this week, the United Nations envoy charged with reporting on violations against children in conflicts around the world says that first and foremost she is worried about what's happening to youngsters in war-torn Sudan.

Virginia Gamba said her concern “for the rest of this year and beginning of next year, is first and foremost Sudan, particularly Darfur, and Chad because [the war] is expanding."

She noted that the "ferocious armed struggle" between the warring parties has led to the blacklisting of both the paramilitary RSF and the Sudanese Armed Forces for killing and maiming, raping and committing other acts of sexual violence, as well as attacking schools and hospitals.

Leaders of the Group of Seven most industrialized nations who conclude their Summit on Saturday, 15 May, also focused on the situation in the northeastern African nation. According to a draft statement, they urged external actors to stop fuelling the conflict in Sudan where, they said, the situation "was constantly deteriorating with increased civilian casualties".

Hunger

Meanwhile, adding to the woes of the people, millions are currently facing starvation as the war has paralysed the economy, and the RSF has taken Gezira state which has the biggest agricultural scheme in the country.

The Khartoum Aid Kitchen, which provides food and has been keeping tens of thousands of people alive in the Sudanese capital, warned that by September they expect about 70% of the population to be "extremely hungry" and that this could lead to as many as four million deaths from starvation.

(Source various news agencies)