FAMINE will become widespread in Sudan if the conflict continues to escalate, according to a report by FEWSNET. Like the Darfur genocide from 2003 onwards, most deaths were caused by dire humanitarian and famine conditions, rather than from direct violence. Over twenty years later, history is repeating itself.
Most of Sudan is already experiencing emergency levels of food insecurity (IPC Phase 4) and famine conditions (IPC Phase 5) are growing at alarming speed. The price of food in markets doubled in April, compared to the previous 12 months.
"As huge numbers flee the violence, starvation has now spilled beyond Sudan’s borders, where humanitarian assistance is glaringly absent. The World Food Programme (WFP) had already cut aid to Chad and was only focusing on the immediate needs of newly arrived refugees. Now WFP coffers are empty, and its stopped all aid to Sudanese refugees who are largely abandoned to suffer the worst imaginable conditions," said Shayna Lewis, Sudan Specialist at Avaaz.
While the $2 billion pledged by international donors for the Sudan Humanitarian Appeal is welcome, questions remain about the speed with which funds will be disbursed. Unfortunately, the money may arrive too late to save lives on the ground.
This was underscored by the U.S. Special Envoy to Sudan, Tom Perriello who last month lamented that “even if the war ended tomorrow, we would still be unable to prevent a famine that is on its way. We’d only be able to reduce its acuteness and duration.”
Interviews available on request
Avaaz is in contact with human rights defenders, civilians, and Emergency Response Room (ERRs) volunteers across Sudan. If you would like to be connected with people on the ground, please reach out to: shayna@avaaz.org or media@avaaz.org
Names have been changed due to safety concerns.
Until July 2023, “Sara” worked in North Darfur providing psychosocial support to victims of rape and recorded 27 cases from April 15, 2023 through to July 2023. Having now relocated to Kampala, she continues to monitor and document the conflict, and continues to support other human rights defenders in Darfur who are continuing this work. She highlighted the conditions faced by civilians that were recently displaced from their homes by attacks on villages to the west of El Fasher since March 31:
“Newly displaced people are staying in schools and they have a lot of hunger, malnutrition, and disease. There is no women’s hygiene, and there are also reported cases of rapes, around 17, in western El Fasher amongst the communities that were displaced from the burned villages.”
Though some local, Sudanese-led humanitarian initiatives are providing support to the newly displaced, they urgently need funds to expand their capacity. This is the reality for civilians in El Fasher amidst a severe lack of international humanitarian assistance.
The Rapid Support Forces (RSF) is building an earthen wall around El Fasher to create a “kill box” and prevent civilians fleeing the besieged city, satellite imagery suggests.
People caught trying to smuggle food into the besieged city of El Fasher are being “executed on sight” by the Rapid Support Forces (RSF), according to one civilian.
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