Continuation of the Non-Sensical War in Sudan, Without the Slightest Regard for Civilian Lives
Faisal Al-Baqer
First Orbit:
War is young at its inception... It seeks, with its adornments, every ignorant person... Until when it becomes fierce and its flames ignite... It returns as an old lady with no companions... She shaved her hair and disguised herself... Detested by perfume and kisses... (Amr ibn Maad Yakrib)
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I write on this morning, Wednesday, August 23, 2023, and the catastrophic war in Sudan continues to rage mercilessly in Khartoum and Omdurman. The war takes the form of aerial sorties by military aircraft, countered by ground forces from the Rapid Support Forces. Between attacks and bombardments, assaults and counterattacks, battles unfold that have demonstrated, and continue to demonstrate daily, that this is a futile and losing war.
As it continues to unfold, it is most horrific in Greater Darfur. The warring parties, the Rapid Support Forces and the Sudanese Army, are engaged in a war of proxies, irrational and senseless. They rush forward with unbalanced steps, committing patent foolishness, in a fervent military race to gain ground. In vain, they believe that with this exposed tactic, they can strengthen their negotiating position in the deliberate negotiations in Jeddah. Or so the instigators of this cursed war think, as they exchange accusations about who initiated it, who will end it, whos defeated, whos victorious, whos the loser, and whos the winner. In this war, the ultimate losers, from beginning to end, are the nation and the citizens. However, each side propagates that it is on the verge of a decisive victory, without the slightest concern for civilian lives or the wellbeing of civil society, and without regard for the ethics of war, if such a mad, irrational war in Sudan possesses any ethics to uphold or lofty national goals to achieve!
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In this bleak scene of war, shrouded in darkness, Western Kordofan State and its capital, Fula, witness catastrophic developments in armed confrontations. The same applies to human rights violations. Added to this is the deteriorating, dire humanitarian situation in the South and North Darfur states, which have become unbearable hells due to the expansion of identity-based killing, intensification of ethnic attacks, and the prevalence of gender-based violence. The scope of using rape as a weapon and the abduction of women and girls is expanding. Such acts are universally prohibited and criminalized by international law, constituting war crimes. Thus, the perpetrators of these heinous and brutal crimes must not escape accountability, whether the passage of time is long or short. Moreover, the victims of sexual violence must receive support for care, protection, and justice, both now and in the future.
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In this escalating war climate with rapid sparks, the humanitarian situation in all of Sudan is deteriorating from bad to worse. Cities witnessing violent clashes between warring factions in Khartoum, Omdurman, Geneina, Nyala, and others suffer from severe shortages in essential services. The healthcare system continues to deteriorate, and medical supplies, including life-saving medications, are scarce in all other cities across the country, which have hosted thousands of fleeing individuals in their homes, schools, and public facilities, those who escaped the curse of war!
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Refugees, both men and women, in neighboring countries, and those trapped at crossing points, are experiencing the worst of both worlds. Their purchasing power weakens, and access to free service centers or low-cost options becomes challenging. Lets imagine that a city like Adré in Chad, for example among others, has more refugees than its local population. This undoubtedly complicates the scene and the service situation for everyone. Meanwhile, in other countries like Egypt, Kenya, Ethiopia, and Uganda, refugees burden the lives of parents, especially when it comes to housing prices and providing education for their sons and daughters at the age of compulsory education. To add to this, the appearance and spread of the university education mafia worsened the situation, where some of its instigators exploited the conditions of war to turn higher education into a commodity for investment, making it a class-based privilege accessible only to the wealthy. The years and academic years are wasted for the poor and even the middle class, which the war economy has completely impoverished, turning them overnight into an economically deprived class as a direct result of this catastrophic war, which continues to destroy the nation!
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Disturbing and terrifying developments are taking place in South Kordofan state, which recently witnessed military battles between the Popular Movement North/Abdelaziz Al-Hilu and the Sudanese Army. In Blue Nile state, tribal violence threatens the security and stability that, until recently, was challenging but somewhat attainable. Now, it is vulnerable to the catastrophic explosion of both the security and humanitarian situations at any moment.
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Another war, no less fierce and damaging than the initial one, is being waged and spins its wheels in the media and its vast spaces on the propaganda front. It is a vile war that weaponizes the dissemination of hate, racism, tribalism, and regionalism. It actively gathers and agitates people, particularly the youth, to become fuel for the ongoing war between the two sides.
In this war, media platforms and social media are used openly and shamelessly around the clock. It is meticulously planned with high expertise and generously funded. Unfortunately, its led by a few journalists who have completely abandoned their professional conscience. They willingly or unwillingly joined the ranks of activists and loiterers in social media, flooding social media spaces with live broadcasts, videos, and podcasts, the primary goal of which is to inflame the fires of the ongoing war, disseminate misleading and disruptive news, and advance the agendas of the two sides of this futile war. The language, content, phrases, and words used in this war are derogatory, incite violence, and lack sensitivity towards others and those who differ. It is a language devoid of ethics, in which the responsibility and integrity of writing and spoken word disappear.
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All of this takes place while the United Nations issues statements expressing concern and condemnation, urging both parties to halt the war. UN-affiliated organizations responsible for the dire humanitarian situation in Sudan due to this inhumane war complain about funding shortages. Theres fear for the fate of thousands of women and girls facing significant dangers imposed by sexual violence, including rape, and an unprecedented increase in gender-based violence in conflict areas in Darfur.
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In the face of this tragic situation, we, the family of journalists, have nothing else but to continue our initial stance: rejecting the war and loudly speaking out against this catastrophic war and its instigators, without falling into the trap of alignment or counter-alignment advocated by the propaganda of both sides. We know that our stance doesnt please the warlords or those fueling its scorching flames. However, it is a stance that confirms that war is the most significant violation of human rights.
We wont tire of demanding and appealing to colleagues in the truth-seeking profession to denounce the war, take clear, explicit, and public stances against it, and adhere to the right to high-quality journalistic coverage of the conflict. We urge for a principled and biased stance, following the standards and ethics of professional coverage of sensitive journalism towards armed conflicts and peace journalism. Let us adhere to professional practices that promote respect and enhancement of human rights, encourage peaceful coexistence among the citizens of this grieving nation, reject hate speech and racism, and embrace peace journalism and human rights journalism. Lets commit to their methodologies, standards, and strict ethics in our journalistic coverage of wars and conflicts and use them to counter war journalism. The latter is funded and promoted by the militia lords and war generals in Sudan. Let our motto and journalistic efforts resonate with the call to stop and end this catastrophic war. No to war, yes, no to war. Stop this catastrophic war today, before tomorrow!
Final Ring:
War, no, no, no... Bridge, astalaya... Hall for culture... The gazelles frolic... Beside it, the giraffe. (Mahjoub Sharif)
