Against the Militia War in Sudan... What Is This, Minister of War Media?
By Faisal Al-Bager
First Orbit:
(And whoever thought that they would face wars without getting harmed... has surely underestimated their helplessness.) - Al-Khansa - Tumadir bint Amr ibn al-Harith ibn al-Shurayd
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Today, I write on Wednesday morning, September 27, 2023, and the catastrophic militia war between the Rapid Support Forces and the army continues with unprecedented ferocity in Khartoum, as in Darfur. The senseless fighting and arbitrary displacement persist, disregarding the lives of civilians and all civil assets, a commitment imposed by international humanitarian law. Unfortunately, both sides remain completely incapable of fulfilling this commitment as fierce clashes persist in residential neighborhoods, with escalating clashes and mutual shelling between the warring parties. The intensity of the conflict worsens horrifically with each new morning, and the risks to civilians increase. They find themselves trapped between the hammer of army airstrikes and the anvil of the Rapid Support Forces drones and death machines.
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Despite all this violence and counter-violence, the war propaganda dominates the media scene. Polarization for the war continues throughout the day. Calls to continue it rise, as its flames consume innocent people, both private and public properties, including educational institutions and hospitals, as this cursed war becomes a war of attrition that depletes the nations capabilities and resources, which may not be rehabilitated in the near or distant future.
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In the midst of this catastrophic war atmosphere, the Minister of Culture and Information (acting) Dr. Graham Abdel Qader, unfortunately, emerges in vague and meaningless statements. He tells us, while the country and its people are in a state of war and misery, with words lacking substance, that he met with the Chairman of the Sovereignty Council, General Abdel Fattah Al-Burhan, and briefed him and enlightened him about the efforts made by the Ministry of Information in promoting war propaganda, instead of enlightening people about the dangers of dengue fever and the necessity of taking necessary precautions before the cholera epidemic, from which laboratory-confirmed cases have emerged according to reliable information from the Sudanese Doctors Union. Unfortunately, the Minister speaks vaguely about the achievements of his ministry, far from any numbers or statistics that support his astonishing claims, making his press statement empty talk or idle talk.
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Lets read together the recent press statement of the Minister, dated September 25, 2023, and then we can assess whether the Ministers words have added or detracted from him. Dr. Graham said, He informed the Chairman of the Sovereignty Council about the performance of the Ministry of Information during the past period and the general outlines of the ministrys plans and programs. He added that he provided enlightenment to the Council Chairman regarding the efforts made by official media agencies in confronting the rebel Rapid Support Forces and informing local and international public opinion about the violations committed by the terrorist militia against citizens. He pointed out that the Chairman of the Sovereignty Council appreciated the significant role the ministry has continued to play and its confrontation of the terrorist militia, which has perpetrated wide-scale violations against civilians and public facilities. The press statement ended!
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Here, we can only say: Subhan Allah, the One who changes conditions from one state to another. He has indeed changed the official discourse towards the Rapid Support Forces, who were yesterdays friends and todays enemies. Burhan is now calling for their classification as a terrorist group, after they were once considered a vital part of the Sudanese armed forces, playing a role in maintaining security within the country, and so on. These were the literal words uttered by Mr. Burhan in a speech he delivered in Omdurman in front of the Shield of the Desert forces, affiliated with the Rapid Support Forces, in March 2021!
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The statement of the Minister of Information reminds us of and brings to mind the speeches of Mr. Joseph Goebbels, the German Minister of Propaganda during Hitlers rule, who is credited with the theory of mind control or framing. This theory can be summarized as highlighting certain aspects of the news story and focusing on them while deliberately hiding other aspects to mislead the recipient. Let us not hesitate to remind readers of some of Mr. Goebbels memorable sayings: Successful propaganda must contain a few points and rely on repetition, The bigger the lie, the more likely it is to be believed, and Tell a lie, tell it big, and tell it often until others believe you! This is the very approach being currently employed by the propaganda machines of the warring parties in Sudan, where war propaganda has become the primary goal of their incessant media messages. These are the voices of the propaganda machines of the losing militia war!
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Is it not strange, disheartening, and disappointing that the Minister of Culture and Information does not consider telling us about the real reasons behind the suspension of the Juba negotiations? Or about the significant destruction caused by the combat and violent clashes between the two sides to the cultural infrastructure? Or about the cessation of live radio broadcasts, the absence of newspapers from distribution outlets, or the suppression of news demanding an end to the war and fighting between the parties by his ministry and its media agencies? Or the role of his ministry in combating hate speech, which has widely spread since the outbreak of the war on April 15, 2023? Or about the conditions of journalists, which worsen day by day, with reports confirming the violence and deliberate targeting they face from both sides to remove them from the media scene, thereby deepening the media blackout, which expands day by day and month by month?
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Our duty in the truth-seeking profession compels us to continue raising our voices against the war, its instigators, and its promoters, as well as those who applaud it. We must persist with patience and a sense of mission to gather and intensify efforts to confront war journalism and media with alternative media that heralds peace, respects human rights, no matter the challenges. Let us raise our voices loudly against war, against war journalism and media, and in this endeavor, let the competitors compete.
Final Ring:
War is initiated by the strong to enforce their will, and the weak bear its consequences. - Ahmed Shawqi
