International Press: Sudan – A ``Forgotten`` War and Millions Suffer in Silence
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Source: DW
As another year ends, Sudan’s devastating war continues and could extend into its third year by mid-April 2025. A ceasefire agreement between the warring parties—the army and the Rapid Support Forces (RSF)—remains elusive, at least for now. Meanwhile, Sudan’s tragedy appears lost amidst the priorities of international media. Hunger, too, is spreading to new areas, according to media reports and United Nations-backed findings.
A "Forgotten" War
The Daily Morning published an extensive article on Sudan’s devastating war, describing it as one that garners little media attention compared to other ongoing conflicts around the world.
The English newspaper opened its report on the "forgotten" war with the statement:
"There should be no competition or comparison about which war is the most important in the world."
The article emphasized that Sudan’s war barely registers on the radar of some media outlets. It argued that for those directly affected, the war is a matter of life and death. “Everyone outside Sudan must understand what is happening in one of the most challenging humanitarian crises in modern history,” it urged.
The newspaper continued:
"We cannot claim to value Black lives while ignoring the millions of lives affected by this conflict in Sudan without understanding the underlying causes."
Highlighting the toll, Daily Morning reported thousands of deaths and injuries due to the war between the Sudanese army and RSF, along with millions displaced in search of safety and millions more suffering from acute hunger.
The article noted the near-impossibility of obtaining accurate and comprehensive figures on the catastrophe in Sudan. Humanitarian workers within the country describe the situation as "the world’s worst humanitarian crisis."
The report criticized Western powers for their awareness of the problem while major media outlets, aligned with governments providing them press releases, have "chosen to turn a blind eye."
In addition, the newspaper revealed that French arms companies are making substantial profits from technology used in the conflict, violating a United Nations arms embargo. "Undoubtedly, other parties are also involved," it said.
Previously, Amnesty International disclosed that armored personnel carriers used by RSF were manufactured in the United Arab Emirates and equipped with French technology.
The Daily Morning argued that arms companies are complicit in enabling the continuation of the conflict. It called for banning these companies from supplying military equipment that fuels the civil war, whether directly or indirectly.
The British newspaper concluded by urging intensified efforts to achieve a permanent ceasefire in "this catastrophic civil war."
Gold and War!
The German newspaper Frankfurter Allgemeine Zeitung focused on Sudan’s crisis with an article titled: "Billions from Gold Trade Fuel the War."
It stressed that, in light of Sudan’s devastating war, "the international community and Germany must not stand idly by" but should "deprive the warring factions of their primary sources of funding" (referring to gold).
The report noted that a comprehensive and lasting agreement to protect civilians seems unlikely in the short term, given the continued confrontation between the Sudanese army and RSF. This underscores the importance of exploring other options to end the war.
The newspaper elaborated:
"The persistence of warring factions is largely due to significant financial resources and external support in the form of weapons and equipment."
It suggested that restricting funding sources and arms supplies could help reduce violence against civilians.
Frankfurter Allgemeine highlighted that both the Sudanese Armed Forces and RSF have benefited from the gold trade for years. Since South Sudan’s independence in 2011, increasing gold production has replaced oil as Sudan’s most important export commodity.
The newspaper revealed that the gold trade generates billions of dollars annually, benefiting companies tied to the armed forces and RSF.
While the European Union and the United States have imposed sanctions on some Sudanese companies involved in the gold trade, the article argued for broader sanctions. "Service providers and insurance companies in the EU must not cooperate with Sudan’s mineral sector," it stated.
The EUs conflict minerals regulation already requires companies to ensure that industrial gold does not fund armed groups.
Although such measures won’t end the war directly, the report argued they could alleviate civilian suffering and open space for ceasefire negotiations and political solutions.
Expanding Famine
"The conflict in Sudan fuels a severe hunger crisis," reported Australia’s Mirage News in a detailed piece on the war’s impact on millions of Sudanese facing real famine risks in various regions.
The report cited a United Nations-backed analysis indicating that more than 24.6 million people in Sudan face severe food insecurity.
Relying on data from the Integrated Food Security Phase Classification (IPC), Mirage News noted that famine conditions have expanded to five areas and could spread to five more by May.
The affected regions include parts of North and South Darfur, Khartoum, and Gezira states.
Despite above-average rainfall supporting agriculture in secure areas, the conflict has severely disrupted farming activities, forcing farmers to abandon their fields. Crops have been looted or destroyed, exacerbating the dire humanitarian situation.
