Aweke Getahun, Senior News Editor at Ethiopian News Agency
Background to the Conflict
The history of conflicts in Sudan has consisted of foreign invasions and resistance, ethnic tensions, religious disputes, and disputes over resources. Following its independence in 1956, Sudan has seen political instability as well as civil upheaval and Omar al-Bashir, who had ruled Sudan for thirty years, was overthrown by a popular uprising in 2019. To help Sudan move to democracy, a transitional government was set up. Political rifts between military and civilian factions persisted, nevertheless .The military, under the command of General Abdul Fattah al-Burhan and Mohamed H. Dagalo , deputy chairman of the transitional sovereignty council overthrew the transitional government in October 2023.They enjoy substantial leverage given their role in the 2019 uprising and control of large sectors of the economy. The civilian Prime Minister, Abdalla Hamdok, was ousted in a coup, highlighting the tenuous nature of the power-sharing arrangement with the military. This broke the already fragile trust between the sides and gave the rebels justification to abandon the negotiating table. It is against this backdrop of deep political fault lines that inter-communal clashes have also spread to new conflict zones like West Darfur in recent months. Widespread demonstrations were triggered by this, and security forces violently suppressed them.
Human Rights Issues
The resumption of conflicts severely impacted civilians through violations of international human rights and humanitarian law. Atrocities including directed attacks against civilians, violence against ethnic groups, sexual violence, and restrictions on humanitarian access exacerbated Sudan’s dire human rights situation. According to Unicef (2023) thousands of people had been killed and among the victims at least 435 children had been killed. With 3 million documented children escaping widespread violence in search of safety, food, shelter, and medical care, the majority within Sudan the country currently faces the greatest child displacement in the world while hundreds of thousands are sheltering in sprawling make-shift camps in neighboring countries.The displacement in Sudan caused people to be cut off from their homes, families, and support networks, profound psychological distress. A lot of them felt scared, lost, and unsure of what lay ahead. The UN states that a variety of psychological disorders, including depression, anxiety, and post-traumatic stress disorder, can be brought on by forced displacement. Beyond sparks of violence, the war is taking a mammoth humanitarian toll on civilians. Over 350,000 people have been displaced internally, according to UN estimates, burdening an already overstretched aid system. Access to those in need is also being hampered due to insecurity on the ground. Hospitals and schools have been deliberately targeted by armed groups, amounting to war crimes.
Undeniably, Sudan’s transition was always going to be a challenging endeavor, considering the years of misrule under Bashir. The economic mismanagement during his regime has resulted in a country with crumbling infrastructure, skyrocketing prices, and shortages despite its natural resource wealth. Deep-state institutions still harbor supporters of the previous regime, who seek to undermine any progress towards change. Additionally, geopolitical forces interfere to exploit advantages in a strategically significant country situated between Africa’s power centers. Managing these intricate realities, while also accommodating armed groups and maintaining stability, was an incredibly difficult task, to say the least. However, it is undeniable that crucial mistakes were made along the way. The military coup in October 2021 was a grave betrayal of the people’s aspirations, plunging Sudan into even greater turmoil. The civilian leadership initially failed to consolidate democratic reforms and empower competitive politics, which could have gradually weakened hardline factions. Rebel movements were fragmented and focused more on narrow tribal interests rather than achieving inclusive peace. Regional actors could have exerted more pressure on spoilers but prioritized other concerns. While historical legacies and domestic dysfunction contribute to the current predicament, contemporary policy errors exacerbate existing divisions. With ongoing conflicts persisting, the possibility of a complete state collapse cannot be disregarded as a worst-case scenario. Communal tensions are likely to escalate, leading to increased humanitarian suffering unless urgent mediation is pursued. Sudan’s neighboring countries will inevitably be affected by waves of refugees and the spillover of instability across borders.
Attacks on Media and Humanitarian Workers
Freedom of expression and media suppression represented grave human rights violations during the 2023 Sudan war. Journalists faced harassment,censorship, and imprisonment for reporting on the conflict.The conducted reports provided extensive evidence of infringements on press freedoms, calling attention to the stifling of democratic principles. Media organizations accused both the SAF and the RSF of threatening, attacking and even killing several journalists during the conflict, with the Sudanese Journalists and more than 40 such violations during the second half of May alone documented. The Sudanese war witnessed the deliberate targeting of critical infrastructure, including hospitals, schools, and water facilities. Such attacks severely undermined access to healthcare and education,constituting gross human rights violations. Reports by Médecins Sans Frontières and UNICEF provide firsthand accounts of the devastating impact on civilian populations. Additionally, the warring sides have seized multiple public health assets critical for service delivery including the National Public Health Laboratory, the Central Blood Bank, and the National Medical Supplies The situation was further compounded by attacks on humanitarian facilities.
Peace Efforts
More than seven months have passed since intense fighting broke out between the Sudanese army and the Rapid Support Forces, a paramilitary group also known as RSF.During this time, over 10,000 people were killed and nearly 5 million others were displaced. The conflict is still ongoing and shows no signs of resolution. Ethiopia, Türkiye, Egypt and Israel all offered to mediate between the SAF and RSF in Sudan. So did the African Union, along with the Intergovernmental Authority on Development, a trading bloc that brings together eight African countries. They proposed Kenya as the main mediator. The SAF and RSF did not accept any of these offers. Efforts by the United States and Saudi Arabia have led to several ceasefires but no specific agreement. Successful mediation requires the mediator to have the leverage to offer incentives to the warring parties while maintaining fairness between the parties. When it comes to Sudan, no mediator has succeeded in offering terms acceptable to both warring sides. Additionally, many potential mediators supported one side or the other. Kenya and the UAE have been accused by Sudan’s military of supporting the RSF, which has fought in Yemen and Libya alongside the UAE. Meanwhile, Egypt supports the SAF because of its traditional relationship with Sudanese generals. And although the United States did not officially support either side, as Sudan’s civil war raged throughout 2023, causing enormous suffering, the international community stepped up diplomatic efforts to negotiate a settlement that allows peace agreement and an end to human rights violations. However, engaging Sudan’s military leadership and overcoming deep divisions have proved extremely difficult. In June 2023, AU Commission President Moussa Faki organized talks in South Africa between opposing factions, but Sudanese authorities refused to participate.
Subsequently, the AU suspended Sudan and imposed sanctions on top generals (AU, 2023).The IGAD regional bloc has also tried to shuttle messengers back and forth (United Nations Security Council, 2023). Regional bodies like IGAD must apply more concerted diplomacy alongside international players willing to persuade warring parties Neighbors Ethiopia and South Sudan provided the venue for the negotiations with mediation support from the West.
However, divisions within the government and among armed groups have hindered progress. By the end of 2023, international consensus had emerged around an AU-led process, but required cooperation remained elusive.
In conclusion, the 2023 Sudanese Civil War is a complex conflict that has had a devastating impact on human rights in the country. The conflict has led to a humanitarian crisis, widespread human rights abuses, and a devastating effect on the economy. The international community’s efforts to broker peace have been uncoordinated and ineffectual, and various regional powers have pursued their own interests, exacerbating the situation. Sudan’s 2023 coup and breakdown into widespread civil war had catastrophic consequences for civilians, obliterating transitional democratic gains and reversing fragile steps toward stability, peace, and accountability made since 2019. Dire humanitarian needs increased exponentially while ethnic tensions and human rights violations soared to their highest levels in a decade. The displacement in Sudan caused people to be cut off from their homes, families, and support networks, profound psychological distress. A lot of them felt scared, lost, and unsure of what lay ahead. Comprehensive political dialogue and accountability for past and ongoing crimes remain crucial to end hostilities, stabilize the situation and restart Sudan’s faltering transition toward civilian democratic governance and rule of law in line with international standards. However, prospects for sustainable peace appear bleak without decisive internal and external engagement to resolve root political disputes and curb abuses by all parties through united international pressure and diplomacy.
