The specter of famine looms large over Sudan, as the country finds itself embroiled in a devastating civil war between the Sudanese Armed Forces (SAF) and the paramilitary Rapid Support Forces (RSF). Reports of widespread human rights abuses—including killings and rapes—have emerged from the survivors of the conflict, painting a grim picture of the situation on the ground.
The United Nations Secretary-General Antonio Guterres is expected to warn the Security Council that Sudan is plummeting into an extreme conflict-induced hunger crisis. Human Rights Watch has urged the council to act decisively, advocating for targeted sanctions against individuals responsible for obstructing aid in Darfur. Akshaya Kumar, crisis advocacy director at Human Rights Watch, stated that the council should “build on that momentum by imposing consequences on those responsible for preventing aid from getting to people who need it.”
The warning, to be delivered as a “white note” from the Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs (OCHA), follows alarming updates from international aid experts, Sudanese civil society leaders, and Sudanese emergency responders that residents across Sudan are dying of hunger. In a shocking revelation, 90% of Sudanese facing emergency hunger levels are in areas cut off from World Food Programme assistance.
The UNICEF executive director, Catherine Russell, expressed concern over the inability to reach many of the children, women, and families in need. The severity of the situation is highlighted by the fact that Sudan’s military leader, Lt. Gen. Abdel Fattah al-Burhan, has prohibited aid reaching areas under RSF control. The SAF’s efforts to restrict humanitarian aid have intensified, leading to dire consequences for those in need.
Sudanese authorities have added to the challenges, opposing cross-border aid delivery and informing the UN of limited cross-border movement through certain crossings. This blockade has left regions such as Darfur, Kordofan, Khartoum, and Jazeera states largely inaccessible, as reported by Doctors Without Borders.
The shortage of funding further strangles aid operations, with the UN appeal only 5 percent funded as of February’s end. The situation is exacerbated by the looting of warehouses and attacks on aid workers, which have forced organizations like the International Committee of the Red Cross to endure killings, injuries, and detentions.
The United Nations High Commissioner for Human Rights has declared the deliberate denial of access for humanitarian agencies within Sudan to be a serious violation of international law, potentially rising to the level of a war crime.
Food security in Sudan has rapidly deteriorated, with a recent report by the World Food Programme and the UN’s Food and Agriculture Organization highlighting the risk of “catastrophic conditions” during the lean season in early 2024. The Famine Early Warning Systems Network has also signaled that the “worst-affected populations” will soon face catastrophic outcomes.
In Darfur, communities report resorting to eating ants, tree bark, and animal feed, a dire indicator of the famine conditions.
The current famine and human rights crisis in Sudan represents a clarion call for international attention and response. With the Security Council spotlighting Sudan’s crisis for the first time in such a manner, members are urged to prioritize combating food insecurity and to consider sanctions against those blocking aid. As Kumar from Human Rights Watch puts it, “The people of Sudan need more than words. They need food.”
Relevant articles:
– Famine looms in Sudan as civil war survivors tell of killings and rapes
– Sudan: Urgent Action Needed on Hunger Crisis Human Rights Watch, Fri, 15 Mar 2024 04:00:00 GMT
– Sudan Humanitarian Crisis Center for Disaster Philanthropy Tue, 12 Mar 2024 07:00:00 GMT
– Crisis in Sudan: What is happening and how to help International Rescue Committee, Thu, 04 Jan 2024 08:00:00 GMT