Sudan’s devastating war on people. What international response ?

The public panel discussion was attended by over 100 participants and marked the opening of a three-day networking conference. Activists and experts from ten European countries convened to discuss the reconstruction of Sudan’s fragmented society. The Sudan diaspora network met first in Germany 2023.  This year event was organized by Mendy for Peace Culture and Diversity Management, the Bruno Kreisky Forum, and the Vienna Institute for International Dialogue and Cooperation (VIDC).

Georg Lennkh, Ishraga Hamid, and Franz Schmidjell welcomed guests to the event, referencing earlier discussions about the situation in Sudan and the Horn of Africa. They emphasized the importance of cooperation between organizations and diaspora initiatives. The speakers urged EU institutions and member states, especially neutral countries like Austria, to take a more active role in providing humanitarian assistance, promoting peacebuilding, and engaging in dialogue with the Sudanese diaspora.

The panel was moderated by former EU ambassador Irene Horejs, who began with a concise summary of Sudan’s recent history. Following a peaceful revolution led by a broad civil society movement in the streets of Khartoum and other cities, a military coup in October 2021 ended Sudan’s transition period. In April 2023, war broke out between two military factions, the Sudanese Armed Forces (SAF) and the Rapid Support Forces (RSF), plunging Sudan into a humanitarian catastrophe.

More than war of two generals

In his keynote address, Suliman Baldo, Executive Director of the Sudan Transparency and Policy Tracker, provided an in-depth analysis of the war’s nature. He argued that it is not merely "a war between two generals" but a multifaceted conflict rooted in a struggle between the military-security establishment and the people’s aspirations for democracy. Baldo highlighted how the two generals had suppressed the revolution, including the military forces’ violent attacks on peaceful protesters in June 2019. The 2021 coup d’état, he explained, further eroded the generals' legitimacy in the eyes of the Sudanese people.

Baldo also explored the ideological underpinnings of both belligerent parties, shaped by the remnants of the Bashir regime, and how they recruit fighters using ethnic appeals. He shed light on the economic interests driving the military establishment, including control over mineral resources such as gold and oil, agricultural enterprises, and various revenue streams, ranging from looting to toll gate operations.

Regarding regional and international actors, Suliman Baldo identifies states such as the United Arab Emirates (UAE), Saudi Arabia, Iran, Russia, and Egypt as having significant influence on the war in Sudan. These countries are involved either by supporting military forces, attempting to establish diplomatic relations, or pursuing interests in resource extraction—particularly gold—and other economic exchanges.

In Darfur, there have been ethnic efforts to raise militias to fight against the RSF, which indirectly serves the interests of the SAF. The SAF has supported these efforts, pushing the conflict further into western Sudan and deepening the region’s self-destruction. The RSF, in response, has engaged in acts of collective punishment and mass displacement against civilians. Ultimately, the group most affected by this conflict has been the civilian population.

Women in the forefront of the revolution and humanitarian aid

While Sudan has a long history of political turmoil—from colonialism to the dictatorship of Omar al-Bashir—Sudanese civil society has demonstrated remarkable social cohesion, which has powered numerous revolutions. Amira Osman, a peace activist and researcher focusing on diaspora communities, gender, peace building, and humanitarian intervention, emphasized Sudan’s strong civil society and the central role of women in movements. “The humanitarian crisis is where women are now stepping in to help,” she said. Women’s organizations and civil society have stepped in to replace state services that have broken down or failed during the war. These groups perform multiple roles, including campaigning against the war (often leveraging social media), mediating community disputes in the absence of police forces, evacuating international staff, and frontline humanitarian work such as providing food, medicine, and psychological support for women and children. Amira Osman underscored their importance in diplomatic talks. Suliman Baldo added that activities such as operating community kitchens and ambulances have become critical as the healthcare system has collapsed.

When asked about the challenges these organizations face, Amira Osman highlighted limited resources, general insecurity—including harassment and assault faced by women—and the internet blackout, which contributes to the invisibility of the humanitarian crisis. Regarding the diaspora's role, there has been a noticeable increase in awareness, involvement, and solidarity. Diaspora communities are engaging in fundraising activities, utilizing social media, and enlisting celebrities and influencers to amplify their efforts. However, Osman also pointed to increasing inequalities and the resurgence of racist practices, including arrests based on clothing or skin color, fueled by the presence of Islamist movements.

Moderator Irene Horejs opened a discussion on the role of social media with activist Osama Kheir Mohamed, who closely monitors Sudanese social media. “Sudanese social media provides a detailed view of the conflict, with women and youth playing significant roles,” he stated. However, he noted the lack of effort by traditional media to cover the conflicts in Sudan, citing anti-Black and anti-Muslim biases. He also criticized the European Union, claiming it has done little to address the conflict. Furthermore, he alleged that EU institutions, through the so-called Khartoum Process aimed at controlling migration flows, had connections with the RSF.

EU as minor player

Irene Horejs gave the podium to Dàniel Weiss, from the European External Action Service (EEAS). His main argument centred on balancing interests and values—the values being human rights, and the interests revolving around migration. Dàniel Weiss rejected Osama’s claim that the EU had directly supported the RSF. He further explained that the EU does not wield as much leverage as is often assumed. However, it has been supporting confidence-building measures, protecting infrastructure, aiding emergency response efforts, collecting information on human rights abuses, and building a case for the International Criminal Court in The Hague. The EU pledged € 300 million but has difficult to spend the funds. He emphasized that the crisis in Sudan is not forgotten but deliberately ignored.

The podium was then opened to the floor. Comments ranged from calls to action to requests for clarification, especially regarding the terms “forgotten war” and “ignored war.” One participant remarked that it could be considered a forgotten war because it was only widely discussed during the first two weeks before fading from attention. They stressed that civilian voices should be central to the discourse, noting the heavy personal toll on those still in Sudan.

Sudan - an ignored and forgotten conflict

A participant asked what civilians could do to urge their parliaments to take meaningful action. Daniel posited that the Sudanese conflict is both an ignored and forgotten war—intentionally disregarded and then gradually fading from attention.
Another attendee raised concerns about the impact of Sudan's neighbouring countries, which are also grappling with their own conflicts. They noted that Sudanese refugees are facing immense hardships due to overlapping economic and social crises in these countries.

Drawing from personal experience in Norway, a participant shared that attempts to publish a Sudanese report in media were deprioritized. He concluded with a poignant question: When will we wake up to actions rather than words?
The question on how to move from talking to acting set the stage for the roundtables and workshops that followed in the two days of the Sudan conference.