Silmiya Sudan

It wasn’t until yesterday, June 12, that I saw anything about what was happening in Sudan on social media. A friend of mine reposted many images and videos about the raping, mass murders, and devastation occuring currently in Sudan. I was completely shocked.

Tweets comparing the crisis in Sudan to the fire that destroyed the Notre-Dame de Paris. It was all over social media, people were very upset around the globe about the loss of history in the ruined cathedral. But what about the cultures in Sudan being destroyed by genocide? The lives lost and thrown in the Nile river? The peaceful people of Sudan’s lives destroyed by the trauma inflicted on them by their own government? Where are their viral Facebook posts? Where are the millionaire donors to help provide aid? Some news outlets have covered the story of Sudan, but it certainly hasn’t become a national concern yet. Therefore, we must spread the word for the voices unheard. Tell your friends, post on social media, talk about what is happening. Here’s what I know so far...

Peaceful civilians began to rally together, “protesting food shortages and rising prices, which turned into anti-government protests” (Gil, 2019). These protests turned anti-government for a reason, citizens’ pro-democracy protests were returned with military force. President Omar al-Bashir eventually was ‘overthrown’, but the military currently holds governmental power as the Transitional Military Council. Since the massacres, the approximate death toll is 118 people, though hundreds of protestors have been beaten, arrested, detained, and even shot. Men, women, and children have been raped by paramilitary forces. There is a media blackout and the Internet is shutdown so the citizens of Sudan have lost a major communication outlet, as well as much of their possible international influence for representation and reporting on the current genocidal massacre.

Check out my next post for more about the crisis in Sudan and the effects of the media blackout.

Gil, N. (2019, June 13). Rape, Massacre & Despair: Why We All Need To Wake Up To The Crisis In Sudan. Retrieved June 13, 2019, from https://www.refinery29.com/en-gb/2019/06/235303/sudan-political-crisis-protests-2019