Internet Is Back On In Sudan

Written By Mark Hackett

Early on the morning of June 3, Sudan's ruling Transitional Military Council committed a massacre of unarmed protesters in Khartoum. The killings, mass rape, and public torture continued over the next few days as the Rapid Support Forces (RSF), a paramilitary group that reports directly to the Military Council, put Khartoum under a brutal lockdown. RSF militiamen threw corpses into the Nile River, broke into homes to rape women and children, and openly stole private property across the capital. 

During the massacre, the Military Council shut off Sudan's internet to keep footage and photos of their crimes from reaching the world and to prevent protesters from remobilizing. Because of this, very few images of the massacre have reached the outside world. Now that the internet is coming back online in Sudan, Sudanese are beginning to upload images of the crimes they have been subjected to. We do warn you, the following information and images are extremely graphic and disturbing. 

What Happens Next

In the coming days and with internet service returning, we expect to see more images from the June 3 massacre and the immediate aftermath. 

While a tentative and fragile deal is underway between the Military Council and protesters, we do not expect the junta to abide by it. This regime has broken nearly every agreement it has signed over the last 30 years. The RSF remains deployed in the capital. When many protesters heard news of the agreement, it was met with a muted response. And there are early and worrying signs that the international community is going to begin letting the building pressure off of the junta. 

RSF commander Hemeti is still positioning himself to become Sudan's next dictator. Hemeti is technically second-in-command on the Transitional Military Council, but we remain immensely worried that he is the one pulling the strings or he is operating outside of Military Council authority. Hemeti has the backing of powerful Gulf states, and the RSF has its own relations with several international actors that goes beyond official Sudanese government foreign policy.

As for the Sudanese people, continuing to protest despite this fragile agreement and the immense dangers they face from the Military Council is the only option the regime has left them with. This junta has spent the last 30 years wrecking Sudan's economy, stealing from government coffers, shrinking public services, and committing unaffordable and pointless mass atrocity crimes in the name of a crazed, violent ideology that doesn't help anyone. Most Sudanese only have the breath in their lungs left to lose, especially now that the horrors of Sudan's war-torn edges have visited the capital. 

Sudan's revolution is far from over. If you would like to directly support the Sudanese people as they seek a better future, discover ways to do so below. 

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The people of Sudan are overcoming two of the greatest challenges facing humanity today: war and genocide. Operation Broken Silence is accelerating their ability to generate lasting change by funding storytelling and movement-building, education and emergency response, and grassroots advocacy programs. Here are a few ways you can join us:

1. Give Monthly To The Education In Yida. The Renewal is our unstoppable family of monthly givers who never stop fighting for change. They give automatically each and every month to the two schools we sponsor in Yida Refugee Camp, providing consistent support to 24 teachers and nearly 1,100 students from the Nuba Mountains. Right now, the schools are short about $2,500 in monthly funding. LEARN MORE »

2. Become A Fundraiser. If you can’t give monthly right now, you can start an online fundraising page for the schools in Yida. BECOME A FUNDRAISER »

3. Give Once. Not ready to commit with a monthly gift or fundraising yet? That’s okay, making a one-time gift is the best next step to get your feet wet! GIVE HERE »

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Mark Hackett
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