Sudan's nightmare scenario has arrived
Friends and supporters,
The crisis we have feared for months began in earnest over the weekend. The Sudan Armed Forces —the country’s official military— and the powerful paramilitary Rapid Support Forces are now waging war on each other.
As of the time this is being posted, millions of people who call Khartoum home are watching in terror as fighter jets scream through the skies. Intense fighting involving armored vehicles, tanks, truck-mounted machine guns, and artillery has consumed areas around the Presidential Palace and other government installations. Smoke was seen billowing from the international airport, where civilian airliners were bombed as soldiers battled for control. Artillery and heavy gunfire pummeled random neighborhoods, schools, health facilities, and more.
And the military headquarters —a building long viewed as a symbol for all that has gone wrong in Sudan— has been decimated by the brutal security forces born in its halls.
The violence is now quickly spreading to other parts of Sudan, so quickly that we still do not have a full picture of what is happening. Nyala in Darfur has been described by one of our contacts there as “Hell coming to Earth.” Hospitals in El Fasher are buckling as large numbers of wounded seek care. Gunfire was heard throughout Port Sudan over the weekend. El Obied. Menroe. El Geneina. Zalingei. We could spend the rest of this update naming the cities and communities where fighting is underway. This cancerous war is spreading into all corners of Sudan.
Nearly 200 people have already been reported killed, with over 1,800 more injured. This is almost certainly an extreme undercount considering the severity of the violence and the inability of people to move freely about and see how much damage is truly being done.
As for the generals who started this war? They’re hurling childish insults at each other and refusing to stand down, playing make-believe and telling themselves they are saviors of a country whose people see them as dictators. Looking at the transgressive malevolence of Sudan’s generals, one is forced again to see the truth for what it is: if this is not total governmental ruin, then there are no rules of governance.
Smoke is seen rising from Khartoum's skyline on April 16, 2023. The Sudanese military and a powerful paramilitary group battled for control of the chaos-stricken nation for a second day Sunday, signaling they were unwilling to end hostilities despite mounting diplomatic pressure to cease fire. (AP Photo/Marwan Ali)
How this impacts our mission
Our sole priority over the weekend was ensuring the safety of our Sudanese partners and contacts. I can confirm that our partners and direct contacts are all accounted for, but some of them have lost dear friends and family members to the fighting. Some are in safe spaces, others are not. We grieve with them, and we share their outrage.
In my 16 years with the Sudanese people, I have never seen as much raw anger as I am seeing now. Calling this war senseless would be a catastrophic understatement. One of our partners summed this reality up to me well yesterday, saying “The generals are fighting to overthrow themselves. This is the dumbest thing yet I have seen them do.”
How many more must die at the hands of narcissistic generals who only care about their own power? How many more lives must be destroyed before these men realize they are unfit to lead? How much more innocent blood must be shed for the Sudanese people to be free of this insanity?
As most of you know, the bulk of our Sudanese partners operate in and near the southern Nuba Mountains region of the country. For now, the situation there remains quiet. But we are already seeing severe challenges in programing because of this absurd conflict. Critical parts needed to complete the clean water project we recently fundraised for are now indefinitely delayed. Some program costs will go up soon as supply lines are closed off by the chaos that comes with war. And the hum of anxiety in our Sudanese partners that eased last year has returned.
How much longer? When does this end? How much more are we supposed to bear?
The generals responsible for this mass violence don’t have the answers to these questions. They certainly have no vision for Sudan, only a vision for themselves that has already led to the senseless deaths of countless people they never met.
Our Sudanese partners don’t know the answers to these questions either, but their vision for a healthy and whole Sudan remains resolute. This is the way. And they once again need our help in a time of severe crisis.
Get Involved
Operation Broken Silence has been working next to our Sudanese partners on the ground for over a decade. Our mission has always been focused on the long run, which is why empowering local solutions will remain our top priority, even during this crisis.
Supporting local teachers like Chana makes all the difference for students who have survived war and want to build a better future for their country. The cost of life-changing programs like these is about to go up due to the war. We can’t let that stop our Sudanese partners from doing what they do best: lifting up their people.
The fastest way to help them is to make a quick one-time donation online, or setup a small monthly gift to help provide them the consistent support they need. A generous private donor is matching all donations, up to $15,000 total. Give now to double your impact.
OTHER WAYS TO HELP
Start a fundraising page and ask friends and family to give
Make a check payable to Operation Broken Silence and mail it to P.O. Box 770900 Memphis, TN 38177-0900
This has been a difficult few days of major setbacks for our friends in Sudan. We don’t know what the coming days and weeks look like. All we know is that our Sudanese partners need our help. Let’s each play our small part in helping to give them the best chance for real, lasting change.
Onward,
Mark C. Hackett
Executive Director
