The West and its media are complicit in Sudan’s crisis – as national protests are about to show

Youth-led grassroots organisations London for Sudan, Cardiff For Sudan, Manchester For Sudan, and Madaniya are organising a nationwide demonstration in London, Cardiff, and Manchester to demand accountability for the devastating war on civilians in Sudan.

‘Hands Off Sudan’

🇸🇩SAVE THE DATE – 9 NOVEMBER 2024🇸🇩

MANCHESTER – LONDON – CARDIFF

The UK govt refuses to stand with Sudanese civilians. They continue to do business with war criminals and refuse to open up safe passage for Sudanese civilians fleeing death, like they provided for the Ukrainians pic.twitter.com/p2gNhWgqp4

— Black Lives Matter Cardiff&Vale (@BLMCardiff) October 28, 2024

Titled “Hands Off Sudan: End Western Complicity and Inaction,” this protest is a direct response to the silence surrounding one of the most gravest humanitarian crises of our time. The mobilisation aims to pressure the UK government to take accountability for its role in prolonging the conflict and to call out other international players, including the US, for their involvement in the atrocities.

For over 550 days, the people of Sudan have endured unimaginable suffering due to the ongoing conflict between the Sudanese Armed Forces (SAF) and the Rapid Support Forces (RSF).

The world is witnessing one of the largest displacement crises, with over 10.9 million people forced to flee or expelled from their homes , more than 24.8 million people in dire need of humanitarian assistance, and 25.6 million people are facing acute hunger.

Sudan has emerged as one of the top four countries with the highest rates of global acute malnutrition (GAM), a famine that is entirely man-made, while also grappling with multiple disease outbreaks.

The Western world has stood by in silent complicity as Sudan’s devastating humanitarian crisis continues.

This proxy war bears Western fingerprints, with the UK and US deeply implicated, yet media coverage barely scratches the surface.

This protest demands an end to the apathy, pushing for urgent media attention and genuine international intervention to address the vested interests of global powers sustaining the conflict.

The UK and US: complicit to the core

Sudan is facing an alarming surge in violence following the defection of a regional commander from the RSF to the SAF. More than 500 men have been slaughtered in the village of Al-Sareha, Al-Jazira state in 48 hours alone. Over 130 Sudanese women have been driven to take their lives in mass suicide events to avoid the conflict-related sexual violence (CRSV) committed by RSF militia.

Sudan is being torn apart in a war fuelled by foreign interests in gold, resources, and Red Sea access, with global powers pulling the strings.

The UAE’s documented military support for the RSF has largely escaped scrutiny, while the UK’s role remains overlooked. Accusations suggest the former Conservative government suppressed criticism of the UAE, with recent reports indicating UK Foreign Office “secret talks” with the RSF, risking the legitimisation of a group responsible for genocide, mass rape, and ethnic cleansing.

As a key global stakeholder and the penholder for Sudan, the UK has a crucial responsibility to address this crisis. Yet, the current Labour Party government’s silence has enabled the UAE’s abuses to continue unnoticed, undermining the UK’s own human rights commitments.

Similarly, the US continues to shield the UAE from accountability, recently naming it a major defence partner, thereby allowing unchecked operations in conflict zones. This deepened alliance with the UAE comes at the cost of countless Sudanese lives.

The US has also worked with the Khartoum establishment to legitimise Israeli influence in the region. This includes supplying militias with surveillance equipment, fueling violence against civilians, undermining ceasefire efforts, and contributing to regional destabilisation.

A spotlight must be shone on Sudan

Media coverage is essential in exposing atrocities, yet Sudan’s crisis has received minimal attention, highlighting a troubling imbalance in how conflicts are prioritised. This demonstration is a clarion call for the media to do its job: shine a spotlight on this grotesque human tragedy.

• Date and Time: Saturday, 9th November | 1pm London Route: commencing at the US Embassy, marching to Parliament Square.

The groups call on all warring parties and complicit international entities to immediately prioritise the protection of civilian life. International humanitarian law needs to be followed. All involved must support liberation, peace and security through Disarmament, Demobilisation, and Reintegration (DDR) efforts in Darfur, Al-Jazira, and Sudan at large.

Featured image via the Canary