Sudan’s Catastrophic Humanitarian Crisis: A Crime of Deliberate Starvation

As a seasoned reporter, I have witnessed numerous humanitarian crises around the world, but none as devastating as the one unfolding in Sudan. The situation is dire, with over 25.6 million people suffering from acute hunger, and the numbers continue to rise. The Integrated Food Security Phase Classification (IPC) has classified the crisis as the worst in Sudan’s history, with over 8.5 million people in Phase IV (IPC 4), the penultimate stage of famine.

The crisis is not a natural disaster, but a deliberate act of starvation perpetrated by the Rapid Support Forces (RSF) militia. The RSF has pursued a Starvation Siege Strategy, aimed at pressuring civilians to submit or force them to join their ranks. The militia has besieged areas crowded with hundreds of thousands of people, blocking access to food and supplies, resulting in fatalities due to starvation and thirst.

The RSF’s modus operandi is to confiscate food supplies, loot aid trucks, and disrupt agricultural activity. They have attacked and looted World Food Program warehouses, resulting in the loss of thousands of metric tons of food supplies. The militia has also imposed royalties and fees on citizens and humanitarian organizations, further exacerbating the crisis.

The international community’s response has been woefully inadequate. Funding available for the Sudan Humanitarian Relief Plan covers only about one-third of the required budget, leaving a significant gap in addressing the crisis. The UN’s silence on the militia’s rampant fuel theft is particularly egregious, as it enables the RSF to persist in its violations.

The situation in Sudan is not just a humanitarian crisis, but a crime of deliberate starvation. The suffering and souls of innocent Sudanese cannot be hidden under the veils of lies and courtesy. The heinous crimes committed by the RSF cast a dark pall over the skies of Sudan, a shadow so immense that only willful blindness can prevent one from seeing it.

As Amgad Fareid El-Tayeb, Executive Director of Fikra for Studies and Development, so eloquently put it, "What is happening in Sudan is not just hunger or famine, but a crime of deliberate starvation by the RSF militia. The suffering and souls of innocent Sudanese cannot be hidden under the veils of lies and courtesy. The heinous crimes committed by the Rapid Support Forces cast a dark pall over the skies of Sudan, a shadow so immense that only willful blindness can prevent one from seeing it."

It is imperative that the international community takes immediate action to address this crisis. We must hold the RSF accountable for their crimes and provide adequate funding to support the humanitarian efforts. The suffering of the Sudanese people cannot be ignored, and it is our moral obligation to act.