Sudan Refugees Fleeing to Chad and South Sudan Need Urgent International Support
Kanako Mita, Sawako Utsumi, and Lee Jay Walker
Modern Tokyo Times
Refugees from war-torn Sudan are fleeing to Chad, South Sudan, and other regional nations in huge numbers every day. Estimates of refugees arriving in South Sudan vary between 5,000 and 10,000 refugees a day.
Since the war began in 2023 between the Sudanese Armed Forces (SAF) and the Rapid Support Forces (RSF) – over 11 million people have been uprooted internally and externally.
AFP reports, “South Sudan is ill-equipped to handle the arrival of thousands seeking shelter from war, with the young country itself battling violence, endemic poverty and natural disasters.”
Sadly, South Sudan is also blighted by ethnic and political tensions. Hence, internal refugees exist in South Sudan. Therefore, the crisis in Sudan is putting enormous strains on South Sudan.
Cholera outbreaks are increasingly being reported in South Sudan – and an array of other severe health issues.
The International Rescue Committee reports, “The conflict in Sudan has decimated the country’s public infrastructure, including the health system. The health care system is suffering from an acute lack of staff, funding and medical supplies in addition to repeated attacks, looting and occupation of medical facilities and hospitals. More than 70 percent of health facilities are currently non-functional.”
USA for UNHCR reports, “Half of Sudan’s population – some 25 million people – need humanitarian assistance and protection. The country is facing extreme shortages of food, water, medicine and fuel and more than half the population (25.6 million) are facing acute food insecurity, including 8.5 million of them at emergency levels.”
Chad and South Sudan are notably overwhelmed concerning the horrendous internal issues they face. Other refugees have fled to Egypt and other regional nations.
The Guardian reports, “Despite the difficulties faced by refugees in Chad, the threat of extreme violence in Sudan, especially in Darfur, and a growing hunger crisis are driving ever-increasing numbers of people to flee there.”
External forces are also responsible for involving themselves concerning respective geopolitical intrigues. Accordingly, nations accused of intrigues in Sudan include Egypt, the Russian Federation, Saudi Arabia, Turkey, and the United Arab Emirates.
The Atlantic Council reports, “While Russia and the UAE dominate headlines, Egypt, Turkey, and Saudi Arabia also shape Sudan’s conflict. Egypt, heavily dependent on Nile water security and historically aligned with Sudan’s military, cautiously supports the SAF as a counterweight to RSF-aligned actors. By providing military aid, Cairo seeks to protect its southern border and preserve regional influence while hosting diplomatic initiatives to facilitate ceasefires and a military-led transition in Sudan.”
Modern Tokyo Times recently reported, “The United Nations (UN) singled out the Rapid Support Forces (RSF) and various allies for committing horrendous crimes against non-Arabs in Darfur and South Kordofan. It is known that non-Arab Masalits were especially singled out in Darfur (other non-Arab groups targeted) – while in South Kordofan, the African Nuba are singled out.”
Human Rights Watch reports, “Rapid Support Forces fighters and allied militias have raped scores of women and girls, including in the context of sexual slavery, in Sudan’s South Kordofan state since September 2023.”
The crisis in Sudan is overwhelming regional nations. This notably concerns Chad and South Sudan. At the same time, internal refugees in Sudan face a constant struggle to survive endless hardship and the brutal convulsions of war.
International support at a higher level is needed in Sudan – along with supporting regional nations that host Sudanese refugees.
Outside nations involved in the crisis also need to be held accountable.
If not, the misery will continue in Sudan concerning the flow of death (vast numbers have already been killed) – while straining regional nations blighted by poverty, ethnic tensions, and political discord.
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