“War at Home” documentary - one year of crisis in Sudan

“There’s a dark sense of déjà vu here,” says Yousra Elbagir, Africa correspondent for Sky News. “Images I remember seeing from the Darfur genocide in the early 2000s, unfolding again. And the silence is worse than the yells of shock we expect.”

Sudan has been trapped in a doom loop of silence since a brutal civil war began one year ago. Western media especially has looked away following embassy evacuations from Khartoum in the early weeks of the conflict. Most eyes today are locked on Gaza/Israel and Ukraine. Few people have noticed that the catastrophe unfolding in Sudan now eclipses both of these conflicts, combined.

A minimal amount of important and moving reporting can break through the silence from time to time. This recent documentary by Yousra Elbagir with Sky News reflects on the conflict, which has hit close to home for her.

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How To Help

We’re a nonprofit organization with over a decade of experience working alongside Sudanese heroes. Together we are making the story of Sudan known, empowering survivors, and working to build a renewed Sudan from the ground up. And we need your help.

Our Sudanese partners are overwhelmed with needs as the war spreads and hunger deepens. Your generosity will help them serve the most vulnerable in this time of tremendous need.

$2,200: Funds an entire classroom at Endure Primary School for one semester.

$1,000: Pays monthly salaries of 5 midwives.

$500 - Delivers food and clothing to Darfuri genocide survivors who have fled into South Sudan.

$250 - Supports a teacher and their classroom for six weeks.

$150 - Empowers a nurse assistant for one month.

$100 - Gives a day’s worth of medicine to four clinics.

$50 - Provides pencils, notebooks and other supplies to 16 students in Yida Refugee Camp.

Join Miles For Sudan | Donate Stock | Give Crypto

Checks can be made payable to Operation Broken Silence and mailed to P.O. Box 770900 Memphis, TN 38177-0900.

Operation Broken Silence is a registered 501(c)(3) organization. Your donations are tax-deductible within the guidelines of U.S. law.

Shareables

Short statements you can share online and with others. Simply copy and paste.

• Sudan has been trapped in a doom loop of silence since a brutal civil war began in April 2023. This documentary shines a light on the crisis. https://operationbrokensilence.org/blog/war-at-home-sudan-documentary

• “There’s a dark sense of déjà vu here. Images I remember seeing from the Darfur genocide in the early 2000s, unfolding again. And the silence is worse than the yells of shock we expect.” https://operationbrokensilence.org/blog/war-at-home-sudan-documentary

• Watch this short documentary about the emergency unfolding in Sudan and get involved. https://operationbrokensilence.org/blog/war-at-home-sudan-documentary

Sudan trapped in a “doom loop of silence” after one year of war and humanitarian nightmare

Rachid had already fled her neighborhood in Nyala, Darfur for another since the war in Sudan began in April 2023. Now, with the genocidal Rapid Support Forces (RSF) —an Arab supremacist paramilitary group that has plagued the country for years— on the verge of taking over Sudan’s second largest city, she decided it was time to head for the border with South Sudan.

“I don’t remember what day I ran,” Rachid says. “I thought to be a woman when the janjaweed (RSF) come will mean evil done upon me. My friend was raped by them before. They do this to the black women. They hate us.”

View fullsize

Map: UNOCHA showing displacement and refugee movements. Click or tap to expand.

It was mid-October 2023. Several weeks of brutal battles between the RSF and national army had already made parts of Nyala a ghost town. Areas of the city under RSF control were being looted and terrified citizens were being sexually assaulted, tortured, and executed at the hands of the notorious paramilitary group. Rachid said the army made no effort to protect citizens. The situation was going from bad to worse very quickly.

“Running west to Chad was no good because the janjaweed were everywhere,” Rachid describes. “Running to South Sudan was a little safer. Less janjaweed.”

It took Rachid nine days to reach South Sudan. She somehow managed to avoid the RSF patrols that were quickly swarming the region. Rachid eventually stumbled into one of our Sudanese partners who was providing limited ground transport to people fleeing toward South Sudan. She got out just in time: by the end of October the RSF had overrun all of Nyala and most of Darfur.

Rachid now spends her days yearning to go home, but she knows she can’t until the RSF are gone. “As long as the janjaweed exists no one in Sudan is safe,” she says. “I don’t know where any of my family is. I don’t know if they are alive. No one can tell us when or how our nightmare ends.”

Sudan is home to the largest emergency in the world

Rachid’s story is shared by countless other Sudanese. As the country enters another year of war between Sudan’s ruthless national army and the barbaric Rapid Support Forces, generals on both sides have brought on the largest general displacement, child displacement, hunger, childhood education, and medical emergencies in the world.

The statistics are impossible to fathom. Nearly 25 million Sudanese —half the country— are in need of urgent humanitarian assistance. Over 8 million are displaced in Sudan’s borders or have fled the country altogether. 730,000 children are suffering from severe acute malnutrition and nearly 20 million more can no longer attend school.

Entire swaths of Sudan are too dangerous to access to try to determine a death and injury toll. What we do know is that all estimates are a severe undercount. As refugees pour into neighboring countries, they bring with them stories of mass graves, neighborhoods leveled and villages massacred, and soldiers and militias torturing and executing unarmed civilians viewed as “belonging” to the “other side.”

One recent estimate put the national death toll at 14,790 people. Meanwhile, a leaked United Nations report from three months ago suggests that up to 15,000 of the ethnic Masalit people were slaughtered in a single city during April-June of 2023 alone. It must be assumed that Sudan’s death toll is likely already soaring into the mid tens of thousands, if not higher. And with pockets of famine already breaking out in the hardest hit areas, the United Nations estimates that 230,000 children, pregnant women, and new mothers will die in the coming months due to hunger.

Behind all these hard-to-grasp numbers though are innumerable stories just like Rachid’s. No person should have to live like this. This is neither the life she signed up for nor the one she deserves. Understandably, she is baffled that the world seems not to have noticed.

A child is loaded into a truck taking people fleeing Sudan's war from Joda, on the Sudanese border, to Renk in South Sudan, where they will stay in a transit camp before they are transported further into the country. (Photo by Sally Hayden, Sipa via AP Images)

Reckoning with Sudan’s “doom loop” of silence

Sudan rarely shows up on anyone’s radar today for a myriad of reasons. The international aid and peacekeeping presence in the country has declined precipitously over the last 10 years. Western media especially has looked away following the U.S. military evacuating embassy staff from Khartoum a year ago. Being a local or international journalist on the ground has never been easy, but it is becoming impossible due to high levels of extreme violence. Both the army and RSF have destroyed or cut cell networks and internet access in parts of the country, making it harder for ordinary Sudanese to get news of their plight out into the world.

Current affairs on the international stage are also keeping eyes away from Sudan. With so much of the world glued to Gaza/Israel and Ukraine, few have noticed that the catastrophe unfolding in Sudan eclipses both of these conflicts…combined. This is not to say what is happening in these two places is unimportant. It is to say what is happening in Sudan very much is.

Little attention means efforts to save lives are severely underfunded. The United Nation’s humanitarian response plans —$2.7 billion needed to keep the situation from merely getting worse— are only 6% funded. That doesn’t include what local Sudanese groups and the few private international organizations left in Sudan like us require to meet the needs the UN won’t get to even if they were fully funded.

Too few resources means fewer international and connected Sudanese eyes and ears on the ground, which means fewer stories and critical information gets back out into the world. And the cycle starts all over again.

This doom loop of silence is compounding the damage of an already horrifying emergency. Given the fact that Sudan rarely shows up in the news, classrooms, and other social settings, it is no surprise that many Americans especially struggle to point to Sudan on a map. Our information environment has not prioritized the Sudanese. As such, good people who would be inclined to help don’t have the opportunity to.

Signs of hope, and the need to get to work

Interestingly, people notice this doom loop when they become aware of what is happening in Sudan. As our organization has introduced new faces to this crisis over the past twelve months, the first question we almost always hear is some form of “why am I just hearing about this now?” Shock is often mixed with frustration, not just with the situation, but with those who can easily break this cycle not doing so.

Some have suggested that world leaders and globally-minded citizens are fatigued with Sudan. An older generation of well-connected activists who dearly love the Sudanese people is a fraction of the size it once was. The days of big name celebrities keeping a sustained light on Sudan are long past. Most of the well-known Congressional champions of the Sudanese people retired years ago.

One can easily despair, but these realities are the closing of but one chapter belonging to a much longer story, most of which has not been written yet. If we’ve learned anything these past twelve months it is that people are more than willing to help, but they have to be educated and asked first.

We know from experience that this takes years of hard work and considerable resources to do at scale. Overcoming this challenge isn’t going to happen from the top down. It falls to ordinary people like us to educate ourselves and commit to standing with our friends in Sudan, no matter what. And we must invite others to join us.

A new generation of engaged American activists allied to Sudanese heroes is called for. There needs to be a sustained effort to cultivate that generation, from the ground up and the middle out, in cities and communities across the United States. This work does not belong to one individual or one organization. It cannot be done overnight. Neither can breaking the doom loop of silence our friends in Sudan are trapped in.

We are doing our part though. From creating new learning resources for classrooms to providing more news and analysis that is free to all, to building simple tools newcomers can use to help educate their friends to launching creative ways they can directly support Sudanese heroes, we are already seeing signs of hope that a new generation of activists can be educated and mobilized to help.

Today marks one year since this emergency in Sudan began. We all have a role to play in helping people like Rachid. Will you join us?

We’re a nonprofit organization with over a decade of experience working alongside Sudanese heroes. Together we are making the story of Sudan known, empowering survivors, and working to build a renewed Sudan from the ground up. And we need your help.

Our Sudanese partners are overwhelmed with needs as the war spreads and hunger deepens. Your generosity will help them serve the most vulnerable in this time of tremendous need.

$2,200: Funds an entire classroom at Endure Primary School for one semester.

$1,000: Pays monthly salaries of 5 midwives.

$500 - Delivers food and clothing to Darfuri genocide survivors who have fled into South Sudan.

$250 - Supports a teacher and their classroom for six weeks.

$150 - Empowers a nurse assistant for one month.

$100 - Gives a day’s worth of medicine to four clinics.

$50 - Provides pencils, notebooks and other supplies to 16 students in Yida Refugee Camp.

Join Miles For Sudan | Donate Stock | Give Crypto

Checks can be made payable to Operation Broken Silence and mailed to P.O. Box 770900 Memphis, TN 38177-0900.

Operation Broken Silence is a registered 501(c)(3) organization. Your donations are tax-deductible within the guidelines of U.S. law.

Shareables

Short statements you can share online and with others. Simply copy and paste.

• Share Our Posts: Instagram Stories | Threads | Facebook | LinkedIn

• “As long as the janjaweed exist no one in Sudan is safe,” Rachid says. “I don’t know where any of my family is. I don’t know if they are alive. No one can tell us when or how our nightmare ends.” https://operationbrokensilence.org/blog/sudan-trapped-in-a-doom-loop-of-silence-after-one-year-of-war-and-humanitarian-nightmare

• Sudan is trapped in a “doom loop of silence” after one year of war and a humanitarian nightmare. https://operationbrokensilence.org/blog/sudan-trapped-in-a-doom-loop-of-silence-after-one-year-of-war-and-humanitarian-nightmare

• Sudan’s warring generals have brought on the largest general displacement, child displacement, hunger, childhood education, and medical emergencies in the world. https://operationbrokensilence.org/blog/sudan-trapped-in-a-doom-loop-of-silence-after-one-year-of-war-and-humanitarian-nightmare

• Today marks one year since this emergency in Sudan began. The situation is bleak, largely because the world is not paying attention. We can all play our part in changing that. https://operationbrokensilence.org/blog/sudan-trapped-in-a-doom-loop-of-silence-after-one-year-of-war-and-humanitarian-nightmare

Sudan Crisis 2024 - What You Need To Know

This guide is for those who want to learn more about the war in Sudan. It is part of our educational resources list and was last updated April 14, 2024.

Consider sharing this article with friends and family to help us raise awareness about this forgotten conflict. For more information about what's happening in Sudan and our work, please sign up for our email list.

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Where is Sudan?

Sudan is in northeast Africa, just south of Egypt on the coast of the Red Sea.

The country sits on the geographic and cultural crossroads of Sub-Saharan Africa and the Middle East. Sudan shares borders with seven other countries: Libya, Egypt, Chad, the Central African Republic, South Sudan, Ethiopia, and Eritrea.

What’s the crisis?

A civil war began in Sudan on April 2023. Extreme violence has turned the capital city of Khartoum into a lawless and bloodied shell of its former self. Several more cities have been devastated by intense fighting. Over 70% of the healthcare system has collapsed, preventable disease outbreaks are becoming more common, and famine is already claiming lives as many farmers cannot work. The economy has disintegrated and the prices of basic goods have skyrocketed. Most schools are closed, too.

Armed combatants on both sides are using the fog of war to target ethnic minorities and ordinary citizens who speak out against the violence. It is widely recognized that war crimes are being committed on a large-scale, and there is strong evidence that a genocide is being committed in the western Darfur region.

How many people are impacted?

Sudan’s conflict is generating the world’s largest and worst humanitarian disaster, far outpacing every other crisis on the planet.

• Nearly 25 million Sudanese —that’s half the country— are in need of urgent humanitarian assistance.

• Over 8 million Sudanese have been internally-displaced or have fled the country.

• 730,000 Sudanese children are suffering from severe acute malnutrition.

• Nearly 20 million children can no longer attend school.

• Current projections are that 230,000 children, pregnant women, and new mothers will die from hunger by the end of the year if the situation does not improve.

Extreme violence has made it too dangerous to determine a death toll. There are credible reports that over the first three months of the war, up to 15,000 of the ethnically African Masalit people were slaughtered in El Geneina, Darfur. That is just one city. More reports of mass killings leak out of Sudan every week. The world may not be able to access much of the country, but it is safe to say the death toll is already into the mid-tens of thousands.

Who is responsible?

There are two primary armed groups in this civil war:

• The Sudan Armed Forces (SAF) - the country’s official military that includes the army, air force, and navy.

• The Rapid Support Forces (RSF) - a regional paramilitary outfit created by a previous military regime.

There are a variety of intelligence units, police forces, and local militias that have taken sides in the conflict. The RSF also hires mercenaries from across the Sahel. Some of Sudan’s rebel groups that formed in previous wars have taken sides, while others have remained neutral or are defending their own territory and people groups.

Why are SAF and RSF fighting?

SAF and RSF used to be allies, but that began to change after they overthrew the government in October 2021. Tensions between SAF and RSF have been building ever since.

The RSF has been the junior partner in the regime and wants to be the dominant player in Sudan. RSF commander Mohamed Hamdan Dagalo (aka Hemeti) has his eyes on becoming a dictator. RSF fighters already call him emir or president. SAF is fighting to remain the elite player in Sudan. There are also significant ethnic dimensions at play between SAF and RSF that cannot be ignored:

• RSF- Top RSF commanders and most of their fighters hail from Darfur’s Arab tribes. A sizable portion of the RSF adheres to an extremely racist, Arab-supremacist ideology. The belief system states that Darfur’s historic African tribal groups must be cleansed from the region and that all other Sudanese Arabs are inferior. This explains why the RSF has renewed its massacres of ethnically African communities in Darfur during the war, especially the Masalit tribe.

• SAF - Generals are mostly Nile Valley Arabs, the most elite and privileged ethnic groups in the country. Unlike the RSF though, SAF is a fairly diverse fighting force with soldiers from various parts of the country in its ranks. Racism also exists in SAF, which explains why members of the force have executed civilians on an ethnic basis as well.

By early 2023, both sides were preparing for war with each other. Fighting erupted in Khartoum on April 15, 2023. Both sides failed to decapitate each others’ leadership, and the war quickly spread across the country.

This war is about power and denying the Sudanese people freedom, equality, and security. The vast majority of the Sudanese people want democratic civilian rule, for the RSF to be permanently dismantled, and for SAF to reform and stay in the barracks.

Which side is winning the war?

Both sides regularly claim they have the upper hand; however, it appears that the RSF currently has the most momentum. SAF generals have largely been fighting a defensive war for months, allowing RSF commanders to shape the battlefield. RSF currently controls most of western Sudan and the bulk of Khartoum. SAF controls most of the north and east of the country and has only recently launched limited offensive operations. Most army and pre-war governing institutions have relocated to Port Sudan in the far-east.

One side winning this war outright may never happen, for two reasons:

1. Both sides remain heavily-armed and are now deeply entrenched in most areas under their control, but there is little evidence either can capture the entire country in the near future.

2. It can not be overstated how much the majority of Sudan’s citizenry detest the RSF and want SAF to behave like a responsible military. If the RSF were to win decisively, the paramilitary force would face a seething population that will never accept their rule. The Sudanese people won’t accept another SAF regime either. Generals on both sides are fighting an intense war with each other, but what either side stands to win is a country that wants neither of them in charge.

Without a political solution that silences the guns, it is likely that this war drags on for years with no side able to declare victory.

Are world leaders doing anything to end this?

Global efforts to halt the war are having no noticeable impact. World leaders have turned to off-the-shelf diplomatic solutions that are designed to deal with neither the complexities nor severity of this crisis. Failing to deal with the zero sum attitude of SAF and RSF generals is incentivizing them to continue the war. One can argue that centering the generals as the solution here is foolish to begin with.

Multiple rounds of peace talks led by various countries and organizations —including the United States, Saudi Arabia, IGAD, and the African Union— have failed to secure a lasting ceasefire or improve humanitarian aid access. The U.S. and European Union are sanctioning some SAF and RSF leaders, but not nearly fast or hard enough. Meanwhile, some global actors are making the crisis worse by propping up one of the two sides. The United Arab Emirates and Russian Wagner group are smuggling weapons and vehicles to the RSF. SAF has received some support from Egypt and Ukraine and continues receiving weapons from Iran, China, and Russia.

It is the Sudanese people who are doing the most to end the violence. A coalition of civilian groups —led by former prime minister Abdalla Hamdok, who was overthrown in the 2021 coup— has emerged to serve as a credible alternative to SAF and RSF. Ordinary Sudanese across the country are trying to help their neighbors survive every day. The international community could and should be doing much more than it is, including throwing its full weight behind the Sudanese people.

What can I do to help?

Operation Broken Silence is building a global movement to empower the Sudanese people through innovative programs as a 501(c)(3) nonprofit organization. For over a decade, we've allied people just like you with incredible Sudanese heroes on the ground. We are making the story of Sudan known, empowering survivors, and helping to build a renewed Sudan from the ground up.

Our Sudanese partners are struggling as the war spreads and program costs skyrocket. You generosity will help them continue saving and changing lives in the days ahead.

$2,200: Fund an entire classroom at Endure Primary School for one semester.

$1,000: Pays monthly salaries of 5 midwives.

$500 - Delivers food and clothing to Darfuri genocide survivors who have fled into South Sudan.

$250 - Supports a teacher and their classroom for one month.

$150 - Pays a nurse assistant’s salary for an entire month.

$100 - Give pencils, notebooks and other supplies to 16 students in Yida Refugee Camp.

$50 - Gives a day’s worth of medicine to three clinics.

Join Miles For Sudan | Donate Stock | Give Crypto

Checks can be make payable to Operation Broken Silence and mailed to PO Box 770900 Memphis, TN 38177-0900.

Operation Broken Silence is a registered 501(c)(3) organization. Your donations are tax-deductible within the guidelines of U.S. law.

Shareables

Short statements you can share online and with others. Simply copy and paste.

• Share Our Posts: Instagram Stories | Threads | Facebook | LinkedIn

• How is this not the biggest story in the world right now‽ https://operationbrokensilence.org/blog/sudan-crisis-2024-what-you-need-to-know

• It’s not in the news, but the world’s largest humanitarian disaster right now is unfolding in Sudan. Check out this informative guide: https://operationbrokensilence.org/blog/sudan-crisis-2024-what-you-need-to-know

• Nearly 25 million Sudanese are in need of some form of humanitarian assistance. Roughly 1 in every 8 internally-displaced people worldwide is now Sudanese. https://operationbrokensilence.org/blog/sudan-crisis-2024-what-you-need-to-know

• Operation Broken Silence is building a global movement to empower the Sudanese people through innovative programs. For over a decade, we've allied people just like you with incredible Sudanese heroes on the ground. Will you join us? https://operationbrokensilence.org/blog/sudan-crisis-2024-what-you-need-to-know

How can I help Sudan?

Next week marks one year since the war in Sudan began. Brutal fighting between the army and Rapid Support Forces has given way to the largest humanitarian emergency in the world.

Nearly 25 million Sudanese —half the country— need urgent food and medical assistance. Over 8 million are displaced in Sudan’s borders or have fled the country. 730,000 children are suffering from severe acute malnutrition. Nearly 20 million more can no longer attend school. And over 70% of Sudan’s healthcare system has collapsed.

You can click here to learn more about this crisis. Right now we want to provide three easy ways to support our Sudanese partners:

1. Give now

$2,200: Funds an entire classroom at Endure Primary School for a semester.

$1,000: Pays monthly salaries of 5 midwives.

$500 - Delivers food and clothing to Darfuri genocide survivors who have fled into South Sudan.

$250 - Supports a teacher and their classroom for one month.

$150 - Pays a nurse assistant’s salary for an entire month.

$100 - Gives pencils, notebooks and other supplies to 16 students in Yida Refugee Camp.

$50 - Gives a day’s worth of medicine to three clinics.

Donate Stock | Give Crypto | Make checks payable to Operation Broken Silence and mail to PO Box 770900 Memphis, TN 38177-0900

Operation Broken Silence is a registered 501(c)(3) organization. Your donations are tax-deductible within the guidelines of U.S. law.

2. Join Miles for Sudan

Our new global event helps runners, walkers, and cyclists save and change lives in Sudan, from wherever you call home! Here’s how it works:

• Pick a month.

• Set your mileage goal and how much you will raise per mile.

• Get moving and ask friends to donate to your fundraising page!

Signing up is free and we’ll send you a t-shirt if you raise $200+. Have questions? Check out our FAQ.

3. Email your Representative (U.S. Specific, April 12 Deadline)

Contact your member of Congress and urge them to sign this letter to the Biden Administration being organized by Representatives Dan Kildee and Young Kim. If you are not sure who your Representative is, find them here. Feel free to copy/paste this message to them:

Dear Representative (insert name),

Since April 2023, fighting between the Sudan Armed Forces (SAF) and the paramilitary Rapid Support Forces (RSF) has devastated the country. In December 2023, the State Department made an official atrocity determination, stating that SAF has committed war crimes and the RSF has committed war crimes, crimes against humanity, and ethnic cleansing. Violence against civilians remains at high levels and famine now looms over large swaths of Sudan.

Sudan has long been a bipartisan focus of Congress, with members of both parties working together to propel forward better policy and increased attention across multiple administrations. Congressional leadership is needed once more as Sudan is in the grips of the largest humanitarian emergency in the world.

As one of your constituents, I am asking that you add your name to a Congressional letter addressed to President Biden, Secretary Blinken, and Administrator Power. This letter is being organized by your colleagues Representatives Dan Kildee and Young Kim. Please contact their offices to read the text and add your name. Your voice matters in this time of extreme crisis. Thank you.

Sincerely,

(your name and address)

Shareables

Short statements you can share online and with others. Simply copy and paste.

• Share Our Posts: Instagram Stories | Threads | Facebook | LinkedIn

• It’s not in the news, but the world’s largest humanitarian emergency right now is unfolding in Sudan. Will you join me in helping? https://operationbrokensilence.org/blog/how-can-i-help-sudan

• Next week marks one year since the war in Sudan began. Brutal fighting between the army and Rapid Support Forces has given way to the largest humanitarian emergency in the world. https://operationbrokensilence.org/blog/how-can-i-help-sudan

• Contact your member of Congress and urge them to sign a letter to the Biden Administration about the emergency in Sudan. https://operationbrokensilence.org/blog/how-can-i-help-sudan

Frequently Asked Questions - Miles For Sudan

About Operation Broken Silence

Operation Broken Silence is building a global movement to empower the Sudanese people through innovative programs as a 501(c)(3) nonprofit organization. For over a decade, we've allied people just like you with incredible Sudanese teachers and healthcare workers on the ground. Together we are making the story of Sudan known, empowering survivors, and helping to build a renewed Sudan from the ground up. You can get a lot more of the specifics here.

Wait, what’s happening in Sudan?

It’s not in the news, but Sudan is now home to the world’s largest and worst humanitarian disaster, far outpacing every other crisis on the planet.

Sudan’s military regime disintegrated in April of 2023. The army and paramilitary Rapid Support Forces, the two primary factions in the regime, went to war with each for control of Sudan. Fighting has spread across the country and left nearly 25 million Sudanese —roughly half of the population— in need of urgent humanitarian assistance. Ethnic minorities are facing famine, war crimes, and genocide. The vast majority of the Sudanese people do not want this war and have been struggling to achieve a democratic, civilian government for years. Check out our Sudan Crisis Guide for more details.

What is Miles For Sudan?

This deepening crisis has left our brave Sudanese partners overwhelmed and in desperate need of additional financial and material support.

Our incredible supporters are doing everything they can to help, but it’s still nowhere near enough to meet the emerging needs on the ground. We need more people to get involved, and fast.

Miles For Sudan is our invitation to you to get off the sidelines and into the game, from wherever you call home. This virtual event helps runners, walkers, and cyclists attach their miles in a given month to a fundraising goal. The donations we are raising together are going to support indigenous partners on the ground who are providing safe haven, emergency food relief, education, and healthcare. 

This global event runs from April 1-December 31, 2024. We encourage you to pick the best month that works for you!

How does Miles For Sudan work?

We’ve made this as simple as possible:

1. Pick a month to participate.

2. Set your mileage goal and how much you will raise per mile.

3. Sign up for free and get moving!

We’ll send you a link to your personal fundraising page after your register. Every time you run, walk, or bike, all you have to do is share how far you went and the link to your page asking people to give! You can also post quick updates directly to your fundraising page so your donors can see your progress.

If you live in the United States and raise at least $250, we will mail you an exclusive event t-shirt within 4 weeks after your fundraiser ends! It’s our small way of saying thank you for your hard work.

What happens if I come up a little short?

We would love to see everyone achieve their mileage and fundraising goals, but we know that life happens. You have no obligations to complete either goal. Every mile you knock out and dollar you raise helps our Sudanese partners, and they appreciate all the help you can give them!

Do I have to provide proof of completion?

Nope, we trust you! We do encourage you to post updates on your progress on social media and to your fundraising page to encourage others give though.

Additional Questions

• How do I track my progress?

  You can use your Apple Watch, Fitbit, or favorite exercise app! We also have a free, printable daily tracker we’ll email you when you sign up if you prefer that.

• How much do I have to raise?

  That’s entirely up to you! You’ll set your mileage and fundraising goal when you register. You need to raise at least $250 to secure a t-shirt though. Every dollar you raise helps or Sudanee partners meet the needs of their people.

• Can I make a donation instead of fundraising?

  Absolutely! If you prefer giving your full goal amount instead of fundraising that is okay. Just go trough the registration process and then donate to your own page.

• Can I participate if I don't live in the United States?

  Absolutely! This is a global event and you can run, cyce, or run from wherever you call home. There are a few exceptions as outlined by U.S law.

  Your fundraising page automatically accepts 150+ currencies from around the world, which means people al over the world can give in their local currency.

• I'm having a hard time reaching my fundraising goal. What can I do?

  Every now and then we have a fundraiser who has a hard time getting people to give. Pleas reach out to us at info@operationbrokensilenceorg if you’re struggling. Our team is here to help!

• My T-shirt hasn’t arrived yet. When can I expect it to be delivered?

  Please allow at least 4-6 weeks after your fundraiser ends for delivery. If your shirt hasn’t arived by then, shoot us a quick messge at info@operationbrokensilence.org

Still need help? Drop us a quick message here and we’ll get back to you ASAP.

Joint statement in support of progress toward a Crimes Against Humanity treaty

Photo from Canva Pro.

Operation Broken Silence is joining 300+ international organizations and experts to express our support for a global convention on crimes against humanity. As an organization working in Sudan’s war zones for more than a decade, we have seen firsthand why the world needs a crimes against humanity treaty.

Together, we are urging states to utilize the 2024 April Resumed Session of the UN’s Sixth Committee to express strong support for a procedure to be adopted at the 79th Session of the UN General Assembly to move the Draft Articles on Prevention and Punishment of Crimes against Humanity forward to negotiations for a treaty. You can view the joint statement below.

What are crimes against humanity?

Crimes against humanity are defined in Article 7 of the Rome Statute of the International Criminal Court as:

“any of the following acts when committed as part of a widespread or systematic attack directed against any civilian population, with knowledge of the attack: Murder; Extermination; Enslavement; Deportation or forcible transfer of population; Imprisonment or other severe deprivation of physical liberty in violation of fundamental rules of international law; Torture; Rape, sexual slavery, enforced prostitution, forced pregnancy, enforced sterilization, or any other form of sexual violence of comparable gravity; Persecution against any identifiable group or collectivity on political, racial, national, ethnic, cultural, religious, gender as defined in paragraph 3, or other grounds that are universally recognized as impermissible under international law, in connection with any act referred to in this paragraph or any crime within the jurisdiction of the Court; Enforced disappearance of persons; The crime of apartheid; Other inhumane acts of a similar character intentionally causing great suffering, or serious injury to body or to mental or physical health.”

To learn more about crimes against humanity and similar transgressions, please see our educational resource on mass atrocity crimes.

Why does the world need a treaty on crimes against humanity?

Crimes against humanity are prohibited under the Rome Statute and under customary international law; however, unlike for genocide and war crimes, no standalone treaty exists obligating states to prevent and punish crimes against humanity. This dangerous gap in international law fosters impunity and creates a false hierarchy between equally serious international crimes.

A crimes against humanity treaty will not only help fill this gap, but creates an opportunity to incorporate decades of progress made towards addressing international crimes since the drafting of the Rome Statute, including sexual and gender-based violence, persecution, enforced disappearances, and environmental crimes.

Codifying these crimes will not stop them from occurring, but clear international and domestic legal rules are an important first step to holding perpetrators accountable. The existence of these laws signals to potential perpetrators that they will face justice if they commit these crimes, which can contribute to deterring their commission over time. A treaty can also codify the rights of victims and require states to engage with them to achieve justice. This is an important step in the right direction.

We’re a nonprofit organization with over a decade of experience working alongside Sudanese heroes. Our Sudanese partners are struggling as the civil war and mass atrocity crimes spread and needs skyrocket. Your generosity will help them serve the most vulnerable in this time of tremendous need.

$2,200: Fund an entire classroom at Endure Primary School for one semester.

$1,000: Pays monthly salaries of 5 midwives.

$500 - Delivers food and clothing to Darfuri genocide survivors who have fled into South Sudan.

$250 - Supports a teacher and their classroom for one month.

$150 - Pays a nurse assistant’s salary for an entire month.

$100 - Give pencils, notebooks and other supplies to 16 students in Yida Refugee Camp.

$50 - Gives a day’s worth of medicine to three clinics.

Join Miles For Sudan | Donate Stock | Give Crypto

Operation Broken Silence is a registered 501(c)(3) organization. Your donations are tax-deductible within the guidelines of U.S. law.

Famine is descending on Sudan. When will the world notice?

Editor’s Note: This update includes disturbing language and may not be appropriate for children 7th grade and below. Our Sudan Crisis Guide may be more suitable. To take action, please scroll down to the bottom of the page. Thank you.

It was early May of 2023. War had broken out a few weeks earlier in the West Darfur capital of El-Geneina and Halima hadn’t left her home since. She could hear gunfire and bombings around the clock.

Halima belongs to the Masalit ethnic group, one of Darfur’s historic African tribes. Her black skin was now a death warrant. Arab snipers were fanning out across the city. Roving bands of Rapid Support Forces (RSF) paramilitaries and their Arab militia allies were hunting for Masalit to murder and setting up checkpoints. As shells began falling on her brother’s neighborhood, Halima’s husband went to try to get their family to safety.

The next day she received word her husband had been caught by Arab militiamen and executed. He was unarmed and had been trying to move her family to a neighborhood that a self-armed Masalit militia was barely holding out in.

Halima had no time to grieve because she was now faced with an impossible decision: stay in Darfur and be murdered by the advancing RSF, or try to flee through the killing and hope she’d make it. An Arab friend managed to smuggle Halima and several others out of El-Geneina. She saw the bodies of her people rotting in the streets along the way. Several days later, Halima was walking out of the country she had always called home, unsure if she would ever return.

“He was everything,” Halima said of her husband. “We knew each other since we were children. The men with guns took everything from me. Now we are here. Now we are hungry. When does this end?”

The largest crisis in the world is about to get much worse

Halima is just one of millions of Sudanese who cannot grieve because she is struggling to survive.

Eleven months of catastrophic civil war between the army and RSF has generated the highest rate of forced displacement in the world, with more than 10 million Sudanese having fled to other parts of the country or left altogether. An estimated 20 million children can no longer attend school. Nearly 25 million Sudanese —roughly half the population— are in need of humanitarian aid. Healthcare is non-existent in many areas. Communication networks continue collapsing inside the country, hampering the world’s ability to get information out and relief in.

What information does get out is horrifying. Grisly images of RSF paramilitaries executing army soldiers and unarmed black Sudanese. Army soldiers holding up severed heads of RSF fighters and jeering into the camera. Mass graves. Bodies rotting in destroyed neighborhoods. Many of the combatants in this war boldly claim they are fighting for Sudan’s future. In reality, their hatred and immorality are pushing Sudan into becoming a failed state.

Few seem to have noticed this unfolding disaster. And it’s about to get much, much worse. Be it inside Sudan’s borders or in the growing refugee camps, food is becoming scarcer by the day. Nearly 18 million Sudanese are already facing emergency levels of hunger. And emergency is now turning into famine.

Photo: Map from the Famine Early Warning Systems Network (FEWS NET) showing how quickly Sudan is descending into famine.

It is important to understand that expanding hunger in Sudan is not a mere side effect of the war. The blame rests squarely on the shoulders of Sudan’s senior generals and commanders.

The RSF has systematically looted aid warehouses, fuel stations, markets, banks, and homes virtually everywhere they have a foothold. The army —nominally viewed as Sudan’s governing authority to the outside world— is restricting humanitarian relief to areas under RSF control and trying to shut down local initiatives to bring food to people in need. Sudan’s Humanitarian Aid Commission (HAC) —a long-corrupt agency supposedly tasked with getting outside relief into the country— is at this point likely little more than a front for army intelligence and stands accused of redirecting aid supplies to their own soldiers.

Both sides have destroyed communication infrastructure and curtailed internet access, further disrupting already besieged humanitarian networks and preventing mobile banking and remittances from Sudanese abroad. Preventable disease outbreaks such as cholera are compounding childhood acute malnutrition and, with 70% of Sudan’s already fragile healthcare system destroyed or closed, there is little local ability to prevent further outbreaks. As if all this weren't bad enough, many people have not been able to farm after being displaced or because it is simply too dangerous to do so.

These actions by the army and RSF have created a perfect storm that is morphing Sudan’s hunger crisis into a famine. Anecdotal accounts of starvation that began several weeks ago in areas classified as Emergency (see map above) are now being experienced widely enough to notice a pattern. For example, in Zamzam displacement camp in North Darfur, a child is dying roughly every two hours.

The threat of famine is no longer a threat. The famine is arriving right now.

Briefly defining terms

Virtually every corner of Sudan is experiencing a food crisis. Most of the areas hit hardest by the war and the RSF’s ethnic killing campaigns are in a state of food emergency, with famine conditions already breaking out in some households and neighborhoods.

The Integrated Food Security Phase Classification (IPC) defines these terms the following way:

1. Phase 3 - Crisis. Households either have food consumption gaps that are reflected by high or above-usual acute malnutrition; OR are marginally able to meet minimum food needs, but only by depleting essential livelihood assets or through crisis-coping strategies. 

2. Phase 4 - Emergency. Households either have large food consumption gaps which are reflected in very high acute malnutrition and excess mortality OR are able to mitigate large food consumption gaps, but only by employing emergency livelihood strategies and asset liquidation.

3. Phase 5 - Famine. Households have an extreme lack of food and/or other basic needs even after full employment of coping strategies. Starvation, death, destitution, and extremely critical acute malnutrition levels are evident. (For Famine Classification, area needs to have extreme critical levels of acute malnutrition and mortality.)

Photo: IPC Phase 5 is referred to as “Catastrophe” when classifying a household and “Famine” when classifying an area. In certain cases, areas may be classified in “Famine Likely” which indicates the same level of severity as “Famine” but means that the analysis was based on less available evidence than one that results in a “Famine” classification. (FEWS NET)

What does this mean for the rest of 2024?

Setting the technical jargon aside, time is rapidly running out to reverse the hunger crisis unfolding in Sudan and prevent swaths of the population from descending into famine. The U.N estimates roughly 730,000 children are already in need of life-saving treatment for acute malnourishment. Projections state that this already horrifying number will skyrocket to 3.7 million by year’s end. Children, then, will bear the brunt of the death toll if something does not change soon.

Even if hunger levels remain where they are now, hunger and malnutrition-related deaths will likely reach into the high tens of thousands by the end of the year, if not higher. Preventing this crisis from worsening is no longer enough; it must be reversed.

Army generals and RSF commanders have shown no interest in deescalating their senseless war and opening up humanitarian pathways to those most in need. Indeed, by intentionally preventing people from accessing food and denying humanitarian access, both sides are stacking starvation crimes on top of the mass war crimes they are committing. Sudan’s military elite may be driving this crisis, but the international community’s refusal to hold them accountable and find more creative, untraditional ways of getting aid into the country is compounding the damage.

Like many Sudanese, Halima sees clearly what is happening. “If your rules make you work with criminals then your rules don’t work,” she says. “We cannot wait for permission to eat from the people who wish us dead. We are Sudan. We are hungry. When will the world work with us instead of these criminals?”

We’re a nonprofit organization with over a decade of experience working alongside Sudanese heroes. Our Sudanese partners are struggling as the war spreads and needs skyrocket. Your generosity will help them serve the most vulnerable in this time of tremendous need.

$2,200: Fund an entire classroom at Endure Primary School for one semester.

$1,000: Pays monthly salaries of 5 midwives.

$500 - Delivers food and clothing to Darfuri genocide survivors who have fled into South Sudan.

$250 - Supports a teacher and their classroom for one month.

$150 - Pays a nurse assistant’s salary for an entire month.

$100 - Give pencils, notebooks and other supplies to 16 students in Yida Refugee Camp.

$50 - Gives a day’s worth of medicine to three clinics.

Join Miles For Sudan | Donate Stock | Give Crypto

Operation Broken Silence is a registered 501(c)(3) organization. Your donations are tax-deductible within the guidelines of U.S. law.

Shareables

Short statements you can share online and with others. Simply copy and paste.

• Share Our Posts: Instagram Stories | Threads | Facebook | LinkedIn

• Be it inside Sudan’s borders or in the growing refugee camps, food is becoming scarcer by the day. Nearly 18 million Sudanese are already facing emergency levels of hunger. And emergency is now turning into famine. https://operationbrokensilence.org/blog/famine-is-descending-on-sudan

• It is important to understand that expanding hunger in Sudan is not a mere side effect of the war. The blame rests squarely on the shoulders of Sudan’s senior generals and commanders. https://operationbrokensilence.org/blog/famine-is-descending-on-sudan

• Virtually every corner of Sudan is experiencing a food crisis. Most areas hit hardest by the war and the RSF’s ethnic killing campaigns are in a state of food emergency, with famine conditions already breaking out in some households and neighborhoods. https://operationbrokensilence.org/blog/famine-is-descending-on-sudan

• Time is rapidly running out to reverse the hunger crisis unfolding in Sudan and prevent swaths of the population from descending into famine. https://operationbrokensilence.org/blog/famine-is-descending-on-sudan

• Even if hunger levels remain where they are now, hunger and malnutrition-related deaths in Sudan will likely reach into the high tens of thousands by the end of the year, if not higher. https://operationbrokensilence.org/blog/famine-is-descending-on-sudan

There’s never been a better time to donate Bitcoin to Sudanese heroes

Since civil war careened across Sudan in April 2023, the Sudanese people have been plunged into the largest and most dangerous humanitarian crisis on the planet. And the world has barely noticed.

Nearly 25 million Sudanese —that’s half the country— are now in need of urgent humanitarian assistance. More than 10 million Sudanese have been internally-displaced or have had to flee the country. 730,000 Sudanese children are suffering from severe acute malnutrition and 20 million can no longer attend school.

Behind these numbers are individual stories of unimaginable suffering and horror. 27-year-old Halima fled West Darfur last year after Rapid Support Forces (RSF)-aligned militia executed her husband. “He was everything,” Halima said. “We knew each other since we were children. The men with guns took everything from me. Now we are here. Now we are hungry. When does this end?”

Halima is just one of millions of Sudanese who cannot grieve because she must survive. Famine is already breaking out in small pockets of Sudan as farming and healthcare collapses and extreme violence impedes aid access.

Wait, what’s happening in Sudan?

One of the worst armed conflicts and the largest humanitarian catastrophe in the world.

SEE OUR GUIDE ➡

Needs now exponentially eclipse available resources. Only 4% of the $2.7 billion the world needs to meet baseline humanitarian needs has been provided. Our organization alone needs to almost double our annual budget to aid our Sudanese healthcare and education partners in this dark hour. That’s the bad news.

The good news is that you can help. Sudan has rarely been on the radar of foundations, big donors…pretty much everyone. As a forward-thinking nonprofit, we’ve been working for years to overcome this challenge by investing in cutting edge philanthropy and crowdfunding tools such as cryptocurrency giving. And with Bitcoin at all-time highs, you can use your gains to save lives in Sudan in a tax-efficient way.

Donate Bitcoin

Making a cryptocurrency donation helps Sudanese heroes continue their life-changing childhood education and healthcare work. Donating is safe and fast with our widget:

1. Select a token and enter your gift amount.

2. Type in your info or choose to give anonymously.

3. Make your gift! 

Operation Broken Silence is a 501(c)(3) nonprofit organization and your donation is tax-deductible within the extent of U.S. law. You will receive a tax receipt at the email address you provide. Please note that all crypto donations are nonrefundable.

What Your Gift Can Do*

1 BTC - fully funds the Endure Primary and Renewal Secondary Schools in Yida Refugee Camp for an entire year.

0.5 BTC - provides most basic medical supplies needed for 7,000 patient visits at Mother of Mercy Hospital.

0.25 BTC - delivers a daily nutritious meal to 720 Sudanese refugees in South Sudan for one month.

0.10 BTC - provides a full day of care for all patients at Mother of Mercy Hospital, or 216 outpatient visits, 7 surgeries, 10 admissions, and 2 safe baby deliveries.

0.05 BTC - gives culturally-sensitive garments to 175 women in need.

0.01 BTC - brings soccer balls and other extracurricular school materials to students in need.

Crypto donations are one of the most tax-efficient ways to give if you pay taxes in the United States. Donating cryptocurrency you have owned for more than one year and that has increased in value may provide better tax benefits than selling the token and giving cash. Your charitable income tax deduction is equal to the fair market value of the investment. You avoid paying the capital gains tax on any increase in value over the original cost of the crypto.

If one of the reasons you are donating is for tax benefits, we strongly encourage you to consult with your financial advisor before giving.

*Reflective of Bitcoin’s value on March 11, 2024.

Shareables

Short statements you can share online and with others. Simply copy and paste.

• I just donated Bitcoin to help respond to the humanitarian catastrophe in Sudan! Will you join me? https://operationbrokensilence.org/blog/theres-never-been-a-better-time-to-donate-bitcoin-to-sudan

• ATH Alert! #Bitcoin has hit an all-time high! Now is a great time to use your gains for good! https://operationbrokensilence.org/blog/theres-never-been-a-better-time-to-donate-bitcoin-to-sudan

• The crisis in Sudan has rarely been on the radar of foundations, big donors…pretty much everyone. #Crypto givers are stepping up to fill in the gap! https://operationbrokensilence.org/blog/theres-never-been-a-better-time-to-donate-bitcoin-to-sudan

• Since civil war careened across Sudan in April 2023, the Sudanese people have been plunged into the largest and most dangerous humanitarian crisis on the planet. Donating 0.25 #BTC can deliver a daily nutritious meal to 720 refugees for one month. https://operationbrokensilence.org/blog/theres-never-been-a-better-time-to-donate-bitcoin-to-sudan