Three years after the outbreak of war, Sudan is facing the world’s largest humanitarian crisis, with 34 million people in urgent need of assistance, including millions lacking basic healthcare. The situation is further compounded by the fact that over 4 million people are suffering from acute malnutrition, while 37 per cent of the country’s health facilities are non-functional.
Diseases and epidemics, such as malaria, measles and cholera, are spreading like wildfire amidst the collapse of services.
Hospitals have not been spared from attacks, with 217 verified armed assaults on health facilities, resulting in thousands of deaths from both disease and direct attacks. Families are forced to undertake long and perilous journeys in search of a glimmer of hope for treatment.
Who is responsible for this tragic situation? The answer is clear and requires no further explanation: the responsibility lies with three parties: first and second, the ruling general and the opposition general. Both seek to control Sudan and monopolise its resources. It is not a civil war, as some claim, but rather a ‘war of greed’ par excellence. Thirdly, there are the external powers that are fuelling the flames and supplying the warring parties with money and weapons instead of seeking peace.
Where is the role of the Arab League? Has it reached a point of weakness that prevents it from resolving a conflict between two generals? And why do we see a complete absence of effective Arab medication to end this devastating war?
This conflict is not based on sectarian grounds, as both generals represent the same sect. So why all this indifference towards the blood and resources of Muslims? Perhaps one of the readers has an answer to what we do not know.
Sadiq Mohammed Said Al Lawati
The writer is a Retd PDO Training Manager
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