Suliman Baldo, Annette Weber, Amira Osman & Osama Kheir Mohamed: SUDAN’S DEVASTING WAR ON PEOPLE

Suliman Baldo, Annette Weber, Amira Osman, Osama Kheir Mohamed,
Irene Horejs





SUDAN’S DEVASTING WAR ON PEOPLE – WHAT INTERNATIONAL
RESPONSE?


 


Five years ago, a peaceful civil society uprising has managed to
oust Sudan´s long term dictator Omar Al Beshir and to install a
joint civilian-military government for a 3 years transition to
democratic elections 3. However, a military coup in October 2021
put an end to hope for democracy and in April 2022, the two power
sharing military forces initiated a cruel war with devastating
effects on the country.  At present, as a result of looting,
the conscious destruction of the economy and the use of hunger as
a weapon of war by both warring parties, 10 million people have
been displaced and 25 million face the threat of a man made
massive famine and starvation.


The war in Sudan has also devastating effects on its already
instable neighboring countries on the continent. By its strategic
location at the Red Sea it has huge implications for the Arab
Peninsula as well as for international trade and migration.
Multiple international players have a stake in this crisis, most
prominently Saudi Arabia and the UAE as active supporters of
belligerents, but Russia, the US, the EU and others have their
stakes too. Different mediation efforts by Egypt and other
neighboring countries, the African Union, Saudia Arabia and the
US had little success so far.


Yet, despite the humanitarian catastrophe and international
implications of this crisis, there seems to be little attention
to it by Western media and decision makers. “The world is failing
to live up to its commitments to protect civilians in armed
conflict”, UN Secretary-General António Guterres warned. When
states fail to protect its citizens, the international community
has a responsibility in doing so.


Who are the different conflict parties, what are their interests
and who is behind them? Why have the different efforts for
mediations failed so far? Why do Western powers not intervene
more strongly in this catastrophic conflict in a region which
combines so many interests for them?


What has become of the strong Sudanese civil society mouvements?
What role can they play in the current conflict situation? Within
the country and as Sudanese diaspora? How can Sudanese civil
society and the diaspora contribute to support humanitarian
relieve for the victims of this war?


These and other questions will be addressed in this panel
discussion, which constitutes the opening event of a 3 days
meeting of representatives of the Sudanese diaspora from 9
European countries in Vienna.





Suliman Baldo: Executive Director of Sudan
Transparency and Policy Tracker. Formerly led Sudan Democracy
First Group, advised U.N. teams in Darfur, and worked with ICTJ,
ICG, and HRW. Holds a PhD in Comparative Literature.


Annette Weber: EU Special Representative to the
Horn of Africa with 25+ years in the region. Former head of
Africa/Middle East at SWP, mediated in Sudan and Ethiopia, and
taught conflict studies. Holds a PhD in Political Science.


Amira Osman: Peace activist focused on gender
and diaspora. Co-founder of Sudan's Gender Centre for Research
and Training, holds a PhD in Peace Studies, and has published on
Sudanese women's roles in peace efforts.


Osama Kheir Mohamed: Activist and political
science student in Vienna, focused on international politics,
African theory, and anti-racism.





In cooperation with:
VIDC – Vienna Institute for International Dialogue and
Cooperation
 Mendy for peace culture and diversity
management