LIFE IN SUDAN UNDER RSF OCCUPATION

Sudan's devastating proxy war is now well into its third year. It’s easy to become desensitised to the grim statistics on casualties, hunger and displacement after so much time. But it’s vital to keep reminding ourselves and the world that real people are enduring unimaginable suffering. The UN calls the Sudanese people’s plight the world's ‘worst humanitarian crisis' of the 21st century.

In this video, we speak to Sidgi Kaballo, a member of the Central Committee of the Sudanese Communist Party, who holds dual citizenship in Sudan and the United Kingdom. He chose to remain in Sudan when the war erupted in April 2023. His son, African Stream's Editor-in-Chief, Ahmed Kaballo, had arranged for his safe evacuation from the country through the British Foreign Office. Yet Sidgi declined, staying for another seven and a half months amid the deadly chaos.

Asked why he made that choice, Sidgi, also an economist and academic, explains that he felt his duty to his fellow Sudanese was best fulfilled by staying inside the country. He provides a chilling first-hand account of life under the Emirati-backed Rapid Support Forces (RSF) occupation, describing it as ‘hell’ - with rampant looting, vandalism and severe shortages of food, water and medicine.

Yet, despite the horror, Sidgi also reminisces about the communal spirit that defines Sudanese society. He recalls a pharmacist who set up a medicine station outside his home to care for those in need until supplies ran out. It was one of many such acts of solidarity.

As the conflict grinds on, we must remember that behind the headlines is a human dimension to Sudan's crisis. We mustn't lose sight of the suffering of millions of real men, women and children.