Opinion: The world needs to take action for the people of Sudan

With the ongoing escalation of the fight in Sudan, the United Nations should intervene and save the civilians still residing in the capital, Khartoum.

Reem Kirja, Print Profiles Editor|June 6, 2023

Hiding in a school corner, gunshots make my ears bleed. Tanks rumble on the ground—a cold body near me. I don’t know what’s going on. I don’t know why they’re killing us. All I know is that I’m going to die.

Those are the current feelings of many young children in Sudan. In a span of a few days, my country turned from celebrating the holy month of Ramadan to an all-out war between the Sudanese Armed Forces (SAF) and the paramilitary, the Janjaweed Rapid Support Forces (RSF). Khartoum, the capital of Sudan, has become a battlefield full of dead civilians and crumbling buildings. While the ongoing war, currently considered the Third Sudanese Civil War, is a fight for power resulting from escalating tensions between the two sides, those affected are purely civilians.

Tanks are crushing those in the streets, and grenades fall upon unsuspecting individuals in the supposed safety of their homes. Medical professionals are targeted in their houses and executed due to providing care for injured civilians.

Children, teachers, and dying patients located near RSF and SAF bases are trapped in schools and hospitals with little to no sign of either side holding an effective ceasefire to allow families to reunite. Most hospitals and medical storages have been torn down, with injured civilians dying because there are no places to treat them. Medicine is running out, and it is currently impossible to access medications for chronic conditions and civilian injuries from random bullets and grenades.

H2O facilities and electricity plants have been destroyed, causing thousands of outages and barring civilians from clean water sources, even though the Muslim-majority country had a vast amount of people fasting.

Not only did this fight impair current education, it has effectively harmed future generations by targeting students, stopping schooling, and strategically killing doctors. Sudan’s future was stolen by selfish and privileged individuals trying to simply gain power without considering those who are affected by the war.

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Sudan’s future was stolen by selfish and privileged individuals trying to simply gain power without considering those who are affected by the war.

— Reem Kirja '25

Countries like Canada, the United States, and France sent troops to evacuate their citizens only, leaving those who are Sudanese to DIE. During the Russian invasion of Ukraine, countries sent aid and sanctioned Russia, so why are the Sudanese any different? Why is no one doing anything?

With over 600 civilian deaths and over 4,000 injuries, it is imminent for countries worldwide to stand with us. This can be shown by simply expressing their support for the Sudanese people as they did with the Ukrainians, sending airlift resources such as first aid materials and holding United Nations conferences to address the issue adequately.

When holding such conferences, the U.N. should send ambassadors to negotiate between the two fighting sides in Sudan. Additionally, the U.N. needs to prioritize dispatching an assortment of supplies, such as clean water and medications, for those starving and needing immediate medical care. With the help and support of nations worldwide, using the U.N. as a catalyst, the Sudanese can have hope for their country. May our people in Sudan emerge victorious, and may we see a day when our country is free of blood and conflict.

To support the Sudanese, sign this petition urging the U.N. to take action.