Washington rally urges Biden not to ignore Sudan as war enters 2nd year

Washington, DC — Demonstrators in US capital have demanded global action as well as strong US role in ending the war in Sudan, where the fighting erupted one year ago between the Sudanese army [SAF] and paramilitary Rapid Support Forces [RSF].

Protesters who gathered at Freedom Plaza on Monday — some of them with placards reading "Sudan Can't Wait!", "Keep Eyes on Sudan" — said the wars raging in Gaza and Ukraine have taken away the focus on the Sudanese facing brutal war in the North African country.

"[We] demand global and US response and President Joe Biden to speak out on Sudan war which is currently the largest humanitarian crisis in the world," Samah Salman, a co-organiser of the rally, told TRT World.

The rally dubbed "United For Sudan" was jointly organised by Amnesty International, Refugees International, Refugee Congress, US-Educated Sudanese Association [USESA] and other groups.

Calling it one of the world's worst humanitarian crises, Salman who heads USESA, urged Biden to address the ongoing conflict.

"[We are] Demanding an end to the war, emergency humanitarian response and funding of the humanitarian appeal."

US Congressman Jim McGovern, who addessed the rally, blasted both sides of the conflict — Sudan's main military and the paramilitary RSF — saying: "They [SAF and RSF] must be sanctioned."

"If the United States wants to be effective, it must get the aid inside Sudan as well as the refugees outside the country," McGovern said.

"We have two warring sides that have no regard for civilians at all… We need immediate actions, immediate aid and make sure RSF and SAF don't block it," a protester who wished not to be named told TRT World.

The SAF is headed by General Abdel Fattah Burhan, and the RSF is commanded by General Mohammed Hamdan Dagalo. In 2021 both of them led a military coup, toppling an internationally recognised civilian government of Abdalla Hamdok.

According to Doctors Without Borders [or MSF], over 8.4 million people have fled their homes since the fighting broke out on April 15 last year, with around 1.8 million fleeing the country.

Estimates suggest nearly 15,000 people have been killed so far in the violence and the UN last week said thousands of people are still fleeing the country every day.

Despite the numbers, the international response was very weak, with only five percent of the needed humanitarian plan funded, aid groups say.

Shedding light on crisis

American-Sudanese teacher Sarah Zeinelabdin told TRT World the march aims to raise awareness about the crisis in Sudan which is often neglected on the international stage.

"Unfortunately, the war is still going, and the international community's response is nothing like it is in other places," Zeinelabdin, who drove nine hours from Georgia to the capital to attend and give her speech at the rally, told TRT World.

"We are here to draw attention to the war and to particularly talk to the politicians in the White House and let them know that we are taxpayers and we are Americans as well as Sudanese, and we are demanding their support to stop the war," she added.

Jasmine, an African-American participant who wanted to be identified by the first name only, reiterated the same message, saying that "peace should be brought to the Sudanese people."

"We want to make sure that peace is brought [to Sudan]... and get attention of President [Joe] Biden and other major figures here in the US," Jasmine said, adding that Biden has the power to put an end to the war in Sudan.

The conflict in Sudan between SAF and RSF has seen many ups and downs since last year.

Many rounds of negotiations have been held — mostly mediated by Saudi Arabia and the US — but failed to yield any results or cessation of hostilities.

On Monday, UN chief Antonio Guterres said that indiscriminate attacks "killing, injuring and terrorising civilians" in Sudan could amount to war crimes and crimes against humanity.

"The main problem is clear: there are two generals that have opted for a military solution and they have until now, obstructed all serious efforts of mediation," Guterres told reporters.

Also on Monday, World donors pledged more than $2.1 billion in humanitarian aid for Sudan, French President Emmanuel Macron announced in Paris. He spoke at the end of an international conference in the French capital aimed at drumming up support for Sudan's 51 million people.