OPINION: The Ignored: The Genocide in Sudan

By Sofia Lamdichi | September 29, 2025

Photo Credit: David Stanley | Wikimedia Commons

Africa is the epicenter of life and history, and it faces atrocities so unimaginable that it leaves me wondering how it can be that advocates, politicians, and everyday people act as if they cannot smell the blood and hear the terror. In Sudan, a genocide is occurring, and you need to stop ignoring it.

After the removal of President Omar al-Bashir in 2019, disagreements between the SAF (Sudanese Armed Forces) and the RSF (Rapid Support Forces) began to erupt. Shooting between the two groups did not officially start until April 15, 2023. Behind the smoke of a civil war between two armed militia groups is a genocide that is being committed against the Sudanese people. Countless people were murdered, tortured, raped, and displaced.

Over 600,000 people are experiencing a level 5 famine, and over 24 million people are experiencing a level 4 emergency, meaning at a level five people are suffering at extreme levels and dying directly from starvation. A level 4 food emergency means people are experiencing large food consumption gaps. Somehow, it is not enough for the world to speak up and lend a helping hand by utilizing its privilege. This indifference towards the suffering of the people in Sudan is fueled by racism and Islamophobia.

More often than not, people claim they had ‘no knowledge’ of the ongoing atrocities. Even when it is briefly brought to their attention, they will offer a few words, and if it is online, they might leave a like on a post. However, you rarely see people use their voice. Unfortunately, this sort of response to the suffering of marginalized communities is not new. It took over 70 years for people to admit there is a genocide going on in Palestine. Those who sit on their hands until people of color are on their last legs are exactly what is wrong with the world.

It should not take famine, mass killings, torture, rapes, and displacements for us to think

that something should be done to help those experiencing the unimaginable. Where there is political unrest, there is pain felt by innocent civilians. The desensitization to the idea of war and fighting within a state, coupled with a bias against Black people, if not managed and reversed, will act as the demise for so many people when it could be mitigated.

When the core issues are left untreated, they create other problems that need to be addressed as well. For example, on September 23rd, it was reported that thousands of people were being treated in Khartoum, Sudan, for Malaria, dengue, and typhoid fever, which has caused dozens of people to die. The two and a half years of fighting had destroyed almost half of the hospitals in the capital. The shortage of supplies in the hospitals, coupled with the thousands fleeing to Khartoum, is straining the already struggling healthcare system in Sudan, which will only lead to more deaths from injuries and diseases.

As students, you may believe that there is not much you can do to help those in need; however, now, more than ever, it is crucial for the world to recognize our shared responsibility and move beyond silence. Action is not only necessary to address the immediate crisis but also to reaffirm our collective humanity. Every effort counts, whether it is raising awareness, supporting humanitarian organizations, donating to various GoFundMe’s, or pressuring leaders to intervene. While the challenges are immense, history has shown that hope can flourish even in the darkest

times when people come together to demand change. By standing in solidarity and refusing to turn away, we can help create a future where justice and compassion prevail.