The United Nations Secretary General Antonio Guterres will inform the United Nations Security Council,about the Sudan’s hunger crisis and it is expected that the Security Council will take appropriate action and put sanctions against the individuals who are posing hurdles for providing access to aid in Sudan’s Darfur region.
Causes for the Hunger Crisis in Sudan
According to the UN document, around 5 million Sudanese might face food insecurity due to the on-going war in the country. The war between the rival generals, Army Chief Abdel Fattah al-Burhan and former deputy Mohamed Hamdan Daglo has caused severe damage to the economy and the infrastructure in Sudan, also it is one of the most important reason behind the current threat of food insecurity.
The severe levels of starvation are majorly due to the destruction to the infrastructure and dispute on agricultural production disruptions to trade, inflation and mass killing of people.
UN Aid Chief Martin Griffiths, said, “This is a moment of truth. The parties must silence the guns, protect civilians and ensure humanitarian access.” Griffiths said that approximately 730,000 children in Sudan and around 240,000 children in Darfur, might fall prey to malnutrition.
Stephane Dujarric
UN Secretary General Antonio Guterres’s spokesman Stephane Dujarric, said about the need of mobilizing resources from the international community. The United Nation’s World Food Programme has alerted about the risk of having the largest hunger crisis in the world.
Jill Lawler
The emergency Chief in Sudan of UNICEF, said that the Port Sudan had aid stock, however, there was an issue in diverting the aid to the people who were actually in need of it.
Bitter and Harsh Reality of Sudan
Four million people were displaced since the war started. Mandeep O’Brien who is the representative of UNICEF in Sudan said that approximately 14 million children in the country required humanitarian aid.
Regional Director of World Health Organisation, Hanan Balkhy said that the health facilities were destroyed and damaged in Darfur.
Griffithss said that in the month of Ramadan too the war and rivalry continued. The Security Council resolution called for a cessation of hostilities during the month of Ramadan, since it’s an important and holy time for Muslims. Giffithss said that during this time the war must stop, civilians should be protected and humanitarian access should be guaranteed.
Griffiths had said that, around 10 million more people are suffering from food insecurity at present compared to the same time in the previous year.
Neglected Ceasefire Calls
The Security Council resolution called for halting the ceasefire during Ramadan. However, the Sudanese Armed Forces refused to follow the truce, and SAF said that it will come to standstill if , Rapid Support Force pulls out itself from the areas it is controlling as of now.
The Rapid Support Force has been gaining increased power in the war. There have been many allegations made on RSF, such as armed robberies and summary killings. Not only this, women have also been assaulted, abducted and by the militants.
Recently Sudanese Armed Forces, once again captured the national television and national radio building. It has been recaptured in Omdurman, which is the second largest city in Sudan.
Conclusion
The country is dragged into onw of the worst food hunger. The local markets and trade networks in the country are destroyed. This is caused food scarcity in the country.
As people are displaced due to the war they are losing their home, crops, and other valuables. There are times when these people get stuck at places where there is no availability and accessibility go food and other resources.
At present, nearly 7.1 million people are facing severe food hunger in the country.
