AFRICA IS A COUNTRY
2/10/24
The war in Sudan shows how during conflict, the internet is as critical as food or medicine.
Satellite over the African continent. Credit ESA/Mlabspace via Wikimedia Commons CC BY-SA 3.0 IGO.
Sudan is battling not only bullets but also the suffocating absence of communication infrastructure, an often-overlooked lifeline that is as critical as food or medicine. As the country grapples with a severe food-security crisis, grassroots initiatives, such as mutual aid groups and emergency kitchens, are the only reliable sources of survival for millions. Yet these fragile support networks depend on stable internet access—a vital tool now throttled by war. With the Rapid Support Forces (RSF) tightening its grip on communications in territories it controls and using smuggled Starlink devices to monitor and control access, international actors remain disturbingly silent on this critical obstruction.
The stakes are clear: Without the restoration of internet access, Sudan’s humanitarian and political futures stand to collapse. The very infrastructure that once mobilized resistance, toppled dictators, and enabled life-saving coordination is now at the mercy of warlords and foreign indifference.
Sudan’s food-security crisis is dire and worsening. As international aid becomes increasingly inaccessible due to the conflict, the most vulnerable communities are relying on mutual aid groups, support from the Sudanese diaspora, and central kitchens run by voluntary emergency rooms. These grassroots initiatives are not merely filling gaps left by international humanitarian efforts; in many cases, they are people’s only lifeline. “Sudanese are barely helping each other survive, with minimal international support or protection,” said William Carter, Sudan country director for the Norwegian Refugee Council. For many, this local network is the difference between a daily meal and days of starvation.
However, these life-saving efforts rely entirely on stable communication and internet access. Families sending remittances, mutual aid groups identifying communities in need, and emergency kitchens coordinating supplies all need the internet to function. Without it, this already fragile support system—stretched to its breaking point—will collapse.
In RSF-controlled areas, communication relies solely on smuggled Starlink devices, which operate unofficially and at a steep cost. Access is scarce, dangerous, and heavily monitored, as many of these devices are controlled by RSF soldiers. It is outrageous that, despite the RSF’s ongoing obstruction of aid, international actors have remained silent on their failure to maintain communication infrastructure. This lack of accountability further exacerbates the humanitarian crisis and undermines the vital networks that Sudanese communities depend on for survival.
However, the stakes extend far beyond immediate humanitarian needs—the internet is crucial to Sudan’s political future. The ongoing war is reshaping the country’s political landscape and civic space. Long before the outbreak of conflict on April 15, the internet was a vital piece of infrastructure for civic engagement. It was the battleground where Sudan’s grassroots movements organized, confronted divisive narratives, and led the opposition that toppled a 30-year dictatorship in 2019. The same digital networks sustained resistance to the 2021 coup and spurred the remarkable local emergency responses we see today. Their activism was pivotal. Yet the ongoing war has dramatically disrupted this dynamic, threatening the very infrastructure that once empowered a generation of activists and transformed Sudan’s civic landscape.
The conflict-driven displacement has forced countless activists, politicians, and civil society leaders to flee major cities targeted by the RSF, with many unable to return due to the worsening security situation. In the relatively safer states of northern and eastern Sudan, the Sudanese Armed Forces (SAF) imposes severe restrictions, with increasing reports of activists and politicians being targeted. As a result, political and civil society gatherings have largely shifted outside Sudan, leaving the country’s internal civic space severely compromised. Resistance committees—once the backbone of civilian resistance—have been devastated by this displacement. Their ability to convene and organize within Sudan has been further crippled by communication blackouts.
Despite repeated promises by the US special envoy to prioritize Sudanese citizen voices in the negotiation process, the design of these processes remains vague. Moreover, the demands placed on the warring factions have failed to restore civilian agency. On the contrary, the mediation framework has further militarized civilian actors, eroding citizen agency as many Sudanese are now left waiting for the outcome of US elections. A critical and immediate demand—restoring and maintaining internet access—cannot wait until a ceasefire. It is a fundamental right that must be secured without delay.
Meanwhile, the RSF continues to exploit humanitarian platforms, offering only lip service to mediators and international actors. A straightforward and enforceable demand—that they ensure a functional communication system in all areas under their control—would be a vital step, both easy to monitor and essential for the survival of grassroots efforts.
The war in Sudan shows how during conflict, the internet is as critical as food or medicine.
Satellite over the African continent. Credit ESA/Mlabspace via Wikimedia Commons CC BY-SA 3.0 IGO.
Sudan is battling not only bullets but also the suffocating absence of communication infrastructure, an often-overlooked lifeline that is as critical as food or medicine. As the country grapples with a severe food-security crisis, grassroots initiatives, such as mutual aid groups and emergency kitchens, are the only reliable sources of survival for millions. Yet these fragile support networks depend on stable internet access—a vital tool now throttled by war. With the Rapid Support Forces (RSF) tightening its grip on communications in territories it controls and using smuggled Starlink devices to monitor and control access, international actors remain disturbingly silent on this critical obstruction.
The stakes are clear: Without the restoration of internet access, Sudan’s humanitarian and political futures stand to collapse. The very infrastructure that once mobilized resistance, toppled dictators, and enabled life-saving coordination is now at the mercy of warlords and foreign indifference.
Sudan’s food-security crisis is dire and worsening. As international aid becomes increasingly inaccessible due to the conflict, the most vulnerable communities are relying on mutual aid groups, support from the Sudanese diaspora, and central kitchens run by voluntary emergency rooms. These grassroots initiatives are not merely filling gaps left by international humanitarian efforts; in many cases, they are people’s only lifeline. “Sudanese are barely helping each other survive, with minimal international support or protection,” said William Carter, Sudan country director for the Norwegian Refugee Council. For many, this local network is the difference between a daily meal and days of starvation.
However, these life-saving efforts rely entirely on stable communication and internet access. Families sending remittances, mutual aid groups identifying communities in need, and emergency kitchens coordinating supplies all need the internet to function. Without it, this already fragile support system—stretched to its breaking point—will collapse.
In RSF-controlled areas, communication relies solely on smuggled Starlink devices, which operate unofficially and at a steep cost. Access is scarce, dangerous, and heavily monitored, as many of these devices are controlled by RSF soldiers. It is outrageous that, despite the RSF’s ongoing obstruction of aid, international actors have remained silent on their failure to maintain communication infrastructure. This lack of accountability further exacerbates the humanitarian crisis and undermines the vital networks that Sudanese communities depend on for survival.
However, the stakes extend far beyond immediate humanitarian needs—the internet is crucial to Sudan’s political future. The ongoing war is reshaping the country’s political landscape and civic space. Long before the outbreak of conflict on April 15, the internet was a vital piece of infrastructure for civic engagement. It was the battleground where Sudan’s grassroots movements organized, confronted divisive narratives, and led the opposition that toppled a 30-year dictatorship in 2019. The same digital networks sustained resistance to the 2021 coup and spurred the remarkable local emergency responses we see today. Their activism was pivotal. Yet the ongoing war has dramatically disrupted this dynamic, threatening the very infrastructure that once empowered a generation of activists and transformed Sudan’s civic landscape.
The conflict-driven displacement has forced countless activists, politicians, and civil society leaders to flee major cities targeted by the RSF, with many unable to return due to the worsening security situation. In the relatively safer states of northern and eastern Sudan, the Sudanese Armed Forces (SAF) imposes severe restrictions, with increasing reports of activists and politicians being targeted. As a result, political and civil society gatherings have largely shifted outside Sudan, leaving the country’s internal civic space severely compromised. Resistance committees—once the backbone of civilian resistance—have been devastated by this displacement. Their ability to convene and organize within Sudan has been further crippled by communication blackouts.
Despite repeated promises by the US special envoy to prioritize Sudanese citizen voices in the negotiation process, the design of these processes remains vague. Moreover, the demands placed on the warring factions have failed to restore civilian agency. On the contrary, the mediation framework has further militarized civilian actors, eroding citizen agency as many Sudanese are now left waiting for the outcome of US elections. A critical and immediate demand—restoring and maintaining internet access—cannot wait until a ceasefire. It is a fundamental right that must be secured without delay.
Meanwhile, the RSF continues to exploit humanitarian platforms, offering only lip service to mediators and international actors. A straightforward and enforceable demand—that they ensure a functional communication system in all areas under their control—would be a vital step, both easy to monitor and essential for the survival of grassroots efforts.
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