Thanks versus tanks in Sudan’s war
Now in its third week, a civil war in Sudan between competing armed forces has something working against it: a high degree of hospitality in neighboring countries toward people fleeing the violence as well as gratitude for those assisting the exodus and offering sanctuary. The world saw a similar response in Europe just 14 months ago toward Ukrainians fleeing the Russian invasion. That compassion helped fortify Ukraine’s morale.
The United Nations warns that 800,000 people could soon leave Africa’s third most populous nation, up from the more than 100,000 people who have already fled to neighboring countries such as Chad, Egypt, and South Sudan. More than 330,000 are internally displaced. The prospect of even greater outflows helps explain why so many officials are thankful for any sort of welcome mat across Sudan’s borders.
“Chad has been generously welcoming in Sudanese refugees,” says David Miliband, head of the International Rescue Committee. In Egypt, people have “opened their homes and everyone is racing for free full hospitality” while the Sudanese refugees insist they pay for their accommodation “so as not to become a burden on the Egyptians,” according to the EMEA Tribune. In addition, the U.N. thanked France for help in evacuating its personnel while Germany thanked Egypt for assisting 700 people of 40 countries to exit.
Sudanese are also aiding their own, especially people from the capital where the fighting is fierce and who have headed toward Port Sudan. “Every village & town we passed thru people would come out with their kerkade (hibiscus) juice and cold water for the ‘Khartoum travellers’,” tweeted one Sudanese woman. Near the Egyptian border, one woman living in a mud hut offers bread to the displaced people. “We will welcome any guest who comes to us. Generosity exists and goodness exists,” Naamat Jabal Sayyid Hasan told Africanews.
The northeast region of Africa has experienced so many conflicts that most of the countries have long hosted refugees from the others. Last week, the African Union asked Sudan’s neighbors and its international partners to “facilitate the transit” of civilians fleeing the violence “without hindrance.” It was a subtle reminder to keep expressing the generosity that already largely exists.
