Context:
Recently, International Committee of the Red Cross (ICRC) chief Mirjana Spoljaric has expressed concern after reports of large-scale mass killings and human rights violations emerged following the capture of Al-Fasher town in Sudan's Darfur region by the paramilitary Rapid Support Forces (RSF).
Background:
In the early 2000s Darfur conflict, the government of Sudan and allied militias such as the Janjaweed were accused of orchestrating ethnically driven mass atrocities (killings, rapes, village destruction) against non-Arab groups.
The current civil war (since April 2023) between the Sudanese Armed Forces (SAF) and the Rapid Support Forces (RSF) shows very similar tactics in the Darfur region.
Sudan Crisis:
The Sudan conflict is an ongoing civil war between the Sudanese Armed Forces (SAF), led by General Abdel Fattah al-Burhan, and the RSF, led by General Mohamed Hamdan Dagalo (Hemedti).
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- The war began in April 2023 over a power struggle between the two generals after the collapse of Sudan’s transitional government.
- It has since evolved into the world’s largest humanitarian and displacement crisis, marked by widespread atrocities, famine, and civilian targeting.
- The war began in April 2023 over a power struggle between the two generals after the collapse of Sudan’s transitional government.
Strategic Interests of India in Sudan:
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- Sudan holds significant agricultural potential for Indian export; Indian firms export tractors, hybrid seeds and agricultural equipment to Sudan.
- Indian investments (including in energy/oil via ONGC Videsh) in Sudan underline energy-security linkages.
- A stable Sudan serves India’s broader interests in Africa: countering instability in the Horn region, ensuring safe sea lanes (via the Red Sea/Indian Ocean), and projecting India as a credible partner for African nations.
- Sudan holds significant agricultural potential for Indian export; Indian firms export tractors, hybrid seeds and agricultural equipment to Sudan.
Conclusion:
The ICRC chief's concern demonstrates that humanity has not learned from past tragedies. Once again, ethnicity, food and aid are being used as weapons of conflict. Sudan is on the brink of genocide and famine, so the international community must step forward to break the cycle of impunity and take concrete steps to protect humanity.
