‘Sex for food’ latest indignity for Sudanese women

Women have long borne the brunt of the suffering in Sudan, through previous civil conflicts, and predictably, since the current war between the Sudanese Armed Forces (SAF) and the paramilitary Rapid Support Forces (RSF) and their respective supporters, that erupted in April 2023, plunging Sudan into what is currently the world’s most severe displacement and humanitarian catastrophe.

A report by the UK newspaper The Guardian, initially published on 22 July, and republished with revisions on Monday, quotes women in Omdurman who claim that having sex with soldiers from the SAF is the only way they could access food or goods that they could sell to raise money to feed their families, calling it “a widespread practice”. Some of the women who spoke to The Guardian claimed that soldiers are also demanding sex in exchange for access to abandoned houses where it is still possible to loot items to sell in local markets.

About 25.6 million people in Sudan are currently suffering from severe acute food insecurity, with 14 areas teetering on the brink of famine.

SAF denial

Brig Gen Nabil Abdallah, the official spokesperson for the SAF, issued a stern statement shortly after publication of the article, condemning it as “completely lacking in transparency and impartiality, and a desperate attempt to tarnish the reputation of the Sudanese Armed Forces, which the Sudanese people have always known as loyal to their citizens and protectors of their honour, land, and dignity.”

Gen Abdallah added that the report “contained blatant falsehoods and lies against members of the armed forces in Omdurman”, and complained that “the newspaper’s correspondent completely avoided contacting any members of the armed forces,” adding that “the correspondent did not request an official permit from the authorities to work in the area.”

In response to questions from Radio Dabanga after the article was removed from the website, a Guardian spokesperson said: “This article was taken down pending further information. It has been republished and we stand by the story.”

A footnote at the base of the updated edition confirms that “this article was temporarily removed on 23 July 2024 pending an update and was republished on 29 July 2024 to include additional information including approaches to the Sudanese government”.

Famine in Omdurman

However, reliable and independent sources confirm, as reported by Radio Dabanga last week, that people are dying of hunger in the old Omdurman neighbourhoods of El Mulazemin and Abrof.

Prices of basic consumer goods in the markets of Omdurman have witnessed a large increase, ranging from 33 to 50 per cent. “All the soup kitchens (takaya in Arabic) in old Omdurman have stopped working, Sheikh El Amin Omar, leader of the Sudanese El Gadiriya El Mukashfi Sufi order told Radio Dabanga. The area of old Omdurman, regained by the Sudanese Armed Forces (SAF) from the Rapid Support Forces (RSF) in February, is not very secure. “He who does not die by the fire of weapons, dies of famine”, Sheikh Omar said.

Gender-based violence

Gender-based violence and exploitation is indeed widespread, perpetrated by combatants from both sides. As highlighted previously by Radio Dabanga, a report by the Strategic Initiative for Women in the Horn of Africa (SIHA) Network examines and underscores the dire circumstances faced by Sudanese women amid the ongoing crisis, calling conflict-related sexual violence (CRSV) “the forgotten atrocities of the Sudan war.

“CRSV has been systematically employed by the RSF as an instrument of war since the Darfur conflict, continuing through other conflicts like the Khartoum Sit-In of 2019 and the recent invasion of El Gezira state in December 2023,” the SIHA Network report says. “Despite widespread documentation, CRSV remains underreported due to societal taboos and a lack of political will to address these crimes openly. This silence not only deepens the suffering of survivors but also perpetuates an environment where CRSV is normalised and used as a tactic of war.”

HRW: ‘Khartoum is not Safe for Women!’

In its latest report published yesterday, Human Rights Watch documents 262 cases of sexual violence by both sides in the war.

The report entitled Khartoum is not Safe for Women! documents widespread sexual violence, as well as forced and child marriage during the conflict, in Khartoum and other cities. The research also highlighted the catastrophic health and mental health consequences for victims, the devastating impact of attacks by warring parties on health care, and the Sudanese Armed Forces’ deliberate denial of aid.

MSF: ‘Violence taking catastrophic toll’

A separate report, released by Médecins Sans Frontières on Monday entitled A war on people – The human cost of conflict and violence in Sudan, describes how both the Sudanese Armed Forces (SAF) and the Rapid Support Forces (RSF) and their supporters are inflicting horrendous violence inflicting horrendous violence on people across the country. The war has wrought a catastrophic toll since fighting began in April 2023, with hospitals attacked, markets bombed, and houses razed to the ground.

Drawing on medical and operational data collected from April 15, 2023, to May 15, 2024, the report highlights the patterns of violence observed by MSF teams, the features of abuse characterising this conflict, and the ensuing health consequences for affected populations.