55+ artists killed in Sudan war, ACJPS report reveals

More than 55 artists have been killed in Sudan since the outbreak of conflict on April 15, 2023, according to a report by the African Center for Justice and Peace Studies (ACJPS) and the Sudanese Music Research Center. Among them were artists who died by extrajudicial killing, denial of healthcare, and torture in detention.

Published yesterday, the ACJPS report ‘Tears of Guitars and Screams of Museums’ sheds light on violations inflicted upon artists since the onset of war through field testimonies, interviews with victims’ families, open-source analysis, and satellite imagery.

One documented death is that of poet, singer, and activist Shaden Hussein, known as Shaden Gardood.

Known for her social media advocacy and outspoken criticism of Islamist interference in humanitarian aid, Shaden was killed on May 13, 2023. She had been posting messages just a day before her death calling for peace and documenting war atrocities.

Initially believed to have died in a shelling incident, the report reveals that Shaden was instead targeted by a sniper while sitting on the roof of her home in El Obeid, the capital of North Kordofan, with her son and other family members.

“As her companions sought to procure a neighbour’s vehicle to transport her to the hospital, three additional bullets were discharged in their vicinity. Their progress was further impeded at a SAF [Sudanese Armed Forces] checkpoint, resulting in a significant delay”, the report states.

Other artists named in the report include singer and composer Hamdan Azrag, who was killed in a bombing in Omdurman, and Asia Abdelmajid, Sudan’s first theatre actress, who died from random gunfire in Khartoum North (Bahri).

Compounded violations

While some artists were directly killed as a result of gunfire and shelling, others met an untimely demise due to denial of healthcare, like keyboardist Ibrahim Miko and composer Bashir Abdelmajid, who both died from injuries that could not be treated due to the collapse of medical services.

Others died by torture and arbitrary detention, such as percussionist Kamel Hasan, who “succumbed to torture injuries” in Soba prison in Khartoum on August 30 of this year, after being detained by the Rapid Support Forces (RSF) in May 2023.

Cultural heritage

The conflict’s impact extends beyond human lives to Sudan’s cultural legacy. The report condemns attacks on cultural and historical sites are deliberate attempts to erase Sudan’s heritage.

According to the ACJPS report, the Sudanese National Museum was looted, with videos circulating of RSF forces inside the premises. The Natural History Museum in Khartoum was also reportedly destroyed by bombing, resulting in the loss of irreplaceable specimens. The Beit El Khalifa Museum in Omdurman was damaged, and national theatres have either been bombed or repurposed as military bases.

Radio Dabanga reported in May that the old Republican Palace in Khartoum was hit by a Sudanese army airstrike, setting parts of it ablaze. The palace had previously sustained damage in airstrikes in May 2023 and again in August 2023. It fell under RSF control at the onset of the war in April 2023.

And in River Nile state, fighting near the archaeological sites of Nagaa and El Musawwarat in Merowe, and footage of RSF soldiers at the site, raised concerns for the UNESCO World Heritage site. “Due to the subsequent arrival of a military force and the presence of landmines in the area, the current status of these antiquities and any potential damage they may have suffered remains uncertain”, ACJPS writes.

Divided artists

The report laudes artists that have taken a firm stand against the war. Artists such as Abu Aragi El Bakheet, Nancy Ajaj, and Yousef El Mawsili, are mentioned for using their art to condemn violence and spread messages of unity.

It laments however that other artists have “fallen in the trap of polarisation”, using their art to support the warring factions. Nada El Galaa and Kamel Suleiman are named as examples of artists who produced works in favour of the SAF, whereas artists such as Ibrahim Idris have released songs endorsing the RSF.

ACJPS concludes by urging the international community to prioritise the protection of artists and cultural heritage. It calls for stronger measures to safeguard freedom of expression, support peace-focused initiatives, and preserve the country’s historical identity.