British daily The Guardian recently reported that women are forced to line up for sex with soldiers for food in war-ravaged Sudan! At least 20 women have fled the Sudanese city of Omdurman after becoming the victims of sexual exploitation. These women have revealed that they received food and other essential commodities only after having sex with members of paramilitary Rapid Support Forces (RSF)! They had to do so in order to feed their families.

A woman stressed that they were sexually assaulted in factories where food is stored. The Guardian quoted her as saying: “Both of my parents are too old and sick, and I never let my daughter go out to look for food. I went to the soldiers, and that was the only way to get food – they were everywhere in the factory areas.” According to the woman, she was forced to have sex with soldiers at a meat processing factory in May 2023.

It may be noted that a Civil War began in Sudan on April 15, 2023 when the National Army and the RSF engaged in an armed conflict. The conflict has claimed the lives of tens of thousands of Sudanese people so far, apart from triggering the world’s worst displacement crisis. It has uprooted more than 11 million people, pushing the African nation to the brink of famine! The sexual assaults reportedly began shortly after the Civil War erupted.

Some women have claimed that the soldiers also demanded sex when they wanted to return to their abandoned houses in order to collect household items! A victim told The Guardian: “What I went through is indescribable; I would not wish it on an enemy. I only did it because I wanted to feed my children.” Another female resident of Omdurman recalled that she saw some women queuing outside abandoned houses, where soldiers would choose those they found appealing! She stated: “I sometimes hear screaming, but what can you do? Nothing.”

As per reports, RSF personnel often bring women to abandoned houses and then, the torture goes on. A 21-year-old woman claimed that soldiers burnt her leg as she refused to have sex with them! One soldier was heard accepting the allegation, saying that people would never forgive the criminals. However, the soldier claimed that he never committed such a heinous offence!

Earlier in July (2024), Radhouane Nouicer, the Designated Expert (on Sudan) of the UN High Commissioner for Human Rights, warned about the dire Human Rights situation in Sudan, stressing: “Since the start of this senseless conflict last year, the civilian population in Sudan has been exposed to unprecedented levels of violence and suffering.” He added: “As always in times of war, it is civilians who are bearing the brunt. The scale and magnitude of Human Rights violations and abuses committed in Sudan are appalling.” Nouicer spent five days in Port Sudan in July.

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Published by Koushik Das

Koushik Das (born on May 16, 1976 in Kolkata) is a career journalist. Based in the Indian capital of New Delhi, Koushik writes mainly about foreign policies and current geopolitical issues, and rarely about other topics. His own political ideas are highly influenced by Antonio Gramsci, Louis Althusser, Michel Foucault, Michael Oakeshott and others. English philosopher and political theorist Oakeshott (Dec 11, 1901-Dec 19, 1990) says that “in political activity, men sail a boundless and bottomless sea. There is neither harbour for shelter nor floor for anchorage, neither starting-place, nor appointed destination. But we have to keep afloat”. (Rationalism in Politics, 1962) As a student of Political Science, Koushik loves to share his views on issues, which have great impacts on his thought process (and also on India, South Asia and of course on the global community), with his readers through his website – Boundless Ocean of Politics. By doing so, he tries to keep himself afloat. You will find some of his articles in https://inserbia.info/today/ (https://inserbia.info/today/author/kou_das13_i/), as he has been trying to assess the global geopolitics since 2003. You can also mail him at kousdas@gmail.com View all posts by Koushik Das