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Amidst the Flames of War: Diaries of A Sudanese Man In Khartoum
More than 40 days have passed since a terrifying war broke out in our beloved Khartoum.
Saturday 15 April was expected to be an ordinary day, imbued with the spiritual blessings of Ramadan, yet it ended up being the initial spark that would lead to a devastating war, resulting in hundreds of deaths, thousands of lost souls, and hundreds of thousands of people fleeing the capital to other states and outside the country.
Massive Impacts of Destruction
Walking through your neighbourhood feels overwhelming when you cannot see a single soul amidst the rubble.
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Sudanese Scientist Makes Waves on Latest Forbes 30 Under 30 List“I thought I was the only one left around here! It’s good to see a fellow citizen” Surprised reactions have become the norm, and people are delighted to see a clan member in the middle of it all.
I was invited into this stranger’s home – nothing unusual, just the Sudanese regular form of hospitality – where we shared a cup of tea and a moment to reflect on our current situations.
Sharing our thoughts
Humbly accepting the invitation to listen and share stories about our daily activities, and the thoughts of a fellow Sudanese living in the madness – we appreciated the little time that we had to confide in one another.
It’s been sighs, blood and tears.
I asked a Sudanese friend in #Khartoum if there was a message she would like shared with international listeners.
Amid all the attention on warlords & suffering, I hope her message of solidarity & popular strength can shrine through. #Sudan pic.twitter.com/Oq8ZmWxHoM
— Eoin O’Leary (@eoin_ol) May 31, 2023
Surviving The Waves of Uncertainty
M.Y. is a young Sudanese man in his thirties, the kind of guy who holds many aspirations for the future like many of his peers and also runs his own business in Khartoum.
April was preparing to end on a strong note, with many busy events coming up right before an alarm went off, freezing the lives of millions of Sudanese people along with their dreams.
“I slept way late the night before since I had a lot to work on. I woke up randomly around 10am, and as I scrolled through WhatsApp and Instagram stories, I found almost everyone praying for the safety of Sudan. I took it as a joke at first, wondering why everyone suddenly decided to make dua’as showing their love for the country on this relatively hot day. But the sounds of heavy shooting interrupted my thoughts and gave me a clear message of what was going on. The next thing I knew was that I smiled in denial and went back to sleep as if I was wishing all of this was a mere nightmare or maybe an attempt to replenish my energy for the long days and nights to come!”
He finished telling me his story as he prepared tea. It was 9pm already, but we had already lost count of the hours and days since there has been a shortage of electricity and water around.
Ticking time bomb
M.Y. wasn’t complaining despite all of this. On the contrary, he seemed grateful for the unexpected company and continues speaking about how he’s spent his time meditating, reading, reflecting and trying to learn something new whilst planning his next move after the fires of war get extinguished.
He mentions that the people of Sudan have gotten used to this type of hardship.
After the 2019 massacre, the military coup in 2021, and now this war, everyone has become a veteran of such circumstances, dealing with each extreme with patience and resilience.
We continue diving into oceans of uncertainty together as we engulf the room with questions of how, and when it would all end.
Day-to-Day Details
Fortunately, M.Y. had a stock of food reserves ready and had a set-up room inside his residence that could serve as a bunker – safe from the harm of stray bullets coming from the heavy shooting in his area.
Going into survival mode to the best of his ability, M.Y explained that he was among the lucky residents of the capital city, “most people have been stranded from basic needs, forcing them to find shelter through arduous journeys toward the unknown”.
Since the end of April, people fleeing the conflict in #Sudan have found refuge in the #CentralAfricanRepublic. 13,800 have arrived in Am Dafok, including Central Africans as well, according to the UN.
Our MSF team is on site to respond to medical and humanitarian needs. pic.twitter.com/nIgccYwEOk
— Doctors Without Borders / Médecins Sans Frontières (@MSF_canada) May 31, 2023
Real-Life Horror Movie
M.Y told us that he continues to fight such scary thoughts through strong will and sarcasm. Despite the district being under the siege of RSF forces, he was prepared to interact with them sooner or later.
Most of the shops and stores have been closed since the first day of the war – very few open for a few hours a day, and you are required to walk a couple of blocks to find them.
M.Y. always had a silver tongue to get his way through dire situations, and so, when approached by RSF troops, he was able to speak a few words of their language, acting as a loyal supporter, to win his pass through the streets and complete his mission.
M.Y smiles in these situations and tells us that Sun Tzu said, “The greatest victory is that which requires no battle.” He was always fond of the Art of War and implemented that in many situations in his life.
Singing for the Light of Dawn
Having lived on his own for years, M.Y has made it a point to call his family living abroad at least once a week. Cheering them up and letting them know that he is safe and there is nothing to fear as he always does – even if there actually is.
He expresses that “our people outside Sudan are living in this hell with us by being kept in the dark, not knowing what’s going on amongst us on the ground, fearing every text, call and the progression of exaggerated news. With our connections and calls completely unstable, they’re fighting their own battles far in a different dimension, and deserve all the empathy and love they send our way too.”
Diaspora United
Remarkable efforts have been put together by the Sudanese diaspora living all over the world. Numerous fundraisers, awareness programs and humanitarian groups have been saving dozens of lives to this very day, with the total absence of governmental support!
The voice of the people keeps ringing above it all.
The Sudanese American staged a significant presence in front of the White House April 29th to protest against the devastating war in #Sudan. A call to Biden administration& congress to increase pressure on Sudan military & militia to immediately stop the war! pic.twitter.com/OL6axfuZUq
— د.عبد الجبار مصطفيGabar Mustafa (@jabarmustafa19) April 30, 2023
What’s happening next?
Bidding farewell to M.Y, we finally ask why he hasn’t thought about evacuating Khartoum yet, despite being offered many chances and choices. He smiles once again and says…
I assure you, I am not the only one. This chapter is bound to end soon. There’s a few pages left to write and I won’t leave it undone halfway!
The darkest hour of the night comes just before the dawn
Leaving his home in broad daylight after having lost track of time, we saluted the spirit that represented Sudanese youth at its prime and promised him that we would meet again very soon when all of this is a mere past. He nodded his head and quoted the Sudanese flag anthem: “This land is ours, may our Sudan live, an edifice amongst the nations.”
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We exchanged goodbyes and went on our way filled with determination for a better tomorrow. Filled with the energy from the tale of this resilient young Sudanese man, like the many others who are genuinely still, Lovin’ Khartoum.
