While the wars in Gaza and Ukraine are dominating headlines and campus protests, there is an even more devastating war raging in Sudan that barely registers in our collective consciousness.
I've helped refugees from both Ethiopia and DRC obtain asylum. I'm aware of the multitude of conflicts that have caused and continue to cause incredible atrocities in Africa. I also remember when those conflicts WERE front and center - remember "We are the World" and the Suzanne Somers commercials. But we have collectively lost our give-a-sh**-unlesss-it's-me-or-mine as Americans. And I'm totally going to point fingers. We've been conditioned to worry about money more than people we don't know because it gives political power to people who benefit from division. It started with "welfare queens" (probably earlier than that, but I remember it) and has become "sh**hole countries." While Democrats are guilty of policies that don't address more global issues, Republicans are actively selling our souls for their profit.
This article, by the way, is a strange piece. Yes, we should care about Sudan for the reasons mentioned. But we should not be ascribing atrocities different values. What stands out in Gaza is that the US is playing an active role in causing the suffering and has long supported a government that has committed international crimes that have contributed to the current conflict. Ukraine stands out because if Russia wins, it won't stop. Ukraine is literally the last line of defense before WWIII. Even if Americans turn their eyes to Sudan, and they have the empathy to care anymore, what, exactly, can they do? We apparently no longer accept the huddled masses. They can send money to organizations to feed the hungry, but for many Americans, it's like screaming into the void. Other Americans will take this article to support their whataboutisms. (Also, to call the people who are against the Israel government for what they've done antisemitic is one of the tools the Republicans have used to shut up people who care about Palestinians. Don't try to legitimize that.)
I appreciate the details and updates on Sudan, yet I find it problematic to position it against Ukraine and Gaza. I worked for an international policy group in 2008 during what I would consider a media trend for Sudan. Celebrities were giving to causes and speaking about it through our organization. And Ryan Gosling wore a Save Darfur shirt for a year. Other commenters have brought up compassion fatigue and an inability to limitlessly extend attention to all issues across the globe. Beyond what the article mentions about Americans caring about Ukraine and Israel for its impact on the US, it’s also true that both of these are a nation invading another (or Gaza/Palestinians deservedly should be considered a nation), not internal crisis which has also impacted Haiti and several South American counties. Gaza and Ukraine also represent a more recent escalation that feels like we can have more influence over the outcome given the right amount of pressure (but even as they go on we’re starting to see less hope and determination in bringing them to a satisfactory end.) Whereas the situation in Sudan has gone on and on even with international intervention, money, and attention were paid to it. I do care about Sudan. I will give to organizations attempting to bring aid. I do want to see international efforts to broker peace, and I want updates with what’s happening there. At the same time, I don’t think it’s fair to call out this tragedy in comparison to Gaza or Ukraine.
I remember the Save Darfur shirts from around that time. I remember being in college and collecting money for Sudan in 2003/2004 as well. It really is hard to wrap your mind around how long these conflicts have been going on around the world. 20 years feels *long* to me but I know there are places that have been dealing with everything from colonization to internal conflicts for even longer. It really puts it into perspective when typically the most day altering thing that might happen for us in the United States is a power outage (speaking generally of course!). None of us can fix everything, we're not in a place to. But we can help where we can.
There is a phenomenon known as compassion fatigue. We absolutely cannot deeply care about all the suffering in the world at the same time and keep our mental health. I know people in Ukraine and in the Democratic Republic of Congo, so naturally, my heart tends to lead me to follow the situation and care more deeply about the situations there. So I find out ways that I can help the suffering in those places.
Our government and State Department however must have people following all the conflicts and knowing how it affects our national interests.
I do want to add that I have heard about the suffering in Sudan through other news sources and charity groups and donated to one of them that is working there. Not to virtue signal but to say that even though my heart connects more with Ukraine and DRC, I did try to do something to help the situation in Sudan. If others are interested, World Vision is on the ground there.
How have the terrible cuts of US aid to the world been directly affecting the Sudanese people? How much aid was going there for nutritional programs and has now been cut?
I'd be interested in an explanation of US aid to Sudan over time as well. Has that changed in recent years and what are the potential implications if it has changed.
Nicholas Kristoff has written about Sudan in the NYT. He has traveled there recently too. He has been sounding the alarm about the DOGE cuts and the devastation that will happen since USAID is no more. I find it very interesting that DOGE, USAID, and Pepfar were not mentioned in this article.
The fact that Sudan and other atrocities in the world aren’t getting much attention may also be because we are a society who as a whole is not news literate or curious, working long hours to afford life, and are easy prey to distractions like social media etc. I am very guilty of this too.
My heart breaks for the people of Sudan. I can’t imagine seeing my children starve and have no way to help them.
The situation in Sudan is horrific and America’s decision to gut USAID, less than 1% of the federal budget, has predictably exacerbated things with the domino effects the cuts have on local aid agencies. This, at a time when America is producing 1000 new millionaires a day, people are spending hundreds of millions of dollars on yachts to keep up with other people’s yachts, CEOs are granted stock packages of $30 billion and high school athletes decide on which college to attend based on how many millions of dollars said college will pay them. And then there are all of the petrodollars sloshing around countries like the UAE and Saudi Arabia. The U.S., the UAE and Saudi Arabia have the means to alleviate a great deal of suffering, if not the civil war itself but have chosen not to. And the U.S. has stepped back from its role as a world leader in climate change mitigation and decimated our own renewable energy industries, which will only make drought and other weather-related disasters more pervasive in the future. The only power we have is to send money to relief organizations still operating in the area, keep Sudan and other humanitarian crises in our discourse with each other and demand of all those who will be asking for our votes in the near future how they will use American power and resources to actually do something.
I just came back from spending 3 1/2 weeks in Africa and I learned a lot about the hardships that are happening in the Congo and the Sudan. I feel like social media is one of the reasons why Gaza and Ukraine are in the news and Africa is not. I could be wrong. That is just my take.
The implications of social media are so interesting. I remember in the past different issues still took a hold of people but through different forums. I remember there being campus newspaper articles about Darfur, people raising money for people, etc. What would coverage of the conflicts in Gaza and Ukraine have looked like in 2003? Obviously those aren't easy answers because there are so many other differences other than just social media.
Honest question. How can we trust those who are asking for our votes? Look what DJT promised the voters just to get their votes! Have they noticed? Doesn’t seem like it since they aren’t holding him accountable. 🤷🏻♀️
I was glad to catch up on the context for this conflict. One factor that I think is worth considering is water and soil degradation as a result of industrialization and colonialism. I watched a really hopeful video by Andrew Millison about Chad’s program of hosting land to refugees and asking them to dig and plant water harvesting crescents. To me it seemed to be positive in so many ways, not only in revitalizing barren soil as a means of feeding refugees but also in giving refugees a way to give back to those who are sheltering them and, I imagine, find greater healing by being given the opportunity to participate in a meaningful movement.
I appreciate this article and the background it gives. I have been posting in all the Q&A boxes, asking Sharon to give some background & opinion on why we hear more pleas for Gaza than Sudan. I also am thankful for the Charity Navigator. Thank you for the article, links, and comments. 💖
I don’t think Sharon, herself, is calling those against the Israeli gov’t actions antisemitic. I read this as relaying both the perspective &/or mindset of many, encouraged by the Republican Party. I bet if it was a ‘live’ read, the inflections in her voice would confirm that.
Regardless, I was aware of the atrocities in Sudan but did not have all this information.
Again, thank you for your research & providing this space for narrative, Sharon.
Yeah, I was so surprised to see the parenthetical at the end of the top comment that I had to re-read the article to learn where Elise was apparently "legitimizing" calling protestors antisemitic, because I also didn't (and still don't) read her singular usage of the word "antisemitism" in that way.
That's fair. I might have read it into the narrative because the other ideological comparisons actually have policy-based origins. The inclusion of antisemitism stands out because, within the context of the other categories, it's the only one that applies a religious and/or race-based prejudice to the description. That is, antisemitism might underlie some ideologies, including other ideological and policy considerations in that list, but it isn't in the same category as the others. At least in the US, antisemitism is alive and well, but with the exception of some extremist groups, it's not an ideological position for Americans with an interest in Gaza. But the term IS frequently used as a bludgeon to tamp down dissent against US support of Israel.
Elise, thank you so much for this informational piece. I had not heard much about Sudan and had no idea of the scale of the tragedy. I’m tuned in now, hopefully others are as well.
I've helped refugees from both Ethiopia and DRC obtain asylum. I'm aware of the multitude of conflicts that have caused and continue to cause incredible atrocities in Africa. I also remember when those conflicts WERE front and center - remember "We are the World" and the Suzanne Somers commercials. But we have collectively lost our give-a-sh**-unlesss-it's-me-or-mine as Americans. And I'm totally going to point fingers. We've been conditioned to worry about money more than people we don't know because it gives political power to people who benefit from division. It started with "welfare queens" (probably earlier than that, but I remember it) and has become "sh**hole countries." While Democrats are guilty of policies that don't address more global issues, Republicans are actively selling our souls for their profit.
This article, by the way, is a strange piece. Yes, we should care about Sudan for the reasons mentioned. But we should not be ascribing atrocities different values. What stands out in Gaza is that the US is playing an active role in causing the suffering and has long supported a government that has committed international crimes that have contributed to the current conflict. Ukraine stands out because if Russia wins, it won't stop. Ukraine is literally the last line of defense before WWIII. Even if Americans turn their eyes to Sudan, and they have the empathy to care anymore, what, exactly, can they do? We apparently no longer accept the huddled masses. They can send money to organizations to feed the hungry, but for many Americans, it's like screaming into the void. Other Americans will take this article to support their whataboutisms. (Also, to call the people who are against the Israel government for what they've done antisemitic is one of the tools the Republicans have used to shut up people who care about Palestinians. Don't try to legitimize that.)
Oh, and the people wearing "f*ck your feelings" shirts wear red hats.
I appreciate the details and updates on Sudan, yet I find it problematic to position it against Ukraine and Gaza. I worked for an international policy group in 2008 during what I would consider a media trend for Sudan. Celebrities were giving to causes and speaking about it through our organization. And Ryan Gosling wore a Save Darfur shirt for a year. Other commenters have brought up compassion fatigue and an inability to limitlessly extend attention to all issues across the globe. Beyond what the article mentions about Americans caring about Ukraine and Israel for its impact on the US, it’s also true that both of these are a nation invading another (or Gaza/Palestinians deservedly should be considered a nation), not internal crisis which has also impacted Haiti and several South American counties. Gaza and Ukraine also represent a more recent escalation that feels like we can have more influence over the outcome given the right amount of pressure (but even as they go on we’re starting to see less hope and determination in bringing them to a satisfactory end.) Whereas the situation in Sudan has gone on and on even with international intervention, money, and attention were paid to it. I do care about Sudan. I will give to organizations attempting to bring aid. I do want to see international efforts to broker peace, and I want updates with what’s happening there. At the same time, I don’t think it’s fair to call out this tragedy in comparison to Gaza or Ukraine.
I remember the Save Darfur shirts from around that time. I remember being in college and collecting money for Sudan in 2003/2004 as well. It really is hard to wrap your mind around how long these conflicts have been going on around the world. 20 years feels *long* to me but I know there are places that have been dealing with everything from colonization to internal conflicts for even longer. It really puts it into perspective when typically the most day altering thing that might happen for us in the United States is a power outage (speaking generally of course!). None of us can fix everything, we're not in a place to. But we can help where we can.
There is a phenomenon known as compassion fatigue. We absolutely cannot deeply care about all the suffering in the world at the same time and keep our mental health. I know people in Ukraine and in the Democratic Republic of Congo, so naturally, my heart tends to lead me to follow the situation and care more deeply about the situations there. So I find out ways that I can help the suffering in those places.
Our government and State Department however must have people following all the conflicts and knowing how it affects our national interests.
I do want to add that I have heard about the suffering in Sudan through other news sources and charity groups and donated to one of them that is working there. Not to virtue signal but to say that even though my heart connects more with Ukraine and DRC, I did try to do something to help the situation in Sudan. If others are interested, World Vision is on the ground there.
How have the terrible cuts of US aid to the world been directly affecting the Sudanese people? How much aid was going there for nutritional programs and has now been cut?
This heartbreaking piece from the Post explains some direct effects: https://www.washingtonpost.com/world/2025/06/29/sudan-usaid-funding-cuts-trump-musk/
I'd be interested in an explanation of US aid to Sudan over time as well. Has that changed in recent years and what are the potential implications if it has changed.
Nicholas Kristoff has written about Sudan in the NYT. He has traveled there recently too. He has been sounding the alarm about the DOGE cuts and the devastation that will happen since USAID is no more. I find it very interesting that DOGE, USAID, and Pepfar were not mentioned in this article.
The fact that Sudan and other atrocities in the world aren’t getting much attention may also be because we are a society who as a whole is not news literate or curious, working long hours to afford life, and are easy prey to distractions like social media etc. I am very guilty of this too.
My heart breaks for the people of Sudan. I can’t imagine seeing my children starve and have no way to help them.
The situation in Sudan is horrific and America’s decision to gut USAID, less than 1% of the federal budget, has predictably exacerbated things with the domino effects the cuts have on local aid agencies. This, at a time when America is producing 1000 new millionaires a day, people are spending hundreds of millions of dollars on yachts to keep up with other people’s yachts, CEOs are granted stock packages of $30 billion and high school athletes decide on which college to attend based on how many millions of dollars said college will pay them. And then there are all of the petrodollars sloshing around countries like the UAE and Saudi Arabia. The U.S., the UAE and Saudi Arabia have the means to alleviate a great deal of suffering, if not the civil war itself but have chosen not to. And the U.S. has stepped back from its role as a world leader in climate change mitigation and decimated our own renewable energy industries, which will only make drought and other weather-related disasters more pervasive in the future. The only power we have is to send money to relief organizations still operating in the area, keep Sudan and other humanitarian crises in our discourse with each other and demand of all those who will be asking for our votes in the near future how they will use American power and resources to actually do something.
What is the best organization to give to in order to support hunger relief in Sudan?
This piece from Charity Navigator has good information: https://www.charitynavigator.org/discover-charities/where-to-give/2023-sudan-conflict/
IRC is there, doing great work and the country director is one of the most inspiring women I've ever met. https://www.npr.org/sections/goats-and-soda/2024/06/27/g-s1-6697/sudan-humanitarian-crisis-khartoum-international-rescue-committee
I just came back from spending 3 1/2 weeks in Africa and I learned a lot about the hardships that are happening in the Congo and the Sudan. I feel like social media is one of the reasons why Gaza and Ukraine are in the news and Africa is not. I could be wrong. That is just my take.
The implications of social media are so interesting. I remember in the past different issues still took a hold of people but through different forums. I remember there being campus newspaper articles about Darfur, people raising money for people, etc. What would coverage of the conflicts in Gaza and Ukraine have looked like in 2003? Obviously those aren't easy answers because there are so many other differences other than just social media.
Honest question. How can we trust those who are asking for our votes? Look what DJT promised the voters just to get their votes! Have they noticed? Doesn’t seem like it since they aren’t holding him accountable. 🤷🏻♀️
Thank you for this Elise. My breaks for the Sudanese people 😭
I was glad to catch up on the context for this conflict. One factor that I think is worth considering is water and soil degradation as a result of industrialization and colonialism. I watched a really hopeful video by Andrew Millison about Chad’s program of hosting land to refugees and asking them to dig and plant water harvesting crescents. To me it seemed to be positive in so many ways, not only in revitalizing barren soil as a means of feeding refugees but also in giving refugees a way to give back to those who are sheltering them and, I imagine, find greater healing by being given the opportunity to participate in a meaningful movement.
I appreciate this article and the background it gives. I have been posting in all the Q&A boxes, asking Sharon to give some background & opinion on why we hear more pleas for Gaza than Sudan. I also am thankful for the Charity Navigator. Thank you for the article, links, and comments. 💖
I don’t think Sharon, herself, is calling those against the Israeli gov’t actions antisemitic. I read this as relaying both the perspective &/or mindset of many, encouraged by the Republican Party. I bet if it was a ‘live’ read, the inflections in her voice would confirm that.
Regardless, I was aware of the atrocities in Sudan but did not have all this information.
Again, thank you for your research & providing this space for narrative, Sharon.
This wasn’t written by Sharon. I’m sure she vetted it though. This was written by Elise.
Thank you! I did not catch that:(
Yeah, I was so surprised to see the parenthetical at the end of the top comment that I had to re-read the article to learn where Elise was apparently "legitimizing" calling protestors antisemitic, because I also didn't (and still don't) read her singular usage of the word "antisemitism" in that way.
That's fair. I might have read it into the narrative because the other ideological comparisons actually have policy-based origins. The inclusion of antisemitism stands out because, within the context of the other categories, it's the only one that applies a religious and/or race-based prejudice to the description. That is, antisemitism might underlie some ideologies, including other ideological and policy considerations in that list, but it isn't in the same category as the others. At least in the US, antisemitism is alive and well, but with the exception of some extremist groups, it's not an ideological position for Americans with an interest in Gaza. But the term IS frequently used as a bludgeon to tamp down dissent against US support of Israel.
Elise, thank you so much for this informational piece. I had not heard much about Sudan and had no idea of the scale of the tragedy. I’m tuned in now, hopefully others are as well.
This was very insightful. Thank you.
Agree with you, Nancy. The evil genocide via religion will never cease to exist. Extremely heartbreaking!