OPINION | African leaders must intervene in ongoing Sudan genocide

The lack of response to the 1994 Rwandan genocide by the international community continues to be scrutinised.

In April 1994, an estimated 800,000 Tutsis – members of the minority ethnic group in Rwanda – were slaughtered by the majority Hutu ethnic group. At the same time, the world seemed to pay more attention to the Fifa World Cup, hosted in the US, and the historic democratic elections in SA. The global community’s failure to intervene in this horrific genocide remains one of the most tragic examples of international indifference.

Sadly, we are witnessing a similar scenario today in Sudan, where an ongoing genocide is being largely ignored by African governments and multilateral organisations. In Sudan, Arab militias have been systematically targeting black African populations, engaging in mass killings, rapes and other brutal atrocities. Despite the scale of this crisis, Africa’s political leadership has remained largely silent, while the international community – particularly the US under the Joe Biden administration – has voiced its concern.

This lack of action by African leaders is nothing new. African governments have consistently failed to take steps to address human rights violations and protect their own citizens from violent conflict.

The silence surrounding the ongoing violence in Sudan echoes the indifference seen during previous crises in Africa such as in Zimbabwe and Mozambique, where deteriorating political conditions have forced many people to flee their countries in search of safety. In both of these countries, instability has led to widespread human suffering, but the African Union (AU) and other regional bodies have done little to intervene.

It is worth noting that international media and Western democracies have been vocal in their condemnation of the Sudanese crisis. In recent years, SA has been outspoken in its criticism of Israel, often siding with Hamas in the context of the Israeli-Palestinian conflict. At the same time, SA and other African countries have shown support for Russia in its war against Ukraine, likely due to their alliance within the Brics framework.

While African nations need to have their voices heard on global issues, it is equally crucial that African governments prioritise the security, stability and welfare of their people. The situation in Sudan is a clear reminder that Africa cannot afford to ignore the plight of its people while focusing solely on conflicts far from its borders.

In countries such as Nigeria and Mozambique, we are witnessing the rise of extremist terrorism, which threatens the security of millions of people. In northern Mozambique, extremist groups such as Al-Shabaab have carried out brutal attacks, killing thousands and displacing hundreds of thousands more. Similarly, in Nigeria, the extremist group Boko Haram continues to wreak havoc, killing civilians, kidnapping children and destabilising entire regions. These crises have drawn some attention from international organisations, but there has been a glaring lack of concerted, effective action by African governments and regional bodies like the AU to curb the spread of extremism and address the root causes of instability.

One of the reasons for this inaction is the political and economic influence exerted by foreign powers, particularly Western countries. Many African governments receive significant financial aid, military support and diplomatic backing from countries such as the US, China, and former colonial powers. This assistance often comes with strings attached, with African leaders prioritising the interests of foreign powers over the welfare of their citizens.

We cannot claim to care about the lives of black people around the world if we are complicit in the mass killings and suffering of black Africans in our own countries.

The AU and other regional bodies must take responsibility for these crises and act decisively to end the bloodshed in Sudan and other conflict-ridden African countries.