Salaam
Another update
Postcard from Khartoum
The fall of Khartoum to one of our warring parties in March, and the fighting raging around Port Sudan, have attracted little interest - and that is how the protagonists in Sudans latest civil war like it.
At least 150,000 people are dead, 13m displaced and 25m face severe food insecurity or famine. Yet we still find ourselves way down the newsroom running order below Gaza, Ukraine or the latest confected outrage from the US president. Even fewer hacks report on the dirty secret at the heart of a war that has raged for two years: the alleged involvement of the United Arab Emirates.
This tawdry conflict is not as parochial as it might appear. Saudi Arabia and Russia are just two of those accused of meddling. Things kicked off in April 2023 when the Rapid Support Forces (RSF) militia launched its coup for sole control against it erstwhile (and just as self appointed) military government partners - the Sudanese Armed Forces (SAF). The SAF believed the RSF is the mailed fist of the UAE and is being funded by the Emirates to control Sudan and protect their huge
investments here.
The UAE hotly denies this and rubbished a claims that SAF backed officials took to the International Court of Justice as 'political theatre'. Earlier this month, the ICJ dismissed the claim saying it lacked jurisdiction. A cunning UAE opt out of the Genocide Convention means it cannot be sued by other countries over genocide allegations!
Sudan is of huge importance to the UAE. The Emiratis number little more than 1 million and make up barely 10 percent of the population in their own expat and migrant heavy country. Arable land and water in the UAE are scarce, forcing the Emiratis to
import 90 percent of their food, much of it from their vast farms across the Red Sea in Sudan.
The UAE controls at least 200,000 hectares in Sudan via companies such as its largest listed firm, the Internal Holding Group.
Emiratis have also invested $6bn in the new Red Sea port at Abu Amama, allowing them to exert control over Sudans land and trade routes - which is perhaps why the SAF, which has other friends int eh region, said it wanted to cancel the project last November.
This insidious colonisation and perceived robbery of resources caused a backlash that the Emiratis feared was gathering momentum. But the RSF is an odd choice for the usually image conscious Emirs. The militia is basically a repacked version of the Janjaweed, those bands comprising 57 varieties of manic organised by out long deposed and not terribly lamented ex strongman Omar Hassan al Bashir. In 2004, the largely nomadic Arab militias were accused of genocide in Darfur in Western Sudan against three African peoples, killing at least 400,00 and raping and kidnapping millions more.
The RSF leader, self promoted General Mohammed Hamdan Dagalo, aka 'Hemedti' is conducting his latest campaign in similar disgusting vein while pocketing a rumoured $50m a month from the goldmines in north Darfur. the rival SAF has also being accused of atrocities - but given the option, terrified civilians tend to flee the RSF to reach relative sanctuary of army controlled territory.
Last year, the UN Security Council described claims of UAE involvement with the RSF as 'credible'. The UK has criticised 'both sides', while staying silent about the Emiratis. UK foreign secretary David Lammys 15 April peace summit was a dismal failure. while the global community maintains the taboo, all the hand wringing in the world wont end this stupid war.
PE 1649
