Darfur Victims Support Organization
Statement on the Occasion of the International Day of Peace
September 22, 2024
On this International Day of Peace September 21, we reflect on the true meaning of peace and the urgent need to achieve it worldwide. While the global community celebrates this day, Sudan has been enduring a painful reality of war and devastation since April 15, 2023. Sudan has become a stage for recurring wars, with innocent civilians bearing the brunt, without any lasting peace that would spare the country from these tragedies.
The wars that have ravaged Sudan, including the ongoing conflict between the Sudanese Armed Forces and the Rapid Support Forces, are not sudden developments. They are an extension of long-standing conflicts, driven by a complex set of factors that have made Sudan a fertile ground for armed disputes:
1. Political Exclusion and Marginalization: For decades, Sudan has suffered from exclusionary policies implemented by successive governments, leading to rebellions and resistance movements across the country, particularly in regions like Darfur, South Kordofan, and the Blue Nile. This ethnic and political marginalization has deepened feelings of injustice and alienation among various groups within Sudan.
2. Political Exploitation of Religion: Over the years, religion has been used as a political tool to achieve personal and factional gains. This exploitation has exacerbated sectarian and ethnic divisions, fostering a culture of violence instead of peaceful coexistence.
3. Competition Over Resources: Sudan’s immense natural resources, from oil to fertile agricultural lands, have become a source of conflict rather than a blessing for the people. The competition for these resources has led to bloody conflicts between local and central groups, with the involvement of external forces seeking to secure their interests.
4. Regional and International Interventions: Sudan has remained a battleground for regional and international power struggles, where various parties have intervened to support one side at the expense of the other. These interventions have further complicated the political and security landscape of the country, prolonging conflicts without providing any real solutions.
On this day, we call on all Sudanese parties and the international community to seize the opportunity to achieve a lasting and comprehensive peace. The peace we aspire to should not merely be a cessation of hostilities, but one based on justice and true national reconciliation, where past wounds are healed, perpetrators are held accountable, and the rights of all Sudanese are safeguarded for a secure and dignified future.
Peace in Sudan can only be realized by acknowledging the true roots of the conflicts and genuinely working to address the structural causes that fuel them, including political and economic marginalization, and the exploitation of religion and ethnicity as tools for division and conflict. Achieving peace requires a sincere political will from all parties and international cooperation that promotes stability rather than fueling disputes.
In conclusion, the Darfur Victims Support Organization reaffirms that peace is the only path to a brighter future for Sudan. We call on all Sudanese people to stand together, beyond any divisions, to achieve the dream of a united nation living in peace.
Long live Sudan, and may its people live in peace and security.