Content Note: The following post contains references to war crimes, sexual assault, murder, and death.
It’s been nearly a year since now Conflict breaks out In Sudan, clashes between the Sudanese Armed Forces (SAF) and the Rapid Support Forces (RSF). Internet shutdowns during Sudan’s conflict have exacerbated the suffering of millions of people, denying people access to aid when they need it most.
The latest data from Sudan paints a harrowing picture. Since April 15, 2023, the conflict in Sudan has tragically claimed many lives. More than 13,000 individuals, leading to the so-called "One of the world’s worst humanitarian crises“. Exceed nine million Many people have been displaced in Sudan, more than 1.7 million have fled to neighboring countries.There are 10.7 million people Displacement due to crisis, World Food Program (WFP) warns, “The world’s worst hunger crisis” is approaching.
Amid this destruction and unrest, the Sudanese people have suffered repeated internet outages as Médecins Sans Frontières and the Sudanese Armed Forces have exploited them to control the flow of information in areas controlled by rival factions.as Stories from people affected Documents show these outages have left people Lost, stranded, hungry and scared. They prevent people from accessing emergency services and medicines, freeze banking services and funds, prevent people from applying for official travel documents and leaving the country, and disrupt work and study. Millions of people in Sudan and abroad have lost contact with their loved ones.
recent outages
In February 2024, an Internet outage believed to have been triggered Médecins Sans Frontières (RSF) takes over Khartoum Internet Service Provider (ISP) data center February 2, plunging the entire country into darkness. This creates additional challenges in an already extremely dangerous situation and complicates ongoing efforts to provide assistance. emergency assistance and humanitarian aidand blocking consular servicesEnter Key Informationand financial transactions.The blackout continues Last 10 daysprompting major ISPs like Zain Sudan, Sudanand MTN Sudan Apologies for the disruption.
After several weeks of continuous interferenceIn March, connection levels gradually returned to normal. Zain Sudan successfully resumes services March 3 After the company builds a new data center in the city of Port Sudan and begins operate from there.Other ISPs such as Sudanthe main operator Soudater, and the connection was slowly restored.Sudani announces phased restoration of coverage in various regions of Sudan February and early march,This is contributed to Building new data center in Port Sudan.
Fully restoring and maintaining connectivity remains a top priority.Below, we present five stories we’ve collected through our website Close Impact Story Project Revealing the human impact of the recent internet shutdown in Sudan. We also provide information on the history of lockdowns in Sudan and share ways to cope with these disruptions.
Five stories of lost people in Sudan
Note: For security reasons, the names of some contributors have been changed. If you can’t see the infographic below, please check your privacy-enhancing browser extension. Open in desktop view for the best experience.
The History of Internet Shutdowns in Sudan
Internet shutdowns have dire consequences and can cause irreversible damage to lives and institutions. No one should tolerate governments cutting off internet access, especially during times of conflict.Yet for years, Sudanese authorities and warring parties have shut down the internet during the war civil unrest and period The political landscape is in turmoil, as a way to control the flow of information and suppress dissent.In fact, Access Now and #KeepItOn Alliance Sudan has recorded at least 19 shutdowns since 2018, making it the country with the second-highest number of shutdowns in Africa during that period.Past blockades have obscured horrific violence against the Sudanese people, including Deadly crackdown on protesters, atrocities, death tolland rape.
How to fight back
Stand with the people of Sudan: Join the Access Now and #KeepItOn coalition to condemn the weaponization of internet shutdowns during ongoing conflicts and speak out against attacks on critical telecommunications infrastructure and people. Share the message below on your social media accounts and spread this post far and wide among your network.
share your story: Have you experienced internet outages in Sudan? Get immediate access and #KeepItOn Alliance Continue to collect and amplify stories from shutdown victims to highlight the devastating impact of shutdowns and hold perpetrators accountable.Since the alliance’s inception, we have published and amplified content from Ethiopia, India, Bangladesh, togo, Cameroon, Tanzania, Uganda, Iran, Tajikistan, Kazakhstanand other countries.
Join the #KeepItOn Alliance: The #KeepItOn coalition is a global network of more than 300 organizations that has been fighting internet shutdowns since 2016. Membership of the Alliance is open to all civil society and independent organizations worldwide working on a variety of human rights issues.