The film "Khartoum" shows the suffering in Sudan

The situation in Sudan is dire. More than 30 million people – more than 60 percent of the population – require humanitarian assistance . Over 12 million people have been displaced since the outbreak of the Sudanese civil war in April 2023, and nearly four million children under the age of five are malnourished. "In my estimation, this is the most serious humanitarian crisis in the world," Samy Guessabi, country director of the non-governmental organization Action Against Hunger in Sudan, told DW. He participated in the "Khartoum Calling" event in October, organized by the Human Rights Film Festival Berlin to raise awareness of the conflict in Sudan and its humanitarian impact.

Khartoum-born media manager Niddal Salah-Eldin was also present. She warned that the future of an entire generation was at risk due to the war. "More than 15 million children in Sudan are out of school," she said at the festival. By comparison, there are around 14 million children in Germany.

Khartoum: A vibrant city - destroyed by war

Behind all these numbers lie just as many personal stories. The award-winning documentary "Khartoum" tells some of them. It portrays five people from the country's capital: two young bottle collectors, a tea seller, a civil servant, and a volunteer from the resistance committees. - a grassroots pro-democracy movement that contributed to the overthrow of former dictator Omar al-Bashir in April 2019.

Production of the film began in 2022. It was originally conceived as a poetic homage to the diversity of Khartoum: images captured on the city's streets by four emerging filmmakers from Sudan - Anas Saeed, Rawia Al Hag, Brahim Snoopy and Timeea M. Ahmed - in collaboration with British director Phil Cox.

"But then the war came," Brahim Snoopy tells DW.

On April 15, 2023, the paramilitary Rapid Support Forces (RSF) attacked Sudanese military bases throughout Sudan, including in Khartoum and at the airport. "The directors, the participants—we were all scattered throughout Sudan," says Brahim Snoopy.

Snoopy managed to escape to Kenya . The five protagonists also came to Nairobi, where the documentary was completed - which now documented the brutal destruction brought about by the conflict. The escape from Sudan couldn't be filmed; it would have been too dangerous. The protagonists were therefore asked to reenact their personal experiences in front of a green screen – supplemented by animated sequences and archive footage. This creative approach allowed them to transcend their painful experiences and reveal their dreams and hopes. The film even succeeds in celebrating Sudan's vibrant music and culture.

Pro-democracy groups targeted by both parties to the conflict

The conflict in Sudan must be understood as a "counter-revolutionary war," emphasized Sudanese-British journalist Yousra Elbagir in Berlin.

Before Sudanese dictator Omar al-Bashir was overthrown by the military in April 2019, Sudanese citizens protested in the streets for months, demanding the resignation of the ruler of 30 years. After his overthrow, a transitional government was formed, giving rise to hope for democracy – which, however, was shattered in 2021 following a joint coup by the now-fearing warring parties, the Sudanese Armed Forces (SAF) and the Rapid Support Forces (RSF).

In the power struggle that has been raging since 2023, the warring factions are trying to assert their influence. And despite their differing tactics and motives, the Sudanese army and the RSF have a common interest in suppressing pro-democracy movements that challenge their authority, Elbagir said. "This is the dilemma the people now face. We are at a critical point in our history."

She hopes that those who were killed in the fight for democracy during the Sudanese revolution did not die in vain and that their longing for freedom and the principle of majority rule will be fulfilled.

The "forgotten war"

While the wars in Ukraine and the Gaza Strip are attracting much global attention, the unprecedented crisis in Sudan is often referred to as the "forgotten war." For media manager Niddal Salah-Eldin, however, the war in Sudan is not simply forgotten; it is "actively ignored."

Sudan's large gold reserves and other valuable natural resources indicate that various powers are profiting from the current instability, Salah-Eldin said. The war in Sudan is "a war against the Sudanese people," she added, pointing out that hunger is being used as a weapon of war.

Appeal to German politicians

The day after the screening of "Khartoum" in Berlin, the Sudanese experts from the event met with German politicians in the Bundestag for a panel discussion to discuss concrete options for action.

In its appeal to the Bundestag, the NGO "Action Against Hunger" called for adequate funding for humanitarian aid and direct support to local aid networks. The German government and the EU must use their foreign policy clout to advocate for safe humanitarian access, a ceasefire, the implementation of international law, and a peaceful conflict resolution, said Jan Sebastian Friedrich-Rust, Executive Director of "Action Against Hunger" and founder of the Human Rights Film Festival in Berlin.

Filmmaker Brahim Snoopy is convinced that everyone can contribute to convincing politicians to take action in Sudan—whether through social media or by talking to friends about the crisis. "Even mentioning the word 'Sudan' in our everyday conversations is important, because that's how the whole campaign begins, step by step."

Adapted from English: Petra Lambeck