Up to a quarter of a million people in El-Fasher, Sudan, are estimated to have been massacred by the Rapid Support Forces (RSF) supported by the United Arab Emirates, among other foreign forces. Join the rally organised by the Sudanese community on November 15, 1–4pm, Hyde Park North, Gadigal Country/Sydney. Ayman Haboub and his daughter, Faisa, explained to Peter Boyle why the Sudanese community in Sydney had called a Stand with Sudan rally on Saturday, November 15, 1-4pm at Hyde Park North.
“This rally to send a message to the to the whole community in Australia and in the world about what’s happening in Sudan and in El-Fasher, where so many people have been killed in a genocide,” Ayman Haboub, a spokesperson for a coalition of Sudanese community groups organising a rally against the genocide in Sudan, told Green Left.
“It's something unacceptable [taking place] in the front of all the eyes of the world, next to the biggest camp for internal displaced persons in history.”
He said the Sudanese people and Sudanese civil society desperately needed help from the international community to stop this war.
“The war started in 2023 between the Sudanese national armed forces and the [RSF]. The RSF was part of the army and now they are their best enemy.”
These two big armies are supported by other countries that have interests in dividing Sudan and fuelling historical racial conflicts, Haboub added.
“There are other race issues already in the history of El-Fasher.
The Sudanese community in Sydney, especially in Liverpool and surrounding areas, have come together to say to the world: please save Sudan, save El-Fasher.
“This war has been going on for so long,” said Faisa, Ayman’s daughter. “But, just recently, we started to see that more people are finally trying to learn more about Sudan. So, we thought this would be the perfect opportunity to speak up even more and raise awareness.”
“It was always unacceptable, but it’s reached a point where now we need to actually do something to stop it. The amount of deaths and everything that’s been happening is just horrific. It’s not something that anyone should let happen and just watch on.
“It’s time we actually speak up and use our voices and use the opportunities that we can. Especially us being outside of Sudan, we have so much power, we have so much influence to make a change.”
Ayman and Faisa said other countries were “very complicit” in this genocide and should be named.
“The United Arab Emirates in particular. And others, like Egypt is there. Every country around Sudan has their own agenda for this conflict to continue.
“Some of them want to have more influence in the in the area, in the west of Sudan. Some want the control of the Red Sea. Some also want the minerals, the gold, the uranium, whatever we have. And some don’t want a democratic country around them to show you can grow up and be a peaceful country — that in Africa, we can have a democratic country that respects others and lives in peace with other nations.”
“There are few things Australia can do to help,” he added. “Work with partners and the people on the ground to stop the war. If we stop the war, we can then negotiate and then have a civilian government which we all aim for. It may not be immediate but the first thing is that we want to have the war stopped.
“Second, increase the humanitarian aid and be part of opening a safe pathway for civilians to get away from the warzone area.
“We have a lot of people who are here seeking political asylum but are still waiting for the government to make a decision for them to give them permanent residency and protection visas. They are delaying even when they see what’s happening.
“My brother has been here since the war started nearly two years ago and is still waiting for protection. He hasn’t been able to see his family. He lost everything in Sudan but he’s not able to travel out of Australia because he has no passport. He’s stuck here. He cannot help his family.
“And there are a lot like my brother. So, we say to the Australian government: “We are citizens of this country. We need help to stop the war, help in the aid and protection visas for the people seeking asylum.”