The author, a Sudanese researcher, said regional and international organizations should develop frameworks to protect communications infrastructure and personnel during conflicts to reduce the devastating impact on societies already facing violence and instability. It is argued that it is necessary to introduce…
As of mid-January, more than 13,000 people had been killed in clashes between the Sudanese Armed Forces (SAF) and Rapid Support Forces (RSF) in Sudan, according to Sudanese experts. Armed Conflict Location and Event Data Project. And experts warn the numbers may not fully capture the scale of the tragedy. The impact of this violence extends far beyond the loss of human life and permeates various sectors, including information and communication technology (ICT).
Several challenges threaten the functioning and service delivery of Sudan’s ICT sector. One of the prominent issues is maintaining stable connectivity, which poses a significant challenge for ICT service providers in the country. Despite political maneuvers by Sudanese authorities to shut down the internet, the internet remained operational, especially during the early stages of the conflict.
Sudanese authorities have repeatedly shut down the internet.longest shutdown It was in 2019, which lasted 37 days after the Khartoum massacre. The second longest internet shutdown was in 2021, second only to the military coup in October 2021. lasts 25 days. However, other closed cases occurred during national exams and tribal conflicts.So there were some internet failures Reported due to conflict situationcausing isolation in some areas, particularly in the Darfur region.
Past internet shutdowns in Sudan have been regulated by relevant legal frameworks. However, recent RSF efforts do not attempt to find legal legitimacy. Rather, these forces seized control of internet service provider (ISP) data centers in Khartoum and imposed an internet blackout. This has caused widespread disruption, particularly in regions such as Red Sea and Nile states, with major providers such as MTN Sudan and Sudatel suffering complete outages.
Explanations of the rationale behind RSF’s actions vary. While some reports have suggested this is in response to the company’s perceived indifference regarding communication issues in Darfur, it is also an attempt to counter alleged SAF internet shutdowns in the region. There are also reports that it is. Nevertheless, the Sudanese government classified the RSF as a terrorist organization, further complicating the situation.
In response to the disruption, major ISPs apologized via social media, citing circumstances beyond their control and assuring customers that they would work to quickly restore service. However, the impact of these closures on Sudanese society has been profound. It worsens the situation by not only disrupting daily activities such as banking and accessing government services, but also critical communications for emergency relief. assignment faced by conflict-affected communities. Sudanese embassies and consulates have also been forced to reduce passport operations due to closures.
Additionally, reliance on electronic banking services has exposed vulnerabilities, and reports of looting by RSF have further destabilized the financial system.
Economist Ahmed Ben Omar emphasized the combined effects of war and economic mismanagement and the risk of returning to the pre-bank era, saying in an interview:
War and a centralized banking system have crippled Sudan’s banks and caused cash chaos. Lines for cash have returned to banks, and some banks are on the verge of collapse as internet outages make it difficult to send money and people’s basic needs are not being met. The country is at risk of reverting to a pre-bank era, as the central bank loses control and mismanages funds in a volatile war economy.
The impact extends beyond the immediate disruption and poses a long-term threat to overseas investment and economic stability. The telecommunications sector, which is a major contributor to Sudan’s economy, faces significant losses for every hour of outage, according to estimates from tools such as Netblocks’ Cost of Shutdown Tool.
Sudan is committed to the International Covenant on Civil and Political Rights (ICCPR), the International Covenant on Economic, Social and Cultural Rights (ICESCR), and the African Charter on Human and Peoples’ Rights (ACHPR), we guarantee Right to receive, communicate and disseminate information. The 2019 Sudanese Constitutional Charter guarantees internet access. But the two parties currently vying for control of the country have a sordid history of suppressing internet freedoms. The recurring pattern of internet shutdowns during conflicts demands the attention of regional and international organizations, with calls for such disruptions to be recognized as crimes against humanity. Implementing frameworks to protect communications infrastructure and personnel in times of conflict is essential to reduce the devastating impact on societies already facing violence and instability.
Hatab Hamad is a Sudanese researcher whose research focuses on digital rights and internet governance.
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