|
Dear Andy, we’re moving quickly to respond to the world’s largest humanitarian crisis.
We spoke with 28 survivors in Sudan’s Darfur region, who shared truly horrifying stories of mass killings, beatings, rape, and other sexual assault. People described seeing hundreds of dead bodies left in El Fasher’s streets and on the main roads out of the city.
It pains me to share any of this testimony as we prepare for year-end celebrations, but it’s our duty to shine a light when families and individuals are at risk, so authorities can’t act with impunity… so that governments can’t look the other way. I will warn you, that the testimony includes discussion of rape.
Khalil*, 34, escaped El Fasher but was soon caught by fighters with Rapid Support Forces (RSF) who asked him and 20 others to lie down on the ground. Two RSF fighters opened fire on them.
Khalil said he only survived after pretending to be dead:
“The RSF were killing people as if they were flies. It was a massacre.”
Ibtisam* fled El Fasher with her five children but was stopped by three RSF fighters, one of whom cut her robe and raped her and one of her daughters.
“When they left, my 14-year-old daughter came to me. I found that her clothes had blood and were cut into pieces. Her hair at the back of her head was full of dust.”
After the assault, Ibtisam’s daughter became sick and died. Ibtisam’s story is not unique — millions of parents and children on the run are at extreme risk. They are starving, without shelter or humanitarian aid. Girls are at elevated risk of trafficking and other sexual violence.1
We cannot look away from Sudan. We cannot ignore the world’s largest humanitarian crisis. Our investigators are speaking with survivors, putting together the stories to show the world what is really happening, and working quickly to share them with the world so that we can put a stop to the violence.
When you give before midnight, you’ll ensure we continue to show up where we’re most needed. You’ll provide a lifeline to people in immediate danger.
|
