Wednesday, February 5, 2025

Social media turns #BlueForSudan over ‘massacre’

Must read

Isaac Kaledzi
Isaac Kaledzihttps://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Isaac_Kaledzi
Isaac Kaledzi is an experienced and award winning journalist from Ghana. He has worked for several media brands both in Ghana and on the International scene. Isaac Kaledzi is currently serving as an African Correspondent for DW.

There has been a major movement on social media across the world over recent massacre in Sudan carried out by the military.

Using the hashtag #BlueForSudan social media users are showing solidarity with pro-democracy protesters in Sudan.

Hundreds of them were killed by military officials last week as they push for civilian rule.

Human rights activists have described the killings as a deliberate massacre of civilians.

The killings were carried out by the notorious Rapid Support Forces (RSF).

- Advertisement -

The Rapid Support Forces is the paramilitary unit that was formerly referred to as the Janjaweed militia.

It was responsible for many violence during the Darfur conflict in western Sudan in 2003.

It is led by the number two in Sudan’s ruling military council – Mohamed Hamdan Dagolo – known as Hemeti.

Mohamed Hamdan Dagolo – known as Hemeti – is the commander of the RSF. Photo: AFP

Hundreds of bodies were pulled from the River Nile in Khartoum as a result of the crackdown.

Over two hundred people are now confirmed dead from the violence. Some shocking revelations were made by some victims.

Brutality against citizens

Some women said after being arrested by Sudan’s Rapid Support Forces (RSF), they were beaten and threatened with execution.

Some were told to run for their lives and then fire was opened on them by soldiers. Other victims of the brutality were forced to drink sewage water and were urinated on.

The shooting of one of the activists called Mohammed Hashim Mattar aged 26 by security forces led to the spread of the hashtag #BlueForSudan.

One of his relatives explained that the hashtag and the spread of the colour blue was because Mattar loved that colour.

The colour and activism around the hashtag now appears to be a new symbol for a bigger push for global attention for the happenings in Sudan.

The African Union last week suspended Sudan’s membership due to ongoing political crisis amid violence.

The decision was made unanimously by members at an emergency meeting of the AU in Addis Ababa.

Since the overthrow of former leader, Omar al-Bashir, the military is refusing to hand over to a civilian regime.

The opposition ha rejected recent move by the military to hold on to power until elections are held within nine months.

A major security crackdown has been ongoing with citizens declaring an indefinite strike to make it difficult for the military to rule.

There are currently ongoing efforts to resolve the crisis but it is not clear how soon that will happen.

Lack of global attention

But there are concerns the massacre in Sudan has not received the needed global attention.

Activists and social media personalities are also spreading the #SudanMassacre hashtag to bring attention to the crisis in the country.

 

The hope is that world leaders will turn attention to Sudan and push for an end to the killings and crackdown on protesters.

 

 

 

Source: Africafeeds.com

- Advertisement -

More articles

- Advertisement -

Latest article

- Advertisement -