Many poeple today see many videos online of the masacre happing in Sudan but Sudan’s crisis didn’t just start with the videos people see today on TikTok. So what is the bachround beind it. The country has struggled for a long time. Ever since Sudan became independent in 1956 it has faced civil wars, political fights, and economic problems. In 2011, the southern part of the country even broke away and became South Sudan. These long years of violence weakened the country, and people were already suffering before this new conflict started.
The current war began in April 2023. Two groups the Sudanese Armed Forces (SAF) and the Rapid Support Forces (RSF) started fighting each other for power. Both sides wanted control of the military and the country. What was supposed to be a move toward civilian rule turned into chaos. The fighting spread quickly, especially in Khartoum and Darfur the capital where airstrikes gun battles and attacks destroyed homes, schools and hospitals.
As the war continued the situation became one of the world’s worst humanitarian crises. Millions of people had to leave their homes, walking long distances to reach safer countries like Egypt where 13 million people have been displaced . There is not enough food, clean water, or medicine, and many aid groups cannot enter the countrybecause it is too dangerous. A representative from the International Committee of the Red Cross said: “All of the civilian population… have basically been trapped between one, two or moreparties. And they have been bearing the brunt of everything.” (The Guardian)
For many students at St. Mary’s, the conflict first appears on TikTok or Instagram. Short vi
deos show explosions, destroyed cities, or people crying as they escape. But because the videos are so quick, it’s easy to watch them without knowing the full story behind what is actually happening. Many students don’t know the history, the causes, or how long Sudan has been struggling. Social media shows only a small part of the real situation. This also ties into online safety where your able to see graphic things and if it concerns people please report the videos to Tiktok.
This makes it important for students to learn more than just what they see online. When we understand the background — the years of conflict, the fight for power, and the impact on millions of families — we can see the crisis with more care. Instead of just scrolling past we can recognize that behind every video is a family trying to survive and a country hoping for peace.
