Sudan’s ‘Forgotten War’ Places Nation on Brink of ‘Catastrophic’ Famine

KQED's Forum

The crisis in Sudan, now in its second year, has been called the “Forgotten War.” While in the early 2000s, ethnic cleansing in Darfur, a region of Sudan, attracted the attention of politicians, journalists and celebrities, the current conflict – which pits two military factions against each other and the civilian population –rarely makes the front page. But the crisis in Sudan is acute: Since the war began, 150,000 people have been killed, 10 million more displaced, women and girls have been subjected to systemic sexual violence rooted in ethnic cleansing, and now, the nation is on the brink of a manmade famine that threatens to cause a “catastrophic level of hunger.” We’ll talk to experts about the war and efforts to stem the humanitarian crisis.

Guests:

Khalid Mustafa Medani, associate professor, McGill University - Medani is director of the Institute of Islamic Studies and Chair of the African Studies Program; his most recent article is "The Struggle for Sudan"

Gabriele Steinhauser, Africa Bureau Chief, Wall Street Journal - Steinhauser is based in Johannesburg, and reported from Sudan in June. Her most recent piece is titled "War Tears Apart Sudan's Capital City"

Akshaya Kumar, director of crisis advocacy, Human Rights Watch

Alaa Suliman, human and professional development officer, Sudanese Association of Northern California, which is based in Hayward, California