Sudan Media Forum: ‘One year of devastation: Sudan in the grip of war’

One year ago today, on April 15, 2023, a brutal conflict erupted in the heart of Sudan’s capital, Khartoum. The Sudanese Armed Forces (SAF), led by General Abdelfattah El Burhan, clashed with the Rapid Support Forces (RSF) under General Mohamed Hamdan Dagalo, plunging the country into a deadly crisis.

A joint editorial by the Sudan Media Forum today, laments that the war in Sudan has claimed thousands of lives, displaced millions, and urges the global community “to rally behind the Sudanese people and demand an immediate end to the war through negotiations. This conflict has caused enough suffering and democratic regression.”

This war has claimed thousands of lives, inflicted extensive damage on infrastructure, and displaced millions of civilians within Sudan, forcing a mass exodus from Khartoum, Darfur, El Gezira, and Kordofan. United Nations reports indicate that more than nine million people have been internally displaced due to the war, with over a million seeking refuge in neighbouring countries.

Both warring factions have disregarded their legal obligations under International Humanitarian Law, which prohibits and condemns attacks on civilians, their homes, and civilian institutions, including places of worship, hospitals, schools, and media outlets.

They have committed heinous human rights violations, including indiscriminate killings, rape, torture, forced disappearances, arbitrary detentions, child recruitment, attacks on international aid workers, looting of food supplies, and denying access to those in need. These atrocities constitute war crimes, crimes against humanity, and potential acts of genocide, which demand accountability and an end to impunity.

‘Targeted murders of journalists have plunged Sudan into a total media blackout…’

Targeted murders of journalists have plunged Sudan into a total media blackout. This prevents journalists from fulfilling their crucial role in informing the public, upholding journalistic integrity, and exposing the war’s devastating consequences. Millions are suffering, our nation is fractured, and foreign intervention looms.

Beyond silencing free media, the warring parties wage a parallel information war. Propaganda, hate speech, and fabricated news manipulate civilians and obstruct access to truth. Severed communication networks further isolate citizens from loved ones and essential resources.

Despite these daunting challenges, the Sudan Media Forum stands united. We journalists, and media professionals, remain committed to our professional responsibilities. We seek the truth, expose violations, defend human rights, and fight for accountability.

‘We envision a media landscape built on transparency and accountability…’

We envision a media landscape built on transparency and accountability, holding leaders responsible for their actions. We advocate for peace, humanitarian aid, and solutions to the famine, poverty, and disease plaguing millions.

We urge the global community to rally behind the Sudanese people and demand an immediate end to the war through negotiations. This conflict has caused enough suffering and democratic regression.

We, the media, reaffirm our commitment to truth-telling and accountability. Armed with awareness, professionalism, and international law, we will continue to serve the public with accurate information and diverse perspectives on this critical conflict, the editorial concludes.

Joint statement

In light of the above, in a simultaneous joint statement today, the Sudan Media Forum calls for:

First: Urgent Demands to the Warring Parties, Sudanese Armed Forces and Rapid Support Forces:

• Immediate Ceasefire and Humanitarian Action:

•  Declare a state of famine and request urgent international aid.
• Grant unrestricted access to international organizations and UN agencies for famine relief.
• Open safe passage for delivering food and medicine to affected areas.
• Allow uncensored press coverage by male and female journalists to document the situation.

         Support for Displaced Persons and Press Freedom:

• Establish open-access shelters for war refugees with unrestricted press coverage.
• Allow journalists to document the experiences and opinions of displaced individuals.

         Unimpeded Access for Journalists:

• Guarantee free movement for journalists with their equipment to conflict zones.
• Eliminate harassment, restrictions, and censorship faced by journalists.

         Protection of Journalists and Media Infrastructure:

• End all attacks on journalists, media outlets (visual, audio, print, online), and equipment.
• Ensure journalist safety based on international humanitarian law for civilians.
• Recognise media centres (radio, TV, newspapers, online platforms) as civilian areas.
• Criminalise attacks on media by all parties.

         Media Access and Damage Assessment:

• Allow journalists to inspect and assess damage at media headquarters and facilities.
• Foreign Press Access:
• Permit international journalists to enter Sudan and cover all conflict areas freely, including displacement zones, shelters, crossing points, and conflict zones.

Secondly: Call to Action for Journalists and Media

The Sudanese Media Forum urges all journalists and media outlets to:

• Uphold Professional Standards: Combat misinformation, especially on social media, by adhering to rigorous journalistic ethics during sensitive conflict coverage. This war has been particularly damaging to professional journalism, so let’s reclaim our role by prioritizing accuracy and integrity.
  
  
• Challenge Biased Narratives: The absence of a strong national press has allowed biased and misleading media to dominate the narrative. We must work together to present a clear and truthful picture of the conflict. Both warring parties share responsibility for creating a media blackout in Sudan.
  
  
• Unify for a Free Press: The Sudanese Media Forum, representing media organizations and the Journalists Syndicate, stands united for a free press built on integrity, accuracy, and independence. We will present a document outlining principles and rules for responsible media coverage during wartime. We invite all journalists, media professionals, and institutions to join us and adapt these guidelines to their existing editorial policies.
  
  
• Promote Peace and Unity: Journalists have a crucial role to play in fostering peace and unity. We must actively combat hate speech, racism, and terrorism by refusing to amplify these messages on our platforms. Let’s work together to create a joint media discourse that promotes understanding and reconciliation.

Third: Demands for the Sudanese Civil Forces:

• Media Freedom as a Strategic Priority:
  The media is a vital part of civil society. We urge political forces to elevate the issue of free and independent press to a strategic priority on their agenda, both now and in the future.

• Combating Hate Speech and Racism: Escalating hate speech and racism threaten national unity. We call on civil society organizations, political forces, emergency committees, and resistance groups to make confronting this a top priority. Partner with the press and journalists to develop a joint media strategy to combat these issues.

• Protection and Support for Journalists: Work with national and international bodies to provide protection, support, and legal advocacy for Sudanese journalists, both within Sudan and in neighbouring countries.

• Post-War Media and Peacebuilding: Start planning for “peace journalism” in the post-war period. Collaborate to restore Sudan’s democratic path, emphasizing accountability for war crimes, crimes against humanity, and the crime of genocide.

Urgent Actions Needed from the International Community:

• Enforce Ceasefire and Aid Delivery:
  • Advocate for the immediate implementation of the UN Security Council’s ceasefire resolution.
  • Establish effective monitoring mechanisms to ensure compliance.
  • Guarantee unrestricted access for humanitarian aid to prevent famine.
  • Facilitate the delivery of food and essential supplies to those affected.
• Support Sudanese Media:
  • Establish a dedicated fund to support Sudanese journalists.
  • Assist in creating professional, cultural, and social centres for journalists in neighbouring countries.
  • Equip these centres with the necessary technology for media production.

Proposed Initiatives:

• A. Journalist Assistance:
  • Encourage unemployed journalists to continue their work by connecting them with independent media outlets.
  • Provide financial support for publishing their work, funded by donors and media organizations.
  • Create a joint platform for the Sudanese Media Forum to share war stories and humanitarian crises.
• B. Independent Media Support:
  • Bolster independent news websites and radio/TV stations operating in Sudan.
  • Enable them to deliver accurate and unbiased news with wider reach.
• C. Journalist Welfare Programme:
  • Establish a network with international organizations to provide psychological and social support services to journalists impacted by war trauma.
  • Create safe havens with support and supplies for journalists in conflict-free areas.
• D. Post-Conflict Media Recovery:
  • Collaborate with the Sudanese Media Forum on post-war media projects.
  • Provide urgent financial and technical support for journalists and media outlets.
  • Foster a press-friendly environment for journalists to resume their work effectively.
• E. Training and Development:
  • Offer specialised training programmes to enhance journalists’ abilities for conflict and peacetime reporting.
  • Emphasise training in combating hate speech, racism, and all forms of discrimination.
• F. Media Centre Restoration:
  • Assist war-damaged media training and production centres in resuming operations from neighbouring countries.

The Sudanese Media Forum, committed to free and independent press coverage during conflict, issues this joint statement on the critical conditions faced by journalists in Sudan.

Journalistic Principles and Rules for Media Coverage During Armed Conflict

The April 15, 2023, conflict between Sudan’s Armed Forces and the Rapid Support Forces severely impacted the country’s press and media landscape. Many institutions were forced to shut down entirely or operate at a reduced capacity, losing vital infrastructure. While some relocated operations outside Sudan, their ability to conduct essential fieldwork, especially in conflict zones, was hampered.

This media vacuum gave rise to a plethora of new press and media entities, mainly online websites, and social media accounts. Exploiting the situation, both warring parties and external actors infiltrated the journalistic sphere with numerous online platforms. Their aim: to dominate media coverage, control information flow, and spread misinformation, hate speech, and racism. This decline in professional journalism and media presence exacerbated the conflict with biased narratives favouring one side.

Many journalists, both men and women, lost their jobs due to media closures. While a small number became pawns in partisan campaigns, the majority distanced themselves from such manipulation. Facing threats, many journalists were forced to flee their homes, seeking refuge within Sudan or neighbouring countries.

These extraordinary circumstances necessitate stricter guidelines for press and media institutions, journalists, and media professionals during wartime. These guidelines must uphold their core mission:

To gather news and information, verify its accuracy, and present it to the public in a fair, accurate, and independent manner.

These principles compel press and media institutions to prioritise staff safety. Journalists must not enter conflict zones without proper safety measures in place.

We believe journalists covering the Sudanese conflict have the potential to influence public discourse, contributing to conflict resolution, mitigating its impact, and mobilising assistance and solidarity for the victims.

Journalists in war zones must uphold these professional principles:

• Centring Humanity: News coverage, reports, and analyses should prioritise the human cost of conflict. Citizens and their well-being should be at the heart of journalistic efforts.
• Truthful Neutrality: Avoid false neutrality. Strive for “positive neutrality” that champions truth, independence, and non-partisanship. Reports should not take sides or showcase personal opinions on the war.
• Accuracy and Transparency: Do not conceal information or distort facts for any party’s benefit. Exceptions may exist when disclosing information puts others at risk.
• Protecting the Vulnerable: Exercise extreme caution when reporting on vulnerable groups (refugees, displaced persons, soldiers/families, minorities) to avoid further suffering.
• Respecting Victims: Show sensitivity when covering victims. Avoid publishing details that could expose them to retaliation or harm.
• Professional Detachment: Uphold professional standards and avoid promoting ideological, tribal, or ethnic agendas.
• Contextualisation: Present news, analyses, and information within their context, helping the audience understand the evolving situation.
• Multiple Perspectives: Provide diverse viewpoints, covering events from various angles, introducing contrasting opinions, and giving voice to different individuals and groups.
• Balanced Language: Use balanced language free from bias. Avoid accusatory words or demonising adjectives targeting specific parties.
• Transparency and Source Attribution: Enable audiences to distinguish between facts, coverage, opinions, and analyses. Avoid emotionally charged vocabulary.
• Combating Hate Speech: Oppose hate speech, racism, and its transmission. Refrain from inciting racial, tribal, religious, or sectarian tensions, and avoid using racial or cultural stereotypes.
• Verifying Information: Combat fake news. Verify information before publication to avoid contributing to conflict escalation. Refrain from publishing unverified information. Attribute all quotes to their sources.
• Truth-Seeking: Actively seek, respect, and reveal the truth. Journalists have a duty to inform the public accurately and ethically.
• Integrity and Accuracy: Be committed to integrity and accuracy. Avoid intentional falsification of facts.
• Promoting Peace: Disseminate news of civilian and peace efforts within and outside Sudan. Highlight the work of volunteers in conflict zones.
• Humanitarian Focus: Showcase the resilience of displaced people: men, women, and children in camps and shelters. Share their stories of hope and perseverance.
• Defending Human Rights: Uphold freedom, peace, justice, and democracy. Defend good governance, equality, and non-discrimination according to human rights standards.
• Documenting Abuses: Comprehensively document war crimes and human rights violations. Advocate for justice and combat impunity.
• Legal Knowledge: Become familiar with international humanitarian law (laws protecting civilians in wartime) and relevant regional conventions and treaties. Additionally, understand domestic laws related to war crimes, crimes against humanity, and genocide.

By adhering to these principles, we strive to deliver responsible and ethical journalism throughout this devastating conflict in Sudan.

Signed: Sudan Media Forum

Media and press institutions endorsing this editorial:

– Dabanga – Radio / TV / Online

– Sudanese Journalists Syndicate

– Sudan Tribune

– Al-Tayar newspaper

– Aljreeda Newspaper

– Sudan-Bukra Media

– Altaghyeer newspaper

– Ayin Network

– Alrakoba

– Sudanile

– Journalists for Human Rights – JHR – Sudan

– Female Journalists Network-Sudan

– The Democrat Newspaper

– Hala Radio – 96 FM

– Radio (PRO FM) 106.6

– Medameek newspaper

– Darfur 24

– Al-Ayam Centre for Cultural Studies and Development

– Teeba Press

– Alalg Centre for Press Service

– Sudanese Centre for Research, Training, and Development Services

– Article Centre for Training and Media Production

– Mashaweer

– Sudans Reporters

– Televzyon Platform

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Read the complete editorial here