Sudanese Women Committs Suicide to Avoid Rape
Photo: Archive BBC
October 31, 2024 Hour: 8:47 pm
Some 130 women committed suicide in the same day in Sudan to avoid being raped by paramilitary groups involved in the armed conflict in that African country.
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In Sudan, the paramilitary Rapid Support Forces (RSF) have been responsible for serious human rights violations, including sexual violence against women and girls.
In an interview, the regional director of the Strategic Initiative for Women in the Horn of Africa (SIHA), Hala Al-Karib, confirmed that the allegation of mass suicide is true.
He said that «since the first day of the war, women have been sexually raped». «The militia (of the Rapid Support Forces) has been entering houses in Khartoum, the capital, and have committed multiple and numerous crimes of rape and sexual violence, and continue to do so».
Al-Karib pointed out that these violent actions have been taking place in the African country for more than 20 years, but he said that they have intensified in recent times.
He also stated: “Our body is being used as a tool of war and as a weapon of war. And it is very true that women in central Sudan have been committing suicide because they could not bear the pain of gang rape and torture they are suffering at the hands of armed militia”.
He also stressed that civilians, especially children and women, are suffering the most from the war in Sudan. “Infrastructure has been destroyed, houses have been looted, markets completely destroyed and civilians killed for no reason. Elderly and disabled people have also been killed and imprisoned. It is a rather horrible situation”.
Al-Karib announced that from 21 October to the date “Sudanese Security Forces generals have surrendered to the Sudanese National Army, and this has greatly upset the militia members and decided to carry out an act of reprisal against the population controlled by their faction of the militia”.
These acts have created a massive humanitarian crisis and lack of basic services such as communication and transport.
In that sense, he said, “They started, you know, literally massacring the villagers and raping the women, and those are really farming communities, fishing communities. So imagine the level of trauma they’re going through right now”.
In the Sudan, more than 14 million people fled their homes due to hunger, disease and sexual violence, according to information from the International Organization for Migration.
