TEHRAN – Brown Land News Editor-in-Chief Mohamed Saad Kamil focuses on peace, justice and human rights issues in Sudan. He is known for his steadfast stance in defending the truth and exposing violations committed against civilians, especially in conflict areas such as Darfur, including El Fasher.
Under his leadership, Brownland has become a free platform for the voice of the Sudanese people to be heard around the world, with a focus on professional and humane documentation of events away from political propaganda.
In this exclusive interview with Tehran Times, a prominent Sudanese journalist provides a harrowing account of the ongoing atrocities in Darfur, a region that has once again descended into violence.
He explains how external actors, regional ambitions, and a legacy of ethnic manipulation reignited the flames of genocide, highlighting the silence of the international community and the immense risks faced by Sudanese journalists reporting the truth.
The text of the interview is below.
As a Sudanese journalist who has been closely monitoring developments in Darfur, how would you explain what is happening now in Darfur? Is this a continuation of the tragedy of 2003, or has the conflict taken a new shape?
What is happening in Darfur is a genocide targeting African ethnic groups, and this genocide represents the first step in the plan of the Arab Janjaweed militias. The Janjaweed are an Arab tribe of Central and West African origin who united with the goal of establishing a state in the Darfur region through the extermination of the black population. Unfortunately, these tribes receive support from neighboring countries such as Chad, which implements UAE policies.
The objectives of the conflict in western Sudan have changed. Previously, under Omar al-Bashir’s government, the goal was to eradicate the insurgency in Darfur through the creation of Janjaweed militias. At the time, the government maintained some control over the Janjaweed, and although serious violations occurred, the situation was somewhat contained.
However, today the situation is different. Just as there was foreign support for the rebels against al-Bashir’s regime in the past, there is now foreign support for the Rapid Support Forces (RSF). It is now clear that this external interference targets Sudan’s unity and stability.
Janjaweed militants rape women, kill children and the elderly, and proudly document these crimes on camera. What do you think are the root causes behind the renewed violence in Darfur? Are they purely ethnic and tribal tensions, or are there deeper political and economic triggers?
The reasons behind the renewed conflict and violence in Darfur vary depending on the interests of countries that help destabilize Sudan, such as the United States, which previously supported the rebellion under the guise of humanitarian intervention. At the time, the United States and other Western countries provided arms to rebel groups, saying they were doing so to stop human rights abuses.
But now the same weapons are being sent to their former enemies, the Janjaweed, but this time through their regional agency, the United Arab Emirates, and with Israel’s blessing.
Ethnic tensions have been exploited to carry out this plan. While the marginalization of African ethnic groups has previously been used to fuel conflict, it has now become clear that these justifications are simply pretexts for carrying out larger and more deliberate projects.
To what extent do the Sudanese Armed Forces (SAF) and Rapid Support Forces (RSF) bear responsibility for the atrocities occurring? Are either sides willing to take responsibility?
The whole world knows that the Rapid Support Forces (RSF) are the ones who rebelled against the Sudanese government and committed atrocities and violations across the country. Women were raped, children and the elderly were killed, while the Janjaweed proudly recorded these crimes on camera and boasted about their deeds.
The Sudanese military has always and will continue to protect Sudan from invasion and rebellion by gangs and mercenaries. Everyone can attest that while areas under the control of the Sudanese military enjoy security and stability, civilians are fleeing from RSF-controlled areas to military-controlled areas in search of safety.
Therefore, the entire responsibility lies with the rapid support force militia.
Africa has always faced a deadly silence, and Darfur is part of Africa’s tragic story.
Many analysts say Darfur has become a proxy battleground for regional and global powers. To what extent do you think foreign interests, such as the United Arab Emirates, Egypt, and even Russia and the United States, are influencing the violence?
Indeed, Darfur has become a site of political confrontation between regional and international powers. It is clear that the conflict between Russia and the United States has spread to Sudan, with the United States hiring proxies from countries such as the United Arab Emirates and Chad to support the Rapid Support Force (RSF). Meanwhile, Russia is siding with the Sudanese government, but competition for control of the port is further escalating tensions in the region.
Behind the slogans of “maritime security” and “regional stability,” Abu Dhabi hides an intelligence network linking Tel Aviv and Washington that is rewriting the map of control of sea routes and ports from the Bab al-Mandab Strait to the Suez Canal. The conflict in Darfur is thus expanding toward the Red Sea, transforming into a colonial-style struggle for power, influence, and bloodshed.
What do you make of the international community and the UN’s response to the killings in Darfur? Why does the global response seem to be slower than in 2003?
The reaction of the international community has always been coupled with hostility towards the Sudanese government. In 2003, the international community strongly supported rebel groups against the then government. Today, that same community is supporting a new insurgency and Janjaweed militia by remaining silent about the horrific human rights violations taking place in Sudan.
It is therefore clear that the international community, under the influence of Western countries, the United States and Israel, supports any activity that contributes to the destabilization of Sudan.
As a media expert, what do you think about the silence of mainstream Western media regarding today’s Darfur crisis? Has the world become indifferent to Africa’s suffering?
Africa has always faced a deadly silence…and Darfur is part of Africa’s tragic story.
The world’s silence about what is happening in Darfur and across Africa is a strategic silence driven by the desire for natural resources. The world sees Africa as a treasure trove of natural wealth to be exploited later. Therefore, Western countries are fomenting and maintaining conflicts in Africa in order to prevent Africans from extracting and profiting from these resources buried beneath their soil.
What risks do journalists in Sudan face when covering crimes by powerful armed groups? Have you or your colleagues experienced intimidation or censorship?
Journalists face intimidation and harassment from militia groups. During the war, more than 40 journalists were killed and many others were kidnapped by the Rapid Support Forces (RSF). The most recent journalist was Al Jazeera correspondent in the city of El Fasher.
Additionally, journalists have lost all sources of income following the closure of all Sudanese newspapers, with some media outlets moving to online platforms that cannot accommodate Sudan’s large number of journalists.