Raising awareness and standing in solidarity: Watching the Sudanese crisis from London

It's a tense time right now for anyone with family or friends in Sudan.

More than one hundred people have been killed in a two-month standoff between the protest movement and the military, which removed President Omar al-Bashir from power in April. 

Watching from so far away is difficult for some Londoners, as many Sudanese fight for democracy to push for an end to years of military rule.

Sarah Mohamed is a student at Western University, who still has extended family in the country.

She says that it's been a devastating time for people both in and outside the country as horrifying stories emerge.

"There's a whole Internet blackout throughout...and it's creating a barrier between people living inside and outside of the country. They [The Transitional Military Council] are using it as a way to hide their guilt of what's going on," she said.

She's like 'we woke up to gunshots in the area that we live in,'- Sarah Mohamed

Since Bashir  was forced to step down in April, Sudan has been at a standstill wondering who their next leader will be.

The Transitional Military Council (TMC) has taken control of the government until a new leader is chosen, while demonstrators in the country's capital Khartoum have been protesting for democratic rule.

Violence erupted on June 3 when the TMC ordered a  deadly crackdown on protestors. Initial numbers estimated there were over 100 deaths and 650 injured.

"They used military ammo, sexual assault, they've been killing and dropping bodies in the Nile river...It's a devastating experience to witness," Mohamed said.

While her immediate family lives in London, Mohamed's extended family and friends are in Sudan. With the Internet cut off, it's been more difficult getting in touch with them.

"We have no contact with them unless we go purchase a gift card or pre-paid phone card. Even then, you aren't guaranteed to speak with anyone there, " she said.

Her family lives only 'a bridge away' from Khartoum, where a  majority of the violence has taken place. She says it's been traumatic for her loved ones to be so close to the unrest.

"It's right there...the army has come to the area that my family lives in. There has been ammo and gunshots..." she said.

A few days ago, her mother was on the phone with her grandmother who explained in tears about the proximity of the gunfire.

"She's like, 'we woke up to gunshots in the area that we live in,'...it's not nice to see." she said. Mohamed's mother and younger siblings were scheduled to fly to Sudan next week to visit family. However due to the unrest in the country, they are unsure about traveling.

'It's really scary'

Amanie Marial says that the violence has had a big impact on her parents. While they are in London, the rest of her relatives are in Sudan.

They've also been using calling cards to try to contact their family. But Marial says it's been hard getting in touch with their relatives, as they've had to move around constantly to avoid the violence.

"There's not a lot of communication obviously so that's the most difficult part. You're not really getting the chance to get full updates...it's really scary," she said. 

Yet there is hope, as US and Ethopian officials are reportedly stepping in to negotiate peace talks. 

"I'm so glad, because this issue's been going on for so long and it hasn't gotten the international outreach that it's getting now. That's what really touched me," Marial said.

Mohamed agrees. "It's time that there's been a media outreach...these protests have been going on since December...but because of the massacre...people have started to reach out [such as celebrities] and use their platform to raise awareness of what's happening," she said.

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Standing in solidarity

Razan Mohamed is the incoming president of the Black Students' Association at Western.  She's optimistic about the attention that Sudan is starting to receive from the international community. 

"For the first time in my life...it's a chance to see Sudan free from military rule and a state that was founded on oppression...I think that's what's giving me hope and empowering a lot of the Sudanese people in London," she said. 

Social media has been imperative to raising awareness about the crisis, particularly after the Internet blackout. Razan says that it's really helped the media and others to understand what's happening overseas.

"Once people are able to see things like that, it's just really amazing," she said, "There's so many ways to learn about what's happening." 

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In the past week, several movements have popped up around Canada to show solidarity with Sudan. Sarah says that the support has been 'awesome'. 

"I know that different Sudanese communities within Canada are doing different dinners, different fund raisers...we've had multiple peaceful protests at Victoria park to raise awareness of what's going on," she said. 

London will be hosting its own fund raiser in the near future, as the Sudanese community is organizing to raise money for the injured protesters overseas.

But community members are also ensuring that they are looking after one another too. Sarah says it's important to consider one's mental health as well.

"Reach out and communicate with one another, because it is a hard time for all Sudanese people," she said.

As people stand together in solidarity, Marial is hopeful that with Sudan in the news, it will help make a difference.

 "Now it has people's attention and it's amazing...it's not a well-known country and the injustices going on there were sort of swept under the rug by the country and by the world," she said, "Now, it feels like a complete one-eighty."