As we stand in solidarity with the Palestinian people we also wish to make a statement in solidarity with the people of Sudan, especially in the Darfur region where they face a humanitarian catastrophe and looming genocide.

Although there are differences in the genesis of these conflicts, there are many parallels with the situation in Palestine, including past and ongoing colonisation. Like the city of Rafah in Gaza, the city of El Fasha, with its one million occupants is under siege and on the verge of a full scale assault by the Rapid Support forces. Humanitarian agencies warn this assault will turn it into a “kill box” With much of the population forced to flee their homes, with ethnic cleansing and racist attacks occurring on a massive scale, hunger and malnutrition are intensifying, the health system is destroyed, and sexual violence and other human rights abuses are increasing at horrific levels. As in Palestine, global capitalist interests are in play, with the people of Sudan being driven off their most productive land by outsiders with the full collusion of Western powers.

Palestinians know what it is to have their suffering hidden from the world and as the global solidarity movement has forced the world to pay attention to Palestine, so we reach out to our comrades in Sudan to bear witness to their oppression.