In my work as a humanitarian and development specialist, I’ve learned that a crisis doesn’t just happen, it unfolds in layers of neglect, silence and eventually tragic violence. The recent investigation by The Guardian into the Zamzam massacre in Sudan is a harrowing reminder of this brutal reality. It’s a story that has shaken me to my core not just for the scale of the atrocity but for the deafening silence that surrounds it.
Zamzam was a displacement camp; a place where people who had already survived the worst of war were trying to rebuild their lives. It wasn’t a military objective; it was a fragile community; a testament to human resilience in the face of despair. Yet an attack by the paramilitary Rapid Support Forces (RSF) reportedly left up to 1500 civilians dead. The testimonies are beyond horrifying mass executions, sexual violence and entire families wiped out.
My work has taken me to places where hope is a scarce commodity but it is precisely in these places that our collective voice and action matter most. The lack of global outrage over the Zamzam massacre is not just a failure of journalism or political will; it’s a profound failure of our shared humanity. It forces me to confront a difficult question: What does it say about our global priorities when an atrocity of this magnitude can occur with so little attention?
As professionals in the humanitarian and development space we are often tasked with navigating complex systems and advocating for the most vulnerable. But this is more than a professional duty; it’s a moral one. The story of Zamzam is a stark reminder that our work is never truly done. We cannot allow ourselves or the world to become desensitized to this level of violence.
This is a call to all of us; my colleagues, partners and every individual who believes in justice to speak up. Let’s use our platforms to amplify the voices of those who have been silenced. Let’s advocate for accountability, demand action from international bodies like the ICC and ensure that the victims of Zamzam are not forgotten. If we allow this to become just another forgotten headline we lose a piece of our own humanity.
#Sudan #Zamzam #Humanitarian #HumanRights #WarCrimes #Darfur #GlobalJustice #Development #ICC #Accountability
