Al-Monitor Discovers Civilians Trapped in El-Fasher, Forgets Darfur's Past
Al-Monitor reports 'fears for trapped civilians' in Sudan's El-Fasher as the paramilitary Rapid Support Forces (RSF) assert control—a development generating headlines that might suggest this is a fresh, isolated tragedy. Yet, what the report conveniently soft-pedals is that the RSF is, effectively, the rebranded Janjaweed militia, responsible for the 2003 Darfur genocide that killed hundreds of
thousands. The very group that the international community, including Western powers, largely enabled through inaction and selective outrage, is now merely 'fighting a brutal war'. It appears that the news cycle's memory is shorter than an internet goldfish. How many times must Darfur burn before it warrants more than a boilerplate 'fear for civilians' story? The 'brutal war' didn't just start two
years ago; it's a continuation of systemic violence, where the perpetrators of yesterday's atrocities are today's 'paramilitary forces.' One might wonder if the UN's 'fears' are more palatable than acknowledging two decades of international failure.