Op-Ed: There is a Literal Handmaid's Tale Happening in Sudan & No One Cares Enough
By Jessica Wise
““Please don’t be sorry. Please do something.””
Hulu’s The Handmaid’s Tale remains a beacon of women’s resistance movements in the United States. From the second Women’s March to the protests of states’ dangerous anti-abortion laws, women donned in red cloaks and white bonnets present an eerie reminder of the fragility of women’s rights, no matter what “free” country you live in. Yet, there is another hooded woman who needs us more and continues to be ignored. A woman who is not on our television screen but right in our backyard: a hijabi woman in Sudan.
Sudan’s internet remains in total blackout. Thankfully, social media breaks through this futile attempt to silence citizens and continues to keep the world alert to the horrors of Darfur’s epicenter. It is because of the power of social media that we have been able to source the images and statistics you are about to see.
Following the overthrow of President Omar al-Bashir, a militant regime called the Transitional Military Council has overtaken the movement towards civilian-controlled democracy. After blacking out the internet on the grounds of social media’s “threat to the country” (BBC.com) the TMC have killed, raped, and beaten peaceful protestors and unarmed civilians in the streets and in their own homes, dumping bodies into the Nile River (PaperMag.com). For every rape, a woman, man, or child’s underwear is tied around a stick and waved in the streets like a flag.
This is not the series we’ve been binge-watching.
This is the real deal.
While we in the U.S. are teetering on a proverbial Handmaid’s Tale, we are not so far gone that we cannot continue to sit safely on our couches watching the show. We continue to dress up in the costume of a pop culture phenomena and protest without too much serious incident. No one is being shot on the picket line. There is no militia kicking in our doors and stealing our right to choose.
We continue to sit on our couches and watch the show.
Sudan has lived the dystopia that Americans now consume as entertainment for decades, and it’s not dressed up with a witty blonde heroine. However, the United States has yet to intervene the way it tends to do for our European allies or our frenemies in the Middle East. Why? To put it audaciously:
This is about race.
When the glorious Notre Dame tragically caught fire, social media exploded and donations came pouring in, a significant amount being from American individual donors (Vogue.com). Between American and French donations, the cathedral has accrued 3.6 million Euros to rebuild the structure and pay the workers who are making the project possible.
Sudan has also received funding…$3 billion for the TMC from allies in the United Arab Emirates and Saudi Arabia (Forbes.com), with little but disapproval expressed from U.S. and European officials.
This deliberate failure to act in defense of the people of Sudan, a population primarily of black and Muslim citizens, is an echo of the overall lack of acknowledgment of women of color in social movements and crimes against humanity. While representation is improving with the new wave of activism — the Women’s March, March for Our Lives, Muslim Ban protests — it lands merely as a figurehead if those in power ignore the very people our nation’s activists represent. American reporters continue to cover the developments in Sudan, as well as Sudanese-American influencers, imploring officials to act, but so far it has been in vain.
This is up to us.
As civilians, it is hard to believe there is anything we can do for people who are an entire ocean away, but there are ways we can make sure this real life Handmaid’s Tale does not get any glory on our watch:
Keep informing the world and the people around you. Social media is what made the world aware of this crisis, and it is the easiest and fastest way to spread the word and make people aware. Make Twitter do its thing!
Demand our lawmakers to act. If our government can continue to occupy the Middle East with force, they can assist Sudan with peace. Contact your representative at contactingcongress.org and demand action. You can also sign the Change.org petition to the United Nations to investigate these crimes against human rights and hold the TMC accountable.
Ban together and hit the streets. Civilians around the world, including right here in the U.S. are hosting events, fundraisers, and protesting our government’s failure act. See who is organizing in your area or start a march of your own.
Donate. Crisis brings on refugees. There is an expected influx of Sudanese migrants seeking asylum from the terror in their country. Do some research and find a program you trust to donate towards relief efforts.
Sudan poses an opportunity for its international neighbors to sit on the couch and watch, or to get up and do something. What will be your tale?
