In times of war, areas of military conflict transform into zones that threaten the lives of residents, but it does not end there. In Sudan, the warring factions deliberately worsen the living situation by cutting off internet and communications.
Last February, for instance, the areas in Sudan controlled by the Rapid Support Forces (RSF), a paramilitary militia, included regions where internet providers operate. They cut off communications in Khartoum and other western areas that fell nearly entirely under their control.
In April 2023, a devastating armed conflict erupted in Sudan between the Sudanese Armed Forces and the RSF, resulting in massive economic and human losses.
To this day, certain RSF-controlled areas to the west of Sudan, including parts of the capital and Madani in the state of Al Jazeera are still in an internet blackout, relying entirely on Starlink.
Other areas and states continue to have access to internet and telecommunication networks, though they occasionally experience weak signals.
Starlink’s Entry into SudanIn February 2024, the RSF ordered major network operators, Sudani and MTN, to suspend their services to 36 million users. The residents of Sudan found themselves isolated from the rest of the world, facing a severe disruption to their daily lives.
This came after the war hindered Sudatel—partly owned by the Sudanese government and other GCC investors— from performing maintenance for the fiber optic network cable in government-controlled Darfur.
The Kuwaiti company Zain, the South African company MTN, and the Sudanese company Sudani are generally responsible for providing mobile phone internet and communication services in Sudan.
For telecom engineers, the dangers of these disruptions are not only limited to internet and communication shutdowns but have implications on other sectors, such as banking. Arbitrarily shutting down or tampering with main servers make reoperation difficult and may completely isolate Sudan from the world for a long time.
After weeks of complete blackout, Sudanese citizens in Khartoum, Al Jazeera, and Darfur turned to Starlink for internet access as traditional cell phone services gradually resumed in various areas.
A few months ago, Starlink devices fell into the grip of the RSF, and internet services became offered to residents at a staggering cost of 3,000 Sudanese pounds an hour (equivalent to 1 US Dollar). For those suffering from war and instability, this price was prohibitively expensive, relegating internet access for the wealthy only.
A Wall Street Journal report revealed that the RSF gained access to Starlink through black markets in the United Arab Emirates, despite requests by Sudanese authorities to SpaceX, Starink’s parent company, for proper regulation of service provision.
SpaceX never responded to their request. This came after statements from US Secretary of State Anthony Blinken, who announced that the RSF and allied militias had committed war crimes and were accountable for ethnic cleansing in Darfur.
Starlink was initially launched to provide internet access in underserved areas, where traditional internet services are unavailable. It is a satellite-based internet service developed by SpaceX, founded by American billionaire Elon Musk, who also owns X and Tesla.
Starlink consists of thousands of satellites positioned in low Earth orbit, working together to provide a connected network capable of providing high-speed internet connection. The service connects users to these satellites via an antenna dish linked to the user’s router and modem, which then connects to the internet.
Daily Life in the Wake of Internet Outages Internet outage has caused great concern among citizens, who lost the ability to communicate with one another and connect with the outside world.
Omar, a Sudanese citizen living in Al Jazeera, told SMEX in an interview that he hasn’t talked to his brother, who works in a Gulf country, since last February because of internet and telecom cut offs. This means that his brother, as well, hasn’t received any news about his family in Sudan because they aren’t able to communicate with him.
Omar also lost his job as a remote translator with an external company because internet shutdownscut offs prevented him from committing to work hours and delivering dues on time.
Internet shutdowns restrict people’s ability to communicate with each other and the rest of the world. They also prevent access to essential information, especially during times of emergency and crisis. Such shutdowns are a violation of freedom of expression stipulated in Article 19 of the Universal Declaration of Human Rights and the International Covenant on Civil and Political Rights.
The international community also largely denounced internet internet shutdowns, as exemplified in the Human Rights Council Resolution No. 16/47, which condemns “the international and arbitrary disruption of access to information and its dissemination through internet shutdowns.”
The repercussions extend beyond humanitarian and professional concerns; communication disruptions also halt financial and banking operations, which are lifelines in war-torn areas. This is especially critical given the lack of liquidity and inability to operate banks and ATMs in the capital Khartoum and other cities in central Sudan.
People living in Sudan in warring areas rely on remittances from relatives and families. With ATMs going out of service, receiving the transfers becomes impossible.
Mohammad told SMEX he couldn’t send money to his family living in a war area in Sudan because of prolonged internet shutdowns. He also mentioned that his father is ill and relies on Mohammad to transfer money for his treatment and nutrition.
Many people in Sudan lost their jobs and rely on the country’s central kitchen, “Takia” to receive daily meals. The central kitchen symbolizes social solidarity and cohesion and provides daily meals for thousands of low-income families in Khartoum during times of crisis.
This central kitchen was also affected by internet shutdowns, which disrupted bank transfers made by individuals and entities inside and outside the country to support the kitchen’s efforts.
As a result, entire families were deprived of the meals they rely on, including the family of Ahmed, a Sudanese man living in the Shambat area, whom SMEX spoke with.
Network disruptions threaten hospital operations and medical services, which, if disrupted, can have severe consequences. According to Moumen Wad Zeinab, a fundraising volunteer for Al Nao Hospital in Omdurman, healthcare facilities depend on donations sent by Sudanese people via banking applications.
“Network outages impact emergency committees that provide healthcare and humanitarian assistance and aid to those in the conflict areas of Khartoum. Internet shutdowns hinder the delivery of life-saving supplies, baby food, and essential reproductive and physical health items,” said Wad Zeinab.
Difficulty Accessing StarlinkStarlink users are forced to leave their houses to places where the network is available, usually in unsafe neighborhoods in dangerous areas. Given the lack of security, stepping outside is a big risk that may expose the person to theft, assault, looting, or even murder.
Zeinab, a Sudanese residing in a conflict area, was robbed while on her way to a Starlink café to check on her ill father who lives outside the country.
“Most girls are exposed to different types of harassment and risk while on their way to connect to the internet,” Zeinab told SMEX.
Many people welcomed the continued service of Starlink in Sudan, after Musk had threatened to suspend it as of April 30, 2024, due to “violations of terms of use.”
94 humanitarian organizations had called on the American billionaire to refrain from suspending the service, as such a step is considered a form of “collective punishment” to millions of people living in Sudan.
Currently, the service remains accessible in most states across the country, but there is a constant threat that it could stop at any moment. Given the challenges associated with using Starlink, is it any wonder that people have grown accustomed to the low-quality internet networks available only in certain areas? This is true as traditional internet services by telecom companies and service providers remain largely absent.
Main image by AFP
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