In the middle of April 2023, conflict broke out in Khartoum, as two Generals started fighting for control.
In this episode we hear from two friends who were there, and how they got out.
“Not the best night of my life:” voicenotes from Marine give us live updates through the first week of violence, and her experience as a foreign aid worker suddenly needing to shelter. The airstrikes ring in the background.
Secondly we hear an extended conversation with Elaf. Elaf got out of Khartoum with her family, making an arduous and dangerous journey to Cairo that took over a week. Speaking with Dody, Laura and Peter, we hear from Elaf how they managed to get out, what life was like for her before the conflict, and what it is now.
These conversations give us an intimate view into how our friends managed in this crisis, what gave them meaning, the help they received, and how they face life afterwards.
Further Reading:
Sudan’s outsider: how a paramilitary leader fell out with the army and plunged the country into war. Guardian essay on the origins of the conflict.
“We are not alone”: Disabled people in Sudan's conflict. Peter's reporting on the experiences of disabled people in the conflict.
How one family escaped the war in Sudan — and what they carried with them. Washington Post feature on the journey of other Cairo Calling connections getting out of Khartoum.
Sudan: Why Is There A Conflict?: an insightful discussion about the history of modern Sudan by the Warfare podcast.
Acknowledgements
Many thanks to Marine and Elaf for sharing moments of life during this crisis. This episode was only possible through Dody's attention to the people affected by this crisis, and as you can hear, the ways he and friends worked to support them. Together with Dody, Laura and Peter spoke with Elaf.
As ever, music and sound production by Tarek. For the first time we hear Tarek's voice on an episode, as he introduces the dates of Marine's messages.
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