The people in Sudan have resorted to writing letters to keep in touch with loved ones amidst the ongoing telecommunication and internet blackout across most of the country as the violation of their rights worsens.
Development Diaries reports that telecommunication and internet network disruption has lasted for months due to the conflict in the country, and despite the return of El Sudani coverage on Monday, network fluctuations are being reported.
We understand that the Sudanese Minister of Communication, Adel Hasan, on Tuesday, asked for a criminal investigation into ‘the disruption of telecommunications by the Rapid Support Forces (RSF) over the past week’.
The Sudanese Telecommunications and Postal Regulatory Authority accused the RSF of cutting off telecommunications networks but the RSF denied the claim.
Internet shutdown constitutes a human rights violation, as many governments use this action to cover up grave violations of citizens’ human rights, including extrajudicial killings.
The outage has hindered the arrival of aid to the state and caused a severe shortage of relief funds.
Development Diaries calls on the Sudanese authorities to ensure telecommunication and internet services are fully restored across the country and bring to justice every reported case of rights violation either by the state armed forces or by the RSF.
Photo source: Dabanga
