Benjamin Barnaba is a CSI project partner in Sudan. csi
Who are the Nuba?
The Nuba people have built resilient communities. They are subsistence farmers and also exploit minerals like gold. They are hardworking people; this is reflected in their cultural beliefs, values and practices. The Nuba are very much peace lovers; they are easy-going and show great hospitality.
The Nuba people have no issues with religion: some are Muslims, others are Christians and others still are followers of African traditional religions. In one house, you can find all these religions co-existing in harmony. What created divisions among the Sudanese people was the introduction of political radical Islam that has been used by the political elite to ensure their continued rule.
Humanitarian crisis
Untold heavy suffering has been inflicted on the marginalized African indigenous people of Sudan over many centuries. The civil war that has been raging since April 15, 2023, is just the latest chapter in this.
The fighting between the Sudanese Armed Forces (SAF) together with militias in the north and west on the one hand, and the Rapid Support Force (RSF) allied with the SPLA North (SPLA-N) on the other hand, has caused a humanitarian catastrophe. Tens of thousands of civilians have been killed;, almost 18 million have been forcefully displaced internally or externally, with massive loss of property.
With neither side interested in peace, the war in Sudan continues, marked by grave violations, many of which amount to war crimes and crimes against humanity. At the same time, the limited international efforts have failed to achieve even a humanitarian truce. I would like to emphasize that any peace process that ignores accountability, justice and grass-roots reconciliation will be fragile and doomed to failure, inevitably leading to a resurgence of violence, as witnessed in recent Sudanese experiences. This cycle of fragile transitions without justice must end.
The human rights violations are accompanied by the systematic looting of civilian resources and the destruction of livelihoods, suggesting a deliberate strategy aimed at terrorizing and destabilizing Sudanese populations. Vulnerable groups, including women, children, and persons with disabilities, have been disproportionately affected, and face heightened exposure to violence and exploitation.
Abandoned by the world
In the war zones of South Kordofan region and Blue Nile state the indigenous populations are experiencing hunger and lack access to medical treatment. For children there is no immunization program in place. Continuous and multiple displacements of families and communities result in instability and poverty. There is a lack of clean and safe water, resulting in poor health. There is no development infrastructure such as roads, electricity and social support institutions.
No UN agencies and few international NGOs apart from CSI are on hand to report and respond to the humanitarian crisis in the Nuba Mountains and Blue Nile regions. That is why I say the Nuba people have been left by the world to carry their own cross. Humanitarian assistance poured into southern Sudan before South Sudan gained independence in 2011. But even then, the Nuba Mountains was isolated, although its people were involved in the same liberation struggle.
I feel donors are tired of the continuous political turmoil in Sudan that gives rise to humanitarian crises, but the Nuba people have not received anything like the assistance that was given to South Sudan and Darfur. How much longer will the people of Nuba have to suffer the consequences of Sudan’s political conflict?
Women and children victims of violence
The historical injustice against the indigenous societies in Sudan has forced women, children and young people into poverty, ignorance and ill health. And this vicious cycle will continue as long as the war does.
Women have been subject to physical and sexual violence and are disadvantaged in all spheres of life. This prolonged war has created a culture of violence and aggression. There is no gender sensitivity or respect to women. To make matters worse, religious doctrines, particularly Islamic teaching and practice, undermine women’s empowerment, so women do not have a voice in the community.
Children are not spared by the violence; recurring aerial bombardments have caused them to hate from very young age. And war has caused generational negative effects on children over many decades. Children are born into war, grow up in war and know nothing but war and tragedy. The majority do not see the Arab people of the north as human beings because of the long suffering they have subjected them to. Many of these children when they grow up join armed struggles and become soldiers.
Lack of educational prospects
In the current civil war, schools are being targeted by the SAF. But children in the Nuba Mountains have faced an educational gap spanning more than seven decades, from the start of the first Sudanese Civil War in 1955. Many of those who escaped and finished their secondary education abroad have returned to the Nuba Mountains where there is nothing to do other than join the armed struggle and get married at a young age.
There is no international support to open and run schools in the Nuba Mountains. The communities try their level best, but quality education is a long-term investment that is supposed to be a sustainable development goal.
Due to ignorance of their rights, girls face a lack of educational opportunities. It is very rare to hear of a girl who is a university/college graduate in our society.
The future of Nuba youths is bleak due to the lack of tertiary education. The vision of Compassion and Sustainable Development Africa (CSDA) is to change this situation by establishing a vocational school training. This will absorb secondary graduates into various vocational trainings and give our young people a brighter future as productive members of society. We call upon well-wishers, partners and donors to continue to pray with and for us and support us in any way possible to achieve this goal.
In conclusion
There is no short-cut or easy way to freedom, but the free world has a responsibility to intervene in our situation for the sake of humanity, peace and freedom. By providing protection and humanitarian aid, it can save the lives of the marginalized African indigenous people in Sudan.
Benjamin Barnaba Executive Director of CSDA, April 2026
