June 2025 Newsletter
Greetings from SudanDefenders!
Dear Readers,
In June, we observed several critical days:
June 3rd: The Khartoum massacre occurred on 3 June 2019, when the armedforces of the Sudanese Transitional Military Council, headed by the Lieutenant-General Abdel Fattah Abdelrahman Burhan of the Sudan Armed Forces and his deputy, Mohamed Hamdan Dagalo of the Rapid Support Forces (RSF), theimmediate successor organisation to the Janjaweed militia, used heavy gunfire and tear gas to disperse a sit-in by protestors in Khartoum, killing over 100 people.
June 18th: International Day for Countering Hate Speech
June 19th: International Day for the Elimination of SexualViolence in Conflict
June 20th: World Refugee Day
June 30th: On this day we remember when millions took to the streets after the sit-in massacre of June 3rd,toppling the first coup against the revolution and reaffirming that the will of the people is invincible, and that the slogans of “freedom, peace, and justice” are not just slogans, but a widespread belief and a national project for liberation and emancipation. That great uprising taught us that these people, when united, are capable of overthrowing tyrants and breaking the shackles.
These days are more than symbolic—they are urgent calls to action. For Sudan, now over two years into a devastating conflict, they resonate deeply. Hate speech has fueled violence, deepened ethnic divisions, and silenced voices of peace and justice. Online and offline, inflammatory rhetoric has incited atrocities and eroded the social fabric. We renew our call for accountabilityand the promotion of inclusive, respectful dialogue as a cornerstone for national healing.
June 19th reminds us of the horrific use of sexual violence asa weapon in conflict. In Sudan, countless women and girls have endured unimaginable suffering. Survivors face stigma, lack of justice, and little access to support. SudanDefenders stands with them and urges urgent international action to document, investigate, and prosecute these crimes.
On World Refugee Day, we honor the resilience of millions of Sudanese forced to flee their homes due to targeted violence and insecurity. We call on the international community to uphold its obligations—protect asylum seekers,provide humanitarian aid, and support long-term solutions for displaced Sudanese, both within and beyond our borders.
SudanDefenders remains unwavering in its mission to protect civilians andhuman rights defenders. These commemorative days are not just dates on a calendar—they are a rallying cry. We urge governments, civil society, and international actors to stand with the people of Sudan and act now.
In this edition, we spotlight Rounag Shimila, Executive Director of the Environment and Rural Women’s Development Organisation, whose leadership is driving transformative change for women and the environment.
I invite you all to delve into our June newsletter here.
Shawqi Yaqoub
Chairperson, Board of Directors