Hommam Al Nassim 
“Starlink”, a subsidiary of the billionaire Elon Musk, announced the closure of its satellite internet services in Sudan.
The company recently said it would remove its services in Sudan, by restricting roaming in jurisdictions where it was not licensed.
Sudan has been suffering from widespread communications blackouts for months, prompting many aid organizations to use Starlink to work during what the United Nations has warned is the biggest in decades.
In a statement released on Wednesday, a coalition of 94 human rights organizations working in Sudan said that “any closure of telecommunications services is a human rights violation and can be considered collective punishment that will not only isolate individuals from their support networks but will also exacerbate the already dire economic situation facing millions.”
“The potential closure of Starlink will have a disproportionate impact on civilians and aid organizations trying to reach them,” the statement continued.
Since the start of fighting in Sudan, between the Rapid Support Forces and the Sudanese army in April 2023, more than 8 million people have fled their homes, and half of Sudan’s population (25 million people) is in need.
Concerns are particularly focused on El Fasher, the last city controlled by the Sudanese army in the western Darfur region, where the United Nations warns that the city is besieged by the Rapid Support Forces (RSF) and that “countless lives are at stake.”
Sudan… More than 150 people killed in clashes between the army and Rapid Support Forces