KHARTOUM – The Sudanese Congress Party has condemned recent decision by the Khartoum state de-facto government to shut down emergency response rooms (ERRs) and Community kitchens, and to expel medical and humanitarian personnel from Bashair Hospital.
In a strongly worded statement, the party’s Khartoum branch described the decisions as “catastrophic,” accusing the authorities of showing blatant disregard for the suffering of civilians and attempting to sabotage grassroots efforts that have sustained critical services since the war began in April 2023.
“From the outset of this war, emergency rooms have served as the first line of defense against the deeping humanitarian crisis,” the party said. “These decisions reflect a dangerous indifference to the plight of citizens and a deliberate attempt to dismantle civil and popular initiatives that are filling the vacuum left by a collapsing health and service system.”
Earlier this week, on Monday, May 12, Khartoum state authorities issued a directive requiring all humanitarian actors to register with the state’s Voluntary Work Commission. The statement warned that any unregistered activities would be deemed unlawful. officials claimed that unnamed groups had been carrying out humanitarian work without coordinating with state institutions.
The Congress Party rejected this justification, arguing that many of the affected initiatives have been performing vital state functions in the absence of formal governance. “Emergency rooms and community kitchens are keeping people alive, providing medical aid, food, and services where the state has failed,” the statement read. “Meanwhile, the authorities have focused on imposing levies, looting resources, and fueling the war.”
The party pledged continued support for volunteers and health workers, praising their resilience and commitment to helping others despite limited resources and harsh conditions. “We stand firmly with the honorable citizens whose hands still heal, feed, and save lives,” it added.
Calling the government’s actions “unjust,” the party urged all revolutionary forces, neighborhood resistance committees, and civil society groups to unite in defense of these initiatives. it called for peaceful and organized resistance using all available civilian means.
The decisions have sparked widespread backlash online. social media platforms were flooded with posts denouncing the shutdown of life-saving initiatives, and expressing outrage over the targeting of community-led relief. many users questioned the government’s priorities, highlighting the reliance of thousands of families on these emergency rooms for food, medicine, and urgent care in the absence of state support.
The latest clampdown has raised alarm among activists and residents, who warn that halting these operations could lead to a sharp rise in preventable deaths, hunger, and disease as war-weary civilians continue to rely heavily on informal aid networks for survival.
