Anarchy in Sudan has spawned the world’s worst famine in 40 years

Causes of the famine and conflict

• Many see the famine as fundamentally political: war, deliberate obstruction of food, and external meddling (UAE, Egypt, Saudi, Iran, Ethiopia, Russia, US/NATO) rather than simple scarcity.
• Some argue it is an outcome of decades of bad rule, including a dictator who armed rival militias and fostered genocidal violence.
• Others stress proxy-war dynamics and regional power struggles more than “donor failure” or internal dysfunction.

Colonialism, governance, and responsibility

• One camp emphasizes colonial legacies: borders drawn for extraction, oil exploitation (e.g., Chevron), and institutions designed to loot, not govern, leaving fragile post-independence states.
• Another camp argues Sudan has been sovereign for ~70 years and local elites bear primary responsibility; they compare Sudan unfavorably to other ex-colonies that stabilized.
• Counterpoints: post-colonial paths differ radically; direct comparisons (e.g., to India, Singapore, UAE) are called “comical” or overly simplistic.

Debates on intervention and (re)colonization

• Pro‑intervention views range from strong peacekeeping to quasi‑colonial “time‑limited governance” (20–50 years) to impose institutions, education, and “high‑trust” norms.
• Critics cite catastrophic records of Iraq, Afghanistan, Haiti, multiple African interventions, and historic colonial famines; they warn any new colonialism would repeat exploitation.
• Some advocate strict non‑intervention and letting borders and power “sort themselves out,” accepting large human costs; others call this morally unacceptable.

“Anarchy” vs anomie

• Several object to the article’s “anarchy” framing, noting there are armed factions and hierarchy, just predatory and ineffective.
• Distinction is drawn between political “anarchism” and social breakdown (“anomie”); some say using “anarchy” for chaos is misleading.

Aid mechanics and limits

• Discussion of UN famine declaration criteria and why it was limited to a refugee camp (data gaps, absence of a functioning government).
• Airdrops are described as extremely inefficient and symbolic; sustained relief requires large-scale logistics and ground access.
• Some highlight effective but limited roles of agencies like UNICEF, WFP, MSF, while others worry aid without demographic or governance change only postpones crises.

Comparisons and moral reflections

• Multiple comments note far worse death tolls in Sudan and Sahel-type crises than in more media-saturated conflicts like Gaza or Ukraine.
• Personal anecdotes from travel in Sudan emphasize ordinary people’s kindness, deepening the sense of tragedy.