Radio Dabanga: A Lifeline for Sudan
Radio Dabanga isn’t just another news station – it’s a lifeline. Broadcasting from Amsterdam, it serves as a crucial source of information for millions of Sudanese battling a brutal civil war. But with U.S. aid slashed, its future hangs by a thread.
Earlier this year, the station’s morning broadcast was abruptly cut due to budget shortfalls. Kamal Elsadig, the editor-in-chief, felt the weight of the decision. The station’s listeners rely on them for updates about their families. One listener in a refugee camp in Chad expressed desperation, saying, “We depend very much on Radio Dabanga.” Another from Northern Sudan simply asked, “Is there any problem happening?” It’s clear; for many, Radio Dabanga is the ONLY source of reliable information.
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Funding Cuts and Humanitarian Crisis
The stakes couldn’t be higher. U.S. foreign aid, accounting for over half of Radio Dabanga’s nearly $3 million budget, has been slashed since early this year. This cut led to staff layoffs and the suspension of their morning news service, leaving listeners in the dark about a war that has claimed over 150,000 lives and displaced 14 million people in Sudan.
“They’re saying, what’s going on? We didn’t hear Dabanga today,” Elsadig recalls. Sudan’s war is among the world’s most catastrophic humanitarian crises, and the media landscape there is in ruins. A staggering 90% of Sudan’s media infrastructure is destroyed, according to Free Press Unlimited. Over 400 journalists have fled, and many have been killed or kidnapped. “Sudan has become completely in a darkness of access to information,” Elsadig said, highlighting the urgency of their mission.
Fundraisers and Community Support
Despite the challenges, hope doesn’t die easily. Recently, a fundraiser in Amsterdam, dubbed “Break the Silence for Sudan,” drew attention to the plight of Radio Dabanga. Jean-Pierre Fisher, a co-founder of Marimba Amsterdam, emphasized the importance of raising awareness for Sudan’s tragedy. The event featured discussions with Radio Dabanga reporters and local activists, and attendees included Sudanese asylum seekers worried about their families back home.
Maaza and Amany Altareeh, sisters who fled to the Netherlands, voiced their concerns about the lack of communication with their family in Sudan. “There is no internet, there are no satellites,” Maaza lamented. They rely on Radio Dabanga for real news, unlike unverified social media posts. “It is important for the radio as the last stand, since there are no televisions now, there are no newspapers,” Maaza added.
Hope and Determination
So far, the fundraiser has raised a few thousand dollars, but with a budget shortfall of around $1.5 million, time is running out. Elsadig knows that if Radio Dabanga goes dark, lives could be at risk. “We will continue fighting on this, and we will keep hoping,” he asserted. It’s not just about a radio station; it’s about survival. For Sudan, and for the countless souls relying on its broadcasts, the stakes couldn’t be higher.
In a world where information is power, Radio Dabanga stands at the front lines. For more information on how to support the station, visit Radio Dabanga or learn more about the media situation in Sudan through Sudan media.
