By Niema alhessen
Wars and armed conflicts are no longer limited to distant areas, now they develop rapidly in urban centers. Whole neighborhoods become military objectives as everyday life spaces are transformed into battlefields. In Jartum, the relentless bombing has reduced residential areas to debris, with the fault of the change between the opposite forces. Beyond this visible destruction, Sudanese civilians face an existential crisis when the fabric of their daily lives is triggered, forcing them to flee what was once home.
The war in Sudan has caused the largest internal displacement crisis in the world, forcing approximately 11.3 million people to flee their homes within the country. In addition, almost 4 million Sudanese have made the painful decision to seek refuge in neighboring countries such as Egypt and Chad. However, escaping the immediate dangers of war is just the beginning of a much more complex and arduous trip. In exile, the search for a feeling of home becomes a process in alone, alone, one that not only recess the lives of the displaced, but also leaves a lasting impression in the communities of which they become part.
Between the memory of the home and reality
Many Sudanese displaced are now in a relentless search for stability in neighboring countries. Some are confined to overcrowded camps where basic needs are not satisfied and personal autonomy is almost unrexistent, a situation that displaced the Sudanese describe as a “gradual death.” Even those who manage to move to the urban areas of feeling trapped, calling their new houses, “prisons”. These houses are not only much narrower than those once had in Sudan, but also lack the comfort and sense of security that they once enjoyed in their old residences. This physical displacement is exacerbated even more by the division of a deep and intrinsic connection with the home: a link based on identity, culture, history and belonging. When people are uprooted from their family environment, this powerful link is broken, leaving an emotional vacuum that is difficult to fill.
In the heart of the challenges faced by the Sudanese displaced in exile there are legal and bureaucratic barriers that severely restrict their movement and dictate their ways of life. A recent New York Times report highlights how Egypt’s adjustment laws quickly limit the options for newcomers who flow armed conflicts. These policies are often liver to extract the additional monetary support of international actors. With few residence or employment options, Sudanese in Egypt frequently face discrimination and exploitation, which further prevents their integration into new communities and limits their access to essential urban services. These legal frameworks of excluding newcomers from state protections, leaving their fundamental rights at risk.
Recreating house in exile
In Cairo, Sudanese arrivals face significant challenges in satisfying essential needs, such as opening bank accounts or ensuring decent employment. However, some early arrivals have joined to form initiatives led by the community, creating vital centers that help newcomers find housing, access to education and recreation a home appearance. Within these networks, people share their struggles, exchange advice and provide very necessary psychosocial support.
A recent case study of walking provides an integral understanding of the experience of Sudanese displaced people living in traffic capitals, partly in Cairo and Kampala. In this study, Sudanese arrivals describe their experience as an act of delicate balance: navigate in unknown cities with a constant sense of caution, feel as strangers and depend largely on social networks to survive. In the early stages of resettlement, family and close friends become lines of life, helping the newly displaced to explore housing options and ensure informal employment. Strong social networks are crucial to navigate and integrate into new environments that can often feel little cozy or even hostile.
For many displaced Sudanese, the insistent search for needs leaves little space to promote the sentimental aspects of the home. With food, shelter and precedence to take survival security, there is little space to concentrate on reinforcing the aesthetics and atmosphere of its old houses. However, recreating home in exile goes far beyond simply replicating family spaces; It is about transforming the thesis unknown spaces into places full of a sense of security, freedom and control.
Thoughts to return home
The idea of returning home remains a constant presence in the minds of many Sudanese while navigating the uncertainties of exile. For some, the lunciation of returning, before they were, fed by a deep nostalgia and the fear of being labeled as “refugee.” The attraction of cultural identity and family ties, combined with the discomfort of being seen as a foreigner, or drives voluntary return. For others, the harsh realities of displacement, who fight to find work, observe their savings to reduce and face daily hard changes have made the idea of becoming even more convincing. The reports of victories recently from the Sudanese armed forces in various parts of the country add to temptation, which caused the hope that the home will soon be safe again.
Despite the uncertainties, the Sudanese who fled the April 2023 war continue to sail for the delicate balance between the desire for home and adapt life in exile. While recreating the physical and cultural essence of the home is a challenge, many have found new forms of belonging through social networks and initiatives led by the community. However, for others, the decision to return is not necessarily through a calculated evaluation of safety or stability, but for deep emotional needs: the desire for familiarity, belonging and legitimacy, essential elements that exile, are discouraged, ITSPITET ITSPITPORT ITSPOT ITSPORTEPOTIESTES.
This piece It is part of a series that addresses the conflict, as well as other subjects related to Suran, such as employment, forced displacement, gender, humanitarian needs, migration and political participation.
[To read more on this and everything Middle East, the LSE Middle East Centre Library is now open for browsing and borrowing for LSE students and staff. For more information, please visit the MEC Library page.]
