Policy Paper: Navigating Collective Trauma Amidst Sudan’s 2023 War: Unpacking Wounds and Healing in Wad Al-Noura, Al-Gezira State

This paper begins by exploring the vicious attacks in Al-Gezria state following the RSF incursion in late 2023. Arguing how the mass wave of violations that took place in Al-Gezira, and Wad Al-Noura in particular, have inflicted deep wounds on the communal level, leaving them with unprocessed grief and shattering their long-standing sense of safety. All of which poses a significant threat to long-term peace and stability, and can potentially fuel cycles of conflict. It introduces the concept of collective trauma, which refers to the psychological and emotional wounds shared by a group after experiencing mass violence or existential threats. This theory is then grounded through delving into the personal experiences of Wad Al-Noura. The findings reveal how factors like lack of anticipation, overwhelming scale of violations and the subsequent sense of isolation intensified the shock. Moreover, it also reveals the indispensable role of communal support and solidarity, which has become their sole coping mechanism, filling a significant void. The analysis also points to the psychological and psychosomatic effects of trauma, which are left with minimal to no interventions. The paper also examines the missed opportunities in previous peace agreements, and the challenges of imposing the traditional justice mechanism of criminal prosecutions in the Sudanese context. As well as the lack of any transitional justice interventions that addressed the social and cultural aspects of peace. Recognizing the complexity of collective trauma and its relative novelty in the Sudanese context, the proposed recommendations emphasize the critical importance of theorising and Sudanizing transitional justice and healing mechanisms in ways that respond to survivors’ needs and wishes. It also underscores the critical role CSOs can play in preparing communities for transitional justice, through facilitating discussions about the possible justice mechanisms applicable in Sudan, and prioritizing documentation efforts to amplify survivors’ voices and preserve their personal stories.