Zamzam: The Massacre the World Chose Not to See and What It Says About All of Us
I am the daughter of a Holocaust survivor. To me, ‘Never Again’ is a call to action: we must speak out against mass killings wherever they occur. Each time we stay silent in the face of atrocity, history repeats its darkest chapters. Refusing to stay silent is our only defense.
While world attention remained fixed on Gaza, a different kind of hell unfolded from April 11 to 13, 2025, in South Darfur, Sudan, almost unnoticed by most.
At the Zamzam refugee camp, home to nearly half a million displaced people, the Rapid Support Forces (RSF), a powerful paramilitary group in Sudan made up mostly of Sunni Muslim fighters, stormed in. By the time they were done, as many as 2,000 civilians were dead: men, women, and children. Some were burned alive. Others raped. Many shot. This topic has been so underreported that most people have never even heard of the RSF, let alone their long record of brutality.
The official death toll was reported as 400. According to eyewitnesses and independent commissions, the truth is closer to five times that number.
Though Zamzam is one of the world’s most fragile and forgotten places, this attack stood out not just for its scale and brutality, but for the disturbing absence of global attention.
Conferences and Complicity
As the massacre unfolded, an international conference on Sudan was underway in London. Even as leaders discussed ‘stability’ and ‘future cooperation,’ Zamzam burned. Former US Secretary of State Antony Blinken called the RSF’s actions genocide and acknowledged the UAE’s role as a major backer. But statements alone cannot prevent mass killings. Real action is required to break the pattern of global neglect.
Where was England, France, Australia, or Canada? These governments invoke “human rights” and “international law.” Yet, when thousands are massacred in Sudan, when women are raped, children are burned alive, and families are destroyed, the silence reveals a profound failure to uphold these principles.
Let’s be honest: those who are swift to condemn Israel often remain silent when Black Africans are massacred in Darfur and the perpetrators have protection from powerful states. The selectivity of outrage undermines our universal responsibility to prevent atrocity.
Why This Matters to the Jewish People
For Jews, Never Again is a universal call. When we witness mass killings, we don’t delay or weigh politics. We label, oppose, and refuse to ignore suffering, no matter who is targeted.
Ignoring atrocities anywhere signals permission to perpetrators and makes future massacres more likely. Breaking the silence is the only reliable deterrent.
My father’s whole family, who were murdered by the Nazis lived through a world that decided the Jews weren’t worth saving until it was almost too late. We, of all people, should recognize the cost of silence.
Silence is Not Neutral and Outrage Isn’t Enough
While we can’t change what happened at Zamzam, we can ensure it’s not forgotten and work to prevent similar tragedies. Our response must include specific actions:
- Demanding that governments hold the RSF and its backers accountable, including imposing sanctions on those who fund or arm them.
- Urge your government to require that any humanitarian aid to Sudan be linked directly to the enforcement of human rights protections and transparent monitoring.
- Identify and support credible organizations that offer direct assistance to Zamzam survivors. Donate, volunteer your time, or promote their work to raise awareness and encourage others to join you.
If Never Again is to have meaning, it must be lived out for everyone, not only when convenient, not only for us. Because words alone will not stop another Zamzam. Only action will.
