The Union for Nubian Studies, echoing the clear and consistent demand of the Sudanese people’s revolution to end military rule in Sudan, has taken note of the recent announcement by the International Society of Nubian Studies (ISNS) concerning the establishment of the Sudan Cultural Emergency and Recovery Fund (SCERF) in collaboration with the National Corporation for Antiquities and Museums (NCAM) of Sudan in order to “protect and restore Sudan’s cultural heritage in light of the ongoing crisis.”

We fully reject the terminology of “crisis,” which obfuscates the fact that we are dealing here with an ongoing counter-revolutionary war between the Sudanese Armed Forces (SAF) and the Rapid Support Forces (RSF). The looting and devastation of Sudanese cultural heritage and cultural institutions during this war are the direct result of SAF and RSF together refusing to hand over power, as they had initially promised, to a civilian-led government. 

While the SAF may be considered a “lesser evil,” it is still one of the two main causes of the current devastation and the same force that arrested, murdered, and held hostage Nubians protesting the Kajbar dam projects and was responsible for the Khartoum Massacre on June 3, 2019. In collaborating with NCAM, the ISNS not only legitimizes but ultimately exonerates the counter-revolutionary military government of Sudan from its explicit role in endangering Sudanese people, land, and heritage. Offering support and partnership to one of the main perpetrators of a war resulting in the world's largest humanitarian crisis blatantly disregards the explicit and documented demands of the people of Sudan since 2019: No more military rule.

While we decry the wholesale destruction and looting of Sudanese cultural institutions as a result of this war, we strongly oppose any attempt by international institutions to support an illegitimate military government in its attempt to “culture-wash” its way out of war crimes and establish a semblance of legitimacy by reopening – for this is no doubt the end goal of the “assistance” offered by the ISNS – foreign excavation missions. Rather than safeguarding "Sudan’s heritage," this initiative cynically safeguards ISNS members' jobs, titles, and returns on investment at the expense of Sudanese people and land. 

On September 3, 2022, ISNS President Artur Obłuski publicly proclaimed: “We have to acknowledge that our field is rooted in a past of colonialism and racism, and this requires our insistent attention, but this does not determine our future. We can and should act upon that past.” Unfortunately, the ISNS has chosen to act without any sense of critical self-reflection, again choosing to support military rule over the will of the people. Moreover, the role of Sudan archaeologists and Sudanese people more generally is silenced, entrenching cultural heritage practices in the country even stronger into the colonial past that ISNS claims to wish to avoid.

Equally, the timing of this initiative, following the recapture of Khartoum by the SAF, betrays the deep ignorance of the ISNS as regards one of the historical root causes of both the Sudanese revolution and counter-revolutionary war, namely the enforced centralization of Sudanese political and economic activity in Khartoum. 

Until a democratic civilian government is installed in Sudan, we, the undersigned, call upon all scholars of Sudan and Nubia to boycott the following activities:

• any cultural or academic support for the illegitimate military government of Sudan or RSF;
• participation in any event hosting or featuring representatives of the illegitimate military government of Sudan or RSF;
• participation in excavations in Sudan;
• research on or publication of any new materials coming from these excavations;
• participation in events and publications of the ISNS as long as ISNS continues to provide support to the illegitimate military government of Sudan.

Instead, we call on all those genuinely concerned and interested in safeguarding Sudanese heritage to direct their attention and efforts to work with independent, Sudanese-centered and -led organizations that continue to engage in the protection, preservation, and promotion of both tangible and intangible Sudanese culture and heritage. Here we uplift the work of the Sudan Solidarity Collective working on all fronts possible on the ground and diaspora. We also note the efforts of Sudan Youth Network’s goal to “promote cultural heritage, social justice and civic engagement among Sudanese Youth.” 

The Sudanese people are the keepers of Sudanese Culture and Heritage. Partnering with any entity that planted seeds for their current devastation, while failing to protect them, is a betrayal to Sudan, its history, present and ultimately future. To protect the culture, protect the people.