Members of Canadian Sudanese community feel abandoned after violence escalates in Sudan

Tyler Cheese · CBC News

· Posted: Nov 07, 2025 5:00 AM EST | Last Updated: 12 hours ago

Despite Sudan's paramilitary agreeing to a connection from the United States and Arab powers for a humanitarian ceasefire connected Thursday, members of Toronto’s Sudanese assemblage accidental they consciousness abandoned by the Canadian authorities amid escalating unit successful Sudan.

On Oct. 26, rebel forces took power of the Sudanese metropolis of El Fasher aft an 18-month siege, followed by reports of extortion, rape and wide killings of civilians.

In the aftermath, Mamoun Hassan, a Sudanese Canadian filmmaker surviving successful the Greater Toronto Area, told CBC Toronto his assemblage feels Canada hasn’t done capable to code the humanitarian crisis. 

“We consciousness really, truly betrayed,” helium said.

“We consciousness similar we've been told a prevarication astir this country: that Canada cares for america arsenic a people. And it’s conscionable go truthful evident that that's not the case.”

Mamoun Hassan, a Sudanese Canadian filmmaker surviving successful the Greater Toronto Area, says Canada hasn’t done capable to code the escalating unit successful Sudan. (Submitted by Mamoun Hassan)

The civilian warfare successful Sudan — described by the United Nations arsenic the world’s biggest humanitarian situation — began successful April 2023. It’s chiefly a struggle betwixt the Sudanese Armed Forces (SAF) and the paramilitary Rapid Support Forces (RSF). Since the RFS took power of El Fasher, determination person been reports of wide killings successful the city, and tens of thousands of Sudanese civilians person fled the region. 

In Toronto, Sudanese Canadians similar Iman Abbaro accidental they’re grieving.

“Unfortunately, the grief is not new,” she said. “It's been a batch of grief, but it's layered."

Abbaro besides feels the Canadian effect hasn’t been sufficient. 

“The Canadian authorities should adhere to Canada's marque arsenic being pro-refugees, pro-immigration and marque it easier for Sudanese radical that are seeking asylum to travel to Canada,” she said. 

Intake affected by migration level adjustment

The Canadian authorities says it has initiated immigration, passport and citizenship measures — specifically, allowing Sudanese nationals already present to widen their enactment and a household reunification program, allowing immoderate Sudanese nationals to summation imperishable residence done household sponsorship.

But that’s not enough, Hassan said. He feels Canada’s effect to different exile groups — from Afghanistan, from Syria and from Latin America — was much expedient and easier to access. 

“[The authorities says,] ‘Well, it is present affected by the migration level adjustment,’ helium said, referencing Immigration, Refugees and Citizenship Canada’s (IRCC) 2025–2027 migration levels plan, which aims to trim the fig of impermanent residents Canada admits. 

WATCH | Fleeing a war-torn Sudan:

“This shouldn't adjacent beryllium a portion of immigration,” Hassan said. “Everybody other was treated successful a humanitarian way. We besides merit to beryllium treated successful a humanitarian way.” 

The York University Sudanese Student Association besides shared a connection with CBC Toronto calling for co-ordinated humanitarian aid. 

“We proceed to advocator for peace, accountability, and meaningful enactment from the planetary community, including the Canadian government, to enactment those suffering and displaced,” the pupil radical wrote.

In a connection to CBC Toronto, Jeffrey MacDonald, communications advisor for IRCC wrote: “Canada remains profoundly acrophobic by the ongoing struggle successful Sudan. We empathize with those successful this highly hard situation. When responding to planetary crises, Canada tailors each effect to conscionable the unsocial needs of those who necessitate our support.”

The connection outlines that successful February the authorities accrued the fig of household sponsorship applications to beryllium processed from 3,250 to implicit 5,000.

Not presently accepting caller applications

“[But] we are not presently accepting applications nether the family-based imperishable residence pathway for radical affected by the struggle successful Sudan. We are assessing the applications already received to corroborate if determination are capable to capable the disposable spaces,” helium said.

On Sunday, Ismail Kabar attended a peaceful protestation astatine Nathan Phillips Square to rise consciousness and telephone for a stronger planetary humanitarian response.

He emigrated to Toronto from Darfur 10 years agone and is disquieted astir his relative successful El Fasher who helium hasn’t heard from since the RFS took the city.

“He got caught successful the siege for the past 18 months,” Kabar said. “He had the anticipation that astatine immoderate point, the siege was going to beryllium lifted truthful that they tin really person a functional regular life.” 

Many of the protestation attendees person adjacent household members caught successful the unit backmost home, helium said. 

Kabar is calling connected Canadians to lend to humanitarian assistance nevertheless they can. 

“I inquire Canadians, if they could help, anything,” helium said. “There's immoderate trusted Canadian NGOs that are here. They person offices successful Darfur. They run there. Anything, that would beryllium very, precise helpful, truthful that these radical tin really spell backmost to their lives.”