Deep Roots of Violence and Disregard for Human Dignity in History

As we all know, wars and battles have always been an essential part of human communities. Today, examples can easily be found in Ukraine, Palestine, and Sudan.

That is why it was particularly interesting to come across a French study analyzing skeletons from northeastern France dating to around 4300–4150 BCE—that is, the remains of people who lived more than 6,000 years ago.

Many of the skeletons showed unhealed injuries as well as skeletal segments of severed left upper limbs. They were therefore most likely the result of excessive violence, mutilation, and/or trophy-taking associated with ancient warfare.

In their work, the researchers reported a multi-isotope reconstruction, based on the bones, of the life histories of individuals defined as “victims” and of other deceased individuals from the same region who had received customary funerary treatment. In total, 82 humans were analyzed, together with 53 animals and 35 modern plants to establish regional isotope baselines.

The results revealed statistically significant isotopic differences between the victims and the nonvictims, which were interpreted as showing that the victims had belonged to invading groups or tribes that were defeated in battles against the local population. They were then brutally killed and deposited in pits—together with trophies in the form of severed upper limbs.

The study thus demonstrated that, more than 6,000 years ago, after a battle had been decided, the victors celebrated their triumph with acts of violence and disregard for human dignity. And this practice has not disappeared even today, as examples of Russian war crimes in Ukraine and the atrocities of fighting groups in Sudan sadly show—not to mention the events of October 7, 2023 in Israel.

Previous thoughts on the same topic:
Dark Brown Ancestors
Football-Associated Violence Is a Personality Problem
Russian army not comparable to western military services

Can Peace Emerge from Horrific War Crimes?

Sudan has been engulfed in civil war for nearly its entire period of independence, spanning almost sixty years. As a result, South Sudan gained independence in 2011, but peace did not follow.

The problem lies in the fact that two men, both backed by military power, aspire to lead Sudan. The first is President Abdel Fattah al-Burhan, a general and the commander of the armed forces.

The other contender for power is General Mohamed Hamdan Dagalo, whose death was once declared but later denied, and who leads the Rapid Support Forces (RSF), a group of about 100,000 men capable of posing a formidable challenge to the army.

Thus, in 2023, these two men and their forces plunged Sudan into yet another ongoing civil war. To make matters worse, several foreign powers, including the United Arab Emirates, Russia, and Iran, have become involved, yet the war remains unresolved.

As in all wars, civilians have suffered immeasurably. At its worst, they have been subjected to senseless violence.

For instance, Human Rights Watch has reported that RSF forces and their allied groups have committed horrific sexual crimes. Girls as young as seven have been abducted, held in slavery-like conditions, and raped daily.

Such atrocities demand justice. However, it seems unlikely that the perpetrators of African civil wars are ever held accountable for their crimes. Sadly, this will likely be the case in Sudan as well.

Even more disheartening is the fact that Sudanese society seems unable to live in peace, as there are always leaders eager to seize power through violence—and they inevitably find support for their ambitions. This, more than anything, effectively prevents the country from developing into a society capable of offering its citizens decent living conditions.

However, a glimmer of hope may lie in the fact that Western Europeans also waged wars for centuries, fighting under the banners of various kings, emperors, or power-seekers, destroying and pillaging as they went. Yet, since the Second World War, they have managed to maintain peace and improve living conditions for nearly 80 years.

Could the same be possible for Sudan?

Previous thoughts on the same topic:
Uncertain Horizons: Syria's Post-Assad Era
History of Finland XII: Bloody civil war
History of Finland III: The legal and economic weakening of the position of the people