BlueforSudan

Shade of the blue used for the hashtag

The #BlueforSudan movement began in June 2019 as a social media campaign in response to this crackdown and to raise awareness of the situation in Sudan.[10][11] The colour blue was chosen because it was the favourite colour of Mohamed Mattar (Arabic: محمد مطر),[12][11] who was killed during a government crackdown on peaceful protesters.[11][13] He was one of the 112 people who were killed in a crackdown on protesters in Khartoum on 3 June 2019.[14][15]

Mohamed Mattar was a 26-year-old Sudanese activist who was studying engineering at the London Brunel International College (LBIC) and came back to Sudan to participate in the protest.[16][17] Mohamed Mattar's mother explained that Mattar's choice of blue as his favourite colour was not random but was due to his fondness for looking up at the sky ever since he was a small boy.[18] His death brought the Sudanese people and diaspora closer in solidarity with their country, as well as many others across the continent, and his legacy includes charities set up in his name and a street named after him in Khartoum.[19] “This is an effort to raise awareness as we, the Sudanese diaspora, are the only voice left,” explained Sudanese-American campaigner Remaz Mahgoub.[20] His memorial service at London Brunel International College (LBIC) was filled with tributes, poems, music, open letters, and prayer, highlighted how Mattar's death had brought people together in solidarity and sparked further protests across Sudan.[19]

The #BlueforSudan movement inspired people worldwide to produce art,[17] poetry, and music[21][22][23] to raise awareness and show their solidarity with the cause.[24] As more and more people shared this content on social media, the movement gained momentum, resulting in a vast array of creative expressions related to the revolution.[25][26]

The movement quickly gained momentum, with social media users changing their profile pictures to blue as a symbol of solidarity with the protesters in Sudan, and using the hashtag #BlueforSudan.[10][14][11] Celebrities and social media influencers have used their platforms to raise awareness about the violence in Sudan, providing information about the atrocities that have occurred and linking to relevant organizations and fundraising campaigns.[27][28] Rihanna,[29] Ariana Grande, John Boyega, Dua Lipa, Aweng Ade-Chuol,[30] and Naomi Campbell brought attention to the crisis.[31][32]

However, according to BBC and CNN reports, fake accounts exploited the #BlueForSudan movement by making fake claims about sending aid to Sudan in exchange for clicks. Some of these accounts were suspended.[16][33]

The Khartoum massacre resulted in widespread national and international condemnation due to the #BlueforSudan and calls for justice from the international community. The Sudanese government initially denied responsibility for the massacre but later admitted that the Transitional Military Council, headed by the Rapid Support Forces (RSF), was responsible. The government also announced that it had arrested several members of the security forces in connection with the killings. However, there were concerns about the fairness and transparency of the government's investigation into the incident.[5][34][35]

Protests continued across Sudan following the massacre, with demonstrators demanding justice and a power transfer to a civilian government. Negotiations between the Transitional Military Council and civilian representatives eventually led to the signing of a power-sharing agreement in August 2019, which established a joint civilian-military Sovereign Council and a civilian-led government.[36] The agreement also called for an independent investigation into the Khartoum massacre and other human rights violations committed during the protests.[5][37]

• NBC 6 South Florida (2019-07-11). #BlueForSudan: Explaining the Crisis in Sudan and Why Social Media is Turning Blue.
• BBC (2019-06-15). The man behind #BlueForSudan.