Blue for Sudan: Why is everyone making their profile pictures blue on Instagram?

13 June 2019, 15:54 | Updated: 19 June 2019, 09:17

By Sam Prance

The Sudan crisis has inspired the blue profile picture movement on Instagram, Facebook and Twitter...

People, including Demi Lovato, are making their profile pictures blue for Sudan on social media right now to raise awareness about the Sudan crisis.

MORE: Blue for Sudan is being exploited by Instagram users to gain more followers

Recently people on Instagram, Twitter and Facebook have been replacing their profile pictures with a simple blue image. The social media movement is in response to the ongoing atrocities currently taking place in Sudan.

Last week, over 100 peaceful protestors were killed and yet news coverage in the US and Europe has been almost non-existent. There is currently an internet lockdown in Sudan. People are using social media to draw attention to the horrific news.

What is happening in Sudan? The crisis explained.

Blue for Sudan: What is the blue profile picture on Instagram?
Blue for Sudan: What is the blue profile picture on Instagram? Picture: Instagram: @ddlovato

In April 2019, Omar al-Bashir was removed from his position as President of Sudan by armed forces after months of protests from citizens. Last December, Bashir imposed severe austerity measures in Sudan in which he limited access to bread, fuel and cash. Following the coup, the military promised to agree to a civilian rule but have instead taken control of the country, leading unarmed demonstrators to hold a two day strike in Khartoum.

In response, the Sudanese military raided the protestors. The Federal Ministry of Health and the World Health Organization, reports that their violence killed 52 people and injured 784. However, many follow-up articles claim that over 100 people have died. The military have also cut off access to the internet. It's imperative that we don't turn a blind eye to what is happening and act to help Sudanese people find safety.

The blue profile picture movement is working to ensure that the Sudan crisis isn't ignored. Taking to Instagram, Sudanese-American campaigner Remaz Mahgoub a wrote: "This is an effort to raise awareness as we the Sudanese diaspora are the only voice left. The internet has been completely turned off in Sudan, the government has shut it down in order to conceal its massacres and crimes against civilians."

Why is the Blue for Sudan profile picture blue?

View this post on Instagram

✨•PLEASE DONATE to sudan, using link in my bio. Just 5$ or even 1$ and place a blue heart emoji if you’ve donated below. 💙it’s a great start. •Please WRITE to your members of Congress , condemn the violence used. Text the word RESIST to 50409 and an automated bot allows you to write a letter to them. Express your need to see the Sudanese people attain a democratic and civilian led government. Ask for a meeting, we’ve been lobbying here in DC, and have had senators and congressmen/women issue statements. There are even hearing happening currently in congress discussing the Sudanese uprising. This is largely due to our efforts in the diaspora to engage them. We are doing something more than just updating our dp to mattar blue. • Please also PRAY for sudan. Never underestimate the power of prayer. • Please also repost any news you see pertaining to sudan, we are the only voice they have rn. ✨Screenshot this photo and change your profile picture on IG. This is an effort to raise awareness as we the sudanese diaspora are the only voice. The internet has been completely turned off in sudan. The government has shut it down in order to conceal its massacres and crimes against civilians. On the 29th day of Ramadan Janjawid militia burnt peaceful protestors alive in their Revoultion tents, threw live bodies into the Nile river, anchored with stone bricks to ensure they drowned, shot over 100 peaceful protestors dead, raped little girls, grown men and female medical doctors and so many more atrocities I can’t go on. Please change your profile photo and let the world know what’s happening. We cannot be silenced. United we stand, divided we fall. Our strength is in our unity. This specific shade of blue is in honor of the martyr Mohammed Mattar. @mattar77 Rest In Peace king. This shade of blue was his profile pic on IG and as a symbol to honor ALL martyrs we’ve changed our dp into blue. Rest In Peace courageous souls we’ve lost. But not in vain. The Revoultion continues . A civilian led democratic government will come to reality and the Sudanese people’s dreams will be actualized. #tasgotbas #iamsudanrevolution #sudancivildisobedience #sudanuprising and as a

A post shared by Remaz Mahgoub Khalaleyal (@reresolve_) on

Khalaleyal then added: "Please change your profile photo and let the world know what is happening. We cannot be silenced. United we stand, divided we fall. Our strength is in our unity. This specific shade of blue is in honor of the martyr Mohammed Mattar. @mattar77 Rest In Peace king. This shade of blue was his profile pic on IG and as a symbol to honor ALL martyrs we’ve changed our dp into blue".

So far, celebrities, such as Demi Lovato and Naomi Campbell, have joined the movement and others including Rihanna and Ariana Grande are using their social media platforms to help raise awareness about the events in Sudan and offer aid to the victims.

If you would like to help victims of the raid in Khartoum, you can donate and find out more about it here.