Why We Must Urge Disney to Drop Its Park Plans in the United Arab Emirates (UAE)

The Walt Disney Company is known around the world as a symbol of joy, imagination, and family. But behind the magic lies a serious question of ethics, one that demands public attention: Should Disney be building a theme park in a country that is funding genocide?

The United Arab Emirates (UAE), a nation currently being courted by Disney for potential park development, has been credibly accused of supporting the Rapid Support Forces (RSF)—a violent paramilitary group responsible for ongoing atrocities in Sudan, particularly in the Darfur region. According to reports from the United Nations, human rights groups, and investigative journalists, the UAE has provided weapons, funding, and logistical support to the RSF, fueling a campaign of mass killings, ethnic cleansing, rape, and displacement.

The Reality in Sudan

Sudan is facing one of the worst humanitarian crises in the world today. The RSF has carried out widespread massacres, targeted ethnic groups such as the Masalit people, and razed entire communities. Millions have been displaced. Entire towns have been emptied, and reports of sexual violence and mass graves continue to surface.

This is not a conflict happening in the shadows. The atrocities are well-documented, and international observers are increasingly pointing to acts of genocide.

And the UAE’s fingerprints are on the weapons and money sustaining this violence.

Why Disney’s Involvement Matters

Disney is more than a company. It is a cultural institution with global reach, beloved by families and children around the world. When Disney partners with a government, it offers not just economic investment but also legitimacy, visibility, and branding power.

By pursuing a theme park project in the UAE, Disney would be normalizing and empowering a regime that is materially supporting one of the most brutal campaigns of mass violence in recent history. It would be sending a clear message: human rights abuses, even genocide, are not a deal-breaker for doing business.

That cannot be allowed.

What’s at Stake

This is not just about one company or one theme park. It's about setting a precedent for how corporations operate in a world where authoritarian regimes commit mass atrocities while still courting Western investment and branding.

Companies like Disney must be held accountable to the values they publicly claim to uphold—values like inclusion, decency, and doing what’s right. When these values are put to the test, as they are now, silence and inaction are not neutral—they are complicit.

Why Public Pressure Works

Disney responds to public image and brand integrity. In the past, public outcry has led Disney to change course—from pulling out of controversial markets to altering problematic content. That same pressure must now be applied to stop Disney from expanding into a country helping to bankroll genocide.

We must call on Disney to:

• Cancel any plans to build a park or expand operations in the UAE;

• Publicly reject partnerships with states involved in crimes against humanity;

• Uphold its human rights responsibilities under international standards.

A Moment for Moral Leadership

This is a defining moment for Disney. Will it prioritize profits and geopolitics—or will it take a principled stand against genocide?

We urge everyone who believes in basic human dignity to speak up. Tell Disney: Do not build magic on the graves of genocide victims. Drop the UAE park plans now.