How great it would be if the IDPs were given land rights to their new residences, and the IDPs and world-class volunteer Sudanese architects, village planners, environmentalists, historians and psychologists were consulted on the design of new camps in Sudan.
Imagine them pooling their skills and knowledge to create beautifully simple arty traditional African villages with access to solar power, microfinancing, education, training, employment and sports facilities. It need not involve a lot of money. People pulling together with decent leadership can work wonders. Think of the children of Sudan and those born in Kalma camp. For all we know, SLM and JEM rebel group leaders, who care only about their own skins, might continue on the warpath (a lucrative way of life for them) for the next 20 years.
See interesting Rhino City photo below, plus a news roundup, and a report saying UNAMID and the local South Darfur government have agreed to work together to construct a security trench which will span Nyala town’s perimeter. Note that the trench, measuring 2 meters deep and 2 meters wide, will span approximately 40 kilometers long and is expected to be completed within 4 to 5 weeks.
I say, imagine if they filled the trench with water, it could be a moat for security, a swimming pool for children and a watering hole for thirsty trees, birds and animals. An oasis. Dream on.
This photo reminds me of a 1960's aerial shot of Las Vegas, Nevada, USA, before it became a city. Surely the Sudanese can find a way to turn their deserts and hot sunny weather to their advantage. Everyone loves Sudan.
Photo: "This is Kalma Camp. Believe it or not these kids are lucky, Kalma Camp is near the airport, close to Nyala, the closest thing I've seen to a modern city in Darfur and it has lots of access to aid organizations". (Photo and caption from bbs.keyhole.com by bit Cartographer/Google Earth)
- - -
South Darfur Plans to Build Construct Two IDPs Camps
Report from Sudan Vision Daily
Sunday, 22 August 2010
Darfur/UNAMID Daily Media Brief - Monday, 16 August 2010
Report from United Nations – African Union Mission in Darfur (UNAMID)
El Fasher (Darfur), W. Sudan - via APO 16 August 2010:
Southern Sudan's Rhino City
Photo source: New Sudan Vision
- - -
UPDATE Tuesday, 24 August 2010
Two more photos and captions, with thanks to Alan Boswell's blog post published 17 August 2010. Alan Boswell is an American freelance journalist currently based in Juba, South Sudan.
The “Rhino City” location in relation to Juba’s current layout:
Wau, South Sudan’s second-largest city, is set to turn into this awkwardly elongated beast:
- - -
South Sudan Builds Juba’s Rhino City In PR Wars
Report from Anorak.co.uk
Friday, 20 August 2010
Imagine them pooling their skills and knowledge to create beautifully simple arty traditional African villages with access to solar power, microfinancing, education, training, employment and sports facilities. It need not involve a lot of money. People pulling together with decent leadership can work wonders. Think of the children of Sudan and those born in Kalma camp. For all we know, SLM and JEM rebel group leaders, who care only about their own skins, might continue on the warpath (a lucrative way of life for them) for the next 20 years.
See interesting Rhino City photo below, plus a news roundup, and a report saying UNAMID and the local South Darfur government have agreed to work together to construct a security trench which will span Nyala town’s perimeter. Note that the trench, measuring 2 meters deep and 2 meters wide, will span approximately 40 kilometers long and is expected to be completed within 4 to 5 weeks.
I say, imagine if they filled the trench with water, it could be a moat for security, a swimming pool for children and a watering hole for thirsty trees, birds and animals. An oasis. Dream on.
This photo reminds me of a 1960's aerial shot of Las Vegas, Nevada, USA, before it became a city. Surely the Sudanese can find a way to turn their deserts and hot sunny weather to their advantage. Everyone loves Sudan.
Photo: "This is Kalma Camp. Believe it or not these kids are lucky, Kalma Camp is near the airport, close to Nyala, the closest thing I've seen to a modern city in Darfur and it has lots of access to aid organizations". (Photo and caption from bbs.keyhole.com by bit Cartographer/Google Earth)
- - -
South Darfur Plans to Build Construct Two IDPs Camps
Report from Sudan Vision Daily
Sunday, 22 August 2010
(Nyala - smc) - SOUTH Darfur government directed the Engineering Department in the State to start the preliminary survey in Bilail area and the southern areas of Nyala selected to be the alternative IDPs camp instead of Kalma camp.- - -
South Darfur Deputy Governor, Dr. Abdul Karim told (smc) that Kalma IDPs camp will be transferred to the new site in agreement with UNAMID, UN, NGOs and the IDPS themselves.
He said that Kalma IDPs camp became one of the security threats, expressing their intension to construct two big camps with 25 – 30 thousands IDPS capacity provided with all basic services adding the area of each residence will be 150 – 200 square meters.
He pointed out that the machineries of the work were directed to the new sites to start implementation, adding that all the NGOs working in the humanitarian activities in the State visited the new sites and expressed satisfaction with.
He said that the government shouldered all the construction expenses, affirming the IDPs movement to the new sites will not start unless the construction work is completed.
It is to be noted that Kalma IDPs camp witnessed in the recent days violations from armed groups which brought arms to the camp a matter that agitated chaos inside the camp.
Darfur/UNAMID Daily Media Brief - Monday, 16 August 2010
Report from United Nations – African Union Mission in Darfur (UNAMID)
El Fasher (Darfur), W. Sudan - via APO 16 August 2010:
Security situation update- - -
THE situation in Kalma Internally Displaced Persons (IDP) camp in South Darfur remains tense. Intensified patrols by UNAMID forces have led to a significant decrease in cases of gunfire overnight. UNAMID Deputy Joint Special Representative Mohamed Yonis, Force Commander Patrick Nyamvumba and Acting Police Commissioner Adeyemi Ogunjemilusi today travelled to Nyala to confer with state authorities concerning recent developments.
The majority of Kalma’s sectors have reported improvements in security, with IDPs returning to their homes and resuming normal activities.
UNAMID, Government dig security trench around Nyala
Responding to the increase in incidence of kidnappings and carjackings in Nyala, South Darfur, targeting the international community in particular, UNAMID and the local government have agreed to work together to construct a security trench which will span the town’s perimeter.
UNAMID’s Chinese Engineering Company began work on Sunday on the Mission’s half of the trench. The measure is designed to reduce the high incidence of criminality by regulating travel to and from the town. While limiting entry and exit through small roads, the town will remain fully accessible through major roads and highways.
The trench, measuring 2 meters deep and 2 meters wide, will span approximately 40 kilometers long and is expected to be completed within 4 to 5 weeks. Local authorities will provide 24 hour protection for UNAMID equipment and personnel until the project’s completion.
UNAMID patrols
UNAMID military forces conducted 87 patrols including routine, short-range, long-range, night and humanitarian escort patrols covering 69 villages and IDP camps.
UNAMID police advisors conducted 164 patrols in villages and IDP camps.
Southern Sudan's Rhino City
Photo source: New Sudan Vision
- - -
UPDATE Tuesday, 24 August 2010
Two more photos and captions, with thanks to Alan Boswell's blog post published 17 August 2010. Alan Boswell is an American freelance journalist currently based in Juba, South Sudan.
The “Rhino City” location in relation to Juba’s current layout:
Wau, South Sudan’s second-largest city, is set to turn into this awkwardly elongated beast:
- - -
South Sudan Builds Juba’s Rhino City In PR Wars
Report from Anorak.co.uk
Friday, 20 August 2010
IN southern Sudan, the blueprints are unveiled for regional cities shaped as animals and fruits.- - -
At a cost of $10bn (£6.4bn) Juba will be designed in the shape of a rhinoceros. Wau will become a giraffe. Yambio will be shaped like a pineapple.
Juba is the capital of the region – plans are to make if the capital of the new state of South Sudan. Guess where the office of the regional president will be situated. At the back? Somewhere down between the legs? No, it’s where the rhinoceros’s eye should be.
Over in Wau, the sewage treatment plant is appropriately placed under the giraffe’s tail.
All good stuff. But cities have a habit to sprawl and the rhino might well develop a tumour or just spread until it resembles Lagos, which from space resembles a dog squatting on a huge toilet…
The plans were unveiled by the Undersecretary for Housing and Physical Planning, Daniel Wani. The plan is earmarked to cost over £10bn. Southern Sudan’s total annual budget this year is less than $2 billion.
He says:“Juba, as an example, is a slum city. So our plan is to create a nuclear city outside Juba,” he said. “We have been given land 15 kilometers west of Juba by the state, and we met the community, they are excited to give us this land. We call it Rhino City. And equally also we have been given land in the other nine capitals.”The thing soon starts to look like a PR stunt to draw interest to a region bereft of funds and ravaged by a civil war that ended in 2005…
News from The New York Times' Blogrunner
- - -
Headlines Around the Web
What's This?
SUDAN WATCH
AUGUST 16, 2010
Sudan: New strategy - South Darfur
State sets a plan for illegal arms
collection - IDPs in Kalma camp not
allowed to practice military activities
SPERO NEWS - RELIGIOUS NEWS
AUGUST 14, 2010
Darfur: probe underway into
abduction of two UN-African Union
peacekeepers
- - -SUDAN WATCH
AUGUST 16, 2010
Sudan: New strategy - South Darfur
State sets a plan for illegal arms
collection - IDPs in Kalma camp not
allowed to practice military activities
SPERO NEWS - RELIGIOUS NEWS
AUGUST 14, 2010
Darfur: probe underway into
abduction of two UN-African Union
peacekeepers
News from SRS - Sudan Radio Service:
