S. Sudan's first trade fair shows up investor problems

Investors who braved a flooded camp to attend south Sudan's first trade fair found a boom in demand after years of war, but from such a low starting point that some asked if the region was yet ripe for business.

Full report Reuters/ST Aug 13, 2006.



Photo: University of Juba building where south Sudan's first trade fair was held this year. (USIP)

Libyan leader Gaddafi pledges to fund health projects in Sudan

Libyan leader Muammar Gadhafi pledged to fund health projects in the Sudanese region affected by the war. He made this promise during the visit of the Sudanese minister of health, Dr Tabitha Butrus, to Libya last week. - Full story ST Aug 12, 2006.

Secretary-General voices concern about worsening situation in Sudan - What happened to proposed joint GOS/SPLA force of 10,000 troops to back up AU?

Aug 11 2006 UN News Centre report - excerpt:

Mr Annan noted there had been some progress in the implementation of the Darfur Peace Agreement (DPA) since its signing in May, though some deadlines for implementing its key aspects had been missed and several rebel groups were not yet parties to the agreement.

"Both DPA signatories have violated the ceasefire arrangements, while non-signatories have violated pre-existing ceasefire obligations," he said.

Against this backdrop, the prospects for international assistance operations were bleak, he said, noting that the African Union has indicated that it may not have enough money to keep its 7,000-strong Darfur operation going until its mandate expires at the end of September.

The possibility of having the UN take the place of the African Mission in Sudan (AMIS) also remained in doubt, he said, since the Sudanese government continued to oppose a UN mission in Darfur.

"While the Government maintains its firm opposition to this plan, the situation on the ground is deteriorating," he said.

So what's Plan B? Mr Annan doesn't say. One can only guess he is counting on pressure to mount that will either cause Khartoum to agree UN troops in Darfur or donors to contribute enough funding for AMIS to continue. Or ... something that has not been mentioned for a while (that even John Garang had suggested for Darfur) ... a joint AU/GOS/SPLM force of 30,000 troops - 10,000 each. See June 22 2006 Khartoum's discussing sending joint GOS/SPLA force of 10,000 troops to back up AU and help disarm Arab militias.

Pronk: 1 year ago Garang died. Will his legacy survive?

Excerpt from UN SRSG Jan Pronk's blog entry Aug 10, 2006:

"Do not bring the people to the towns, but bring the towns to the people", was his [Garang's] favorite theme. He advocated economic and social development of existing small towns, well connected by rural roads, sustaining a broad domestic market characterized by a steady increase of purchasing power, evenly spread throughout the country.

So far, reality is different. The CPA has been signed, but its implementation is going slow. Reconstruction is hardly taking place, economic development has yet to take off and poverty is blatant and widely spread. Three days ago, traveling from Torit to Juba we spoke to a group of several hundreds of villagers. They complained:

"There is a no school, no water, no food and no hospital".

It was heart breaking. On the market in Torit itself, a small town which has been occupied several times by different armies, we saw only few products and a meager assortment of foodstuffs. The town of Nassir, which I visited a month earlier, is nothing more than a large village slump. In nearly every town scars of the war are visible. Nowhere demolished buildings or infrastructure are reconstructed. Rural development and food security are impeded by a lack of water points, lots of mines, too much cattle and multiple violence.

See Aug 12 2006 - US security firm DynCorp to turn south Sudan rebels into soldiers - DynCorp has almost $40 million in US State Department contracts to build barracks, provide telecoms and training to former rebel SPLA; donors say southern Sudan's government has funnelled the biggest chunk of its 2006/07 budget - some 40 percent - into defence.

US firm DynCorp to turn south Sudan rebels into soldiers

Sudan Tribune report today says US security firm DynCorp is to turn south Sudan rebels into soldiers - and it has almost $40 million in US State Department contracts to build barracks, provide telecommunications and training to the former rebel SPLA. Also note the report points out:

"The US government has decided that a stable military force will create a stable country," [DynCorp spokesperson] Rigney said.

He denied the contracts included any arms deal with southern Sudan's government, which donors say has funnelled the biggest chunk of its 2006/07 budget - some 40 percent - into defence.

Crikey. 40% of donor funds and/or oil revenues on defence? Someone's making a mint. Obviously, water pumps are not considered a priority.

It's no wonder most folk in south Sudan see no great improvement in basic services concerning food, water and education. It's been two years since peace was agreed with pledges of $4.5 billion from international donors for development. Thanks to a Sudan Watch reader Imnakoya of Grandiose Parlor blog for this comment:

"Well, a beggar has no choice! That the US would push $40 million of its aid money back to one of its conglomerates speaks volume to the meaning and politics behind many of the aid programs coming from the west."

Sudan SPLM denies contract with US firm to reshape SPLA

UPDATE: Aug 13, 2006 Sudan Tribune article [via POTP]: The Sudan People's Liberation Movement has denied that it would reshape its army (SPLA) into a professional army, with the help of a US firm, an official said.

South Sudan, Egypt agree to cooperate on water resources

The Ministry of Irrigation of South Sudan Government Wednesday signed a Memorandum of understanding with the Egyptian Ministry of Irrigation and Water Resources for rehabilitation of stations to measure rain-fall in south Sudan. - Full story Sudan Tribune Aug 9, 2006. Excerpt:

Responding to a question of journalist, Engineer said that the establishment of Hamdab Dam in Sudan was aimed for generation of electricity, but not to affect Egypt's share in the Nile water.

Reporting Darfur: Does new media make a difference?

Found while browsing some blogs today. Filing copy here (minus hyperlinks) for future reference:

July 27 2006 Africa Media blog entry Reporting Darfur: Does new media make a difference?

I'm getting ready to attend the annual conference for journalism profs (Association for Education in Journalism and Mass Communication) next week and I noticed three research papers examine media coverage of the Darfur genocide. (I've listed them below with title, author and abstract.)

A few years ago I analyzed coverage of the Rwanda genocide, and I wonder if the coverage of Sudan is any different. Pretty much most coverage of conflict in Africa can be predicted: Fighting is "tribal violence," economic and political contexts aren't considered. Coverage is sparse and generally driven by the US government's position (although it appeared in the 1990s that NGOs would begin playing a larger role in shaping the news.)

What's different this time around is there are lots of ordinary folks using the Internet and grass-roots organizing to provide a different message. Be a Witness urges people to contact the mainstream media and ask them to actually cover the genocide as opposed to run-away brides (check out their cool intro video plus the charts on amount of coverage). The Genocide Intervention Network also works to educate the public.

Blogs such as The Coalition for Darfur, The Darfur Blog (written by Toniyah Tonijah of Nigeria), Sudan Watch have sprung up around the issue. (My favorite is Sudan: The Passion of the Present, which has constantly updated information and a good list of links.)

MTVU sent three students over to report on the situation. Their site includes lots of info such as the student winners of a competition for Darfur activism and a video game created by a USC student called Darfur is Dying.

With all this alternative media information and education going on, has mainstream coverage changed? We constantly hear about how bloggers are influencing mainstream media agendas and coverage. Yet the research summarized below suggests it's the same old same old.

What does this say about mainstream media? About the impact of socially conscious bloggers (and other media creators)? Or are we not casting a broad enough net with our research?

Research papers on the crisis at AEJMC August 2006 San Francisco:

Darfur: International Neglect and News Media Silence in the Face of Genocide - Chinedu (Ocek) Eke, Elon University - This paper examines the conflict in Darfur described by many, including the President of the United States, as an ongoing genocide. To this end, I argue that the dearth of news media coverage, particularly of television news, on one of the most egregious human rights violations of our time has kept the public largely in the dark on the scope of the genocide while prolonging the plight of Darfurians.

Un-Covering Darfur Sudan 2003-2005: Which News Organization Offered the Most Comprehensive Coverage? - Bella Mody, University of Colorado - Media coverage of developing countries and U.S. domestic realities continues to be sensational, episodic and stereotypical, in spite of years of scholarship and political protest. The consequences of the lack of an internationally informed citizenry are politically troubling at this unipolar juncture in world political history with the U.S. as sole superpower on the one hand, and private investors looking for faster increases in rates of return from their investment in media firms on the other.

Reporting a Humanitarian Tragedy: A Framing Analysis of Chinese Newspaper Coverage of Darfur - Xun Liu and Seow Ting Lee, Michigan State University - This study examines the coverage of the Darfur crisis by the People's Daily and the China Daily over 26 months. Based on a content analysis and a textual analysis, the comparative framing analysis found similarities in the coverage, which is motivated by national interest. However, there are significant differences in the portrayal of major actors, and the assignment of blame and responsibility. The findings can be explained by the papers' ownership and China's media environment

Technorati Tags: AEJMC, Africa, Darfur, Sudan
July 27, 2006 in Horn of Africa | Permalink

Fighting the Global War on Radical Islam?

Filed here for future reference: a copy of one of the 18 comments posted to Younghusband's blog entry at ComingAnarchy.com 9 Aug 2006 re Reader Question: Fighting the Global War on Radical Islam?

Comment by Kirk H Sowell, Arab World Analysis:

Two comments, one general and one in response:

1) We should remember that while the phenomenon is Islamic terrorism, the enemy is neither Islam nor terrorism - it is radical Islam. I stress this point because sometimes the purely military terrorist groups like al-Qaeda are viewed as the greatest threats, but in the long run they don't have staying power - in fact they don't have a lot even now. But those radical Islamic organizations with political and social wings like Hamas and Hizballah are the greatest long-term threats. They can survive when others cannot. This is not the place to prescribe a remedy, and I explain below why I think this one would not work, but I think this distinction is important to bear in mind. Hizb al-Tahrir has no military wing, but seeks to establish the Caliphate and then declare war on the West. That is a greater threat than al-Qaeda.

2) This plan would not work because it would be be portrayed as a "war against Islam" and the modifier "radical" would drop out. I don't follow all areas of the Muslim world so closely, but in the Arab media this is how just about everything comes through. If the Taliban kills 1,000 Shia Muslims in a weekend killing spree, as they did to the Hararas when they were in power, it isn't worth noting. But if an American missile goes astray and kills 10 Afghans, the America is waging war on Islam. If Israel kills a Palestinian Islamic Jihad operative who directed a suicide bombing that killed 25 Israeli civilians in a market, he is a martyr, and Israel is waging war on Islam. Syria can assassinate as many Lebanese opposition figures as it wants, and this barely causes a ripple in Arab societies outside Lebanon itself. If Israel kills the same number accidentally fighting Hizballah, Israel is waging a war on Islam. When Britons of Pakistani origin try and blow up buses or airplanes, then Al-Jazeera talks about how bad it is for Muslims in Britain. I'm serious. This is exactly what they did after 9/11 and 7/7.

You get the point - there isn't the slightest chance that any message like this would get through without the greatest amount of distortion. Some Muslims would certainly agree with it, but none of them will have supported radical Islam anyway.

Eric Reeves says DPA is serving as cover for escalating internecine fighting, especially in northern Darfur

Eric Reeves' opinion piece appears in today's "Comments is Free" section of the Guardian's website (via POTP).

Here below is an excerpt that shows how Reeves continues to pull down the AU troops in Darfur and portray the Darfur conflict as Arabs vs Africans/Arabs seeking to kill and eliminate Africans/Arabs committing genocide.

Note too how he highlights the Germans, making no mention of any other European government other than that of Britain. France, Norway and The Netherlands, to name a few, have been most vigorous in their efforts to help the people of Darfur, not just the Germans and British.

The only reason I can think of why Eric Reeves would denigrate the AU and feel the need to highlight the German involvement in Darfur is that he aims to manipulate and influence his readers. It seems to me he is onside with the Sudanese rebels (but not SLA-Minnawi) and wants what the rebels want, namely (for a start) UN troops in Darfur. Here is the excerpt from the piece entitled "Darfur's downward spiral: Violence continues to escalate in Sudan. Can we avert a catastrophe?"

" ... But the hopelessly ineffective AU is unable to enter the vast majority of camps for fear of attack, and has mounted many fewer patrols in recent months. The AU mission is currently slated to end at the end of September, but the UN has still not authorized a successor force.

Although UN secretary general Kofi Annan recently presented plans for an ambitious UN peace support operation in Darfur, the Khartoum government has for months adamantly refused to accept any UN force. This refusal has been consistent, and was recently reiterated by senior members of the National Islamic Front (which has renamed itself, innocuously, the National Congress Party).

The NIF - which stands accused of genocide by not only the US government but by senior officials of the German and British governments, as well as the parliament of the European Union - has no interest in seeing the Darfur crisis resolved. Indeed, current "genocide by attrition" completes the ambitions more violently in evidence in 2003-2004, when the regime's regular military forces coordinated with the notorious Arab Janjaweed militia to destroy over 80% of all non-Arab villages (primarily those of the Fur, the Massalit, and the Zaghawa).

Even so, the international community continues to reassure Khartoum that the UN will enter Darfur only with the regime's consent.

Perversely, the one rebel faction to sign onto the DPA with Khartoum was that of Minni Minawai - a Zaghawa whose forces have been consistently implicated in wide-ranging atrocities, especially against other African ethnic groups. Minawi recently became "Assistant to the President," fourth-ranking position in the merely notional "Government of National Unity" in Khartoum, a fig-leaf for continued NIF control of Sudanese national wealth and power.

Recent reports from the ground make clear that Minawi's rebel faction is actively coordinating with Khartoum's regular military forces in attacks on civilians and other rebel forces that have not signed the DPA. In effect, the DPA is serving as cover for escalating internecine fighting, especially in northern Darfur.

Absent robust and urgent international humanitarian intervention, there is every reason to believe that we have entered the most destructive phase of genocidal destruction in Darfur. More than half a million people have already died; as many more could die in the coming months.

The world's choice is to look at Darfur through the lens of Iraq - or Rwanda. The expedient consensus is clearly to do the former; but Darfur's realities are shamefully closer to those of the latter.

Related stories

Aug 12 2006 AP via Turkish News - MtvU's Darfur campaign earns TV academy honor: MTV's college network, mtvU, will receive the television academy's 2006 Governors Award for its campaign to inform students about the crisis in Sudan's Darfur region and engage them in solutions. [MTV's campaign seems news to me. I don't recall seeing much about it]

Snapshot of some "news" reports circulating in today's Google newsreel

Darfur Escalation NOW!
Columbus Free Press, OH - Aug 10, 2006
As security continues to dissolve and the humanitarian crisis deepens in Darfur, Africa Action invites you to participate in our escalation campaign to stop ...

Editorial: Plea for Darfur
Waco Tribune Herald, TX - Aug 10, 2006
In Sudan, Janjaweed militias sponsored by the government have killed 400,000 people in that country's northern region of Darfur. ...

Activists ask Bush to do more to end Darfur crisis
ABC News - Aug 9, 2006
WASHINGTON (Reuters) - The Bush administration voiced concern on Wednesday over increasing violence in Sudan's Darfur region and sought to counter criticism at ...

Amnesty urges UN to deploy peacekeepers in Darfur
Sudan Tribune, Sudan - 15 hours ago
Dear Ambassador, Amnesty International welcomes the report of the UN Secretary-General on Darfur as an important step towards ensuring the protection of the ...

For more links to activists' "news" reports circulating in mainstream media, see GIF's News from Darfur Aug 11 2006 [hat tip CFD]

Government of Sudan under international law does have to try and protect women

The Minority Rights Group International is sending an open letter to human rights leaders calling for better protection for women in Darfur. Gender officer Katrina Naomi says, "Rape is being used as a tool of war and militias are being allowed to act with impunity."

Full story Aug 11 2006 SudanTribune article - Open letter calls for protection of Darfur women - excerpt:

"... After all, the government of Sudan under international law does have to try and protect women within the state, regardless of who's actually carrying out these attacks"..."

[Under international law? That's interesting. I wonder if Sudanese children are protected by international law]

US says UN peacekeepers must be in Darfur by Oct 1

Quotes from AP report 10 Aug 2006 via ST:

[State Department spokesman Sean] McCormack said the US said, however, the [AU] peacekeepers have tried hard, but "the situation has evolved and become much more complex and difficult."

"Consequently, a United Nations peacekeeping force must deploy without delay. Only a large, robust, mobile, and fast-reacting UN force is capable of stopping the violence and protecting innocent lives".

"The African Union has consistently called for transition ... to a U.N. operation without delay. Such a transition should take place by October 1."

"The United States is firmly committed to peace in Sudan," McCormack said. He said the peace agreement "provides the best opportunity for lasting security, peace, reconciliation and reconstruction in Darfur. It accommodates the reasonable political, economic and security goals of the people of Darfur."

Sudan dishonest about international Darfur force - UN

Reuters 9 Aug 2006 Opheera McDoom via ReliefWeb:

Sudanese government officials are telling 'fairy tales' to convince people a UN peacekeeping mission in Darfur would amount to a Western invasion, the top UN envoy in Sudan said on Wednesday.

Jan Pronk also said it would be wise for the leader of the only one of three rebel factions to sign a Darfur peace deal in May, Minni Arcua Minnawi, to keep some political posts open for rebels who may in the future sign up to the unpopular accord.

"I call on members of the government to be honest and not to tell fairy tales to their people that the United Nations wants to invade," Pronk told reporters in Khartoum on Wednesday.

Three months after an African Union-brokered peace deal, aid agencies say they face more danger than at any other time during 3-1/2 years of conflict.

Some 14,000 aid workers care for 3.6 million Darfuris affected by the war and eight humanitarian workers were killed in July alone.

Despite this the northern party which dominates central government is refusing calls for a U.N. force from war victims, the international community, and the struggling African Union peace monitoring mission currently deployed.

Critics of the northern National Congress Party say it fears U.N. troops may be used to arrest officials likely to be indicted by the International Criminal Court (ICC) investigating alleged war crimes in the western region.

Tens of thousands have been killed after more than three years of rape, murder and looting in Darfur, violence Washington calls genocide.

CONTINUING ABUSES

The U.N. Human Rights Commissioner Louise Arbour's office said in a report on Wednesday rapes of civilians had also increased since the deal.

"There has also been an increase in rape and attempted rape cases," the report said, along with attacks on villages by armed militias, on at least one occasion backed by government troops, which resulted "in the torture and killing of civilians".

Much of the renewed fighting is between Minnawi and other rebel factions in North Darfur. They accuse him of enforcing the peace using violence and torture, some cases of which have been documented by the African Union.

Minnawi, who denies the charges, was sworn in as special assistant to the president on Monday, a position which will give him much authority over Darfur.

He and officials from his wing of the Sudan Liberation Movement (SLM) have said only they can nominate and fill all posts dictated by the deal, including positions in central government, parliament and on a state level.

Pronk called on Minnawi to be inclusive and reserve some positions for other rebels might come on board.

"I made a plea: Don't close the door for others ... and make clear to the others that they are still welcome and that you are reserving seats," he said. "It should be an inclusive process. When it becomes exclusive it's wrong."

But he said the final decision was for Minnawi and the NCP.(Additional reporting by Robert Evans in Geneva)

Pronk discusses Darfur with AU, Sudan officials

UN SRSG Jan Pronk met with Presidential adviser Majzoub Alkhalifa and Ambassador Baba Gana Kingibe, the Special Representative of the AU Commission Chairperson in Sudan, a UN spokesman told reporters in New York.

Pronk also attended a swearing-in ceremony yesterday for a leader of the Sudan Liberation Movement (SLM), Minni Minawi, who was appointed a Special Assistant to the President and ex-officio head of the Transitional Darfur Regional Authority, the spokesman added.

Full report Sudan Tribune (Source: UN) 8 Aug 2006.

Annan report to UN Security Council re Darfur and proposed UN mandate

Coalition for Darfur blog entry points to July 28, 2006 report of the Secretary-General on Darfur to the UN Security Council. Report excerpt:

1. The present report is submitted pursuant to Security Council resolution 1679 (2006), in which the Council called upon the African Union (AU) and the United Nations to agree upon requirements necessary to strengthen the capacity of the African Union Mission in the Sudan (AMIS) to enforce the security arrangements of the Darfur Peace Agreement, and requested me, after the return of the joint African Union and United Nations assessment mission, to submit to the Council recommendations on all relevant aspects of the mandate of the United Nations operation in Darfur.

2. In addition to the recommendations in Security Council resolution 1679 (2006), the present report will describe the main elements of the Darfur Peace Agreement and identify the implementation priorities in that regard; identify some of the major risks and challenges involved in deploying a peacekeeping operation in Darfur; elaborate on support the United Nations could offer to AMIS to enhance the ability of the AU mission to protect civilians and implement the Agreement; propose a mandate and mission structure for a United Nations operation in Darfur; and provide details on the various components of the proposed mission and their specific functions.

Sudan to reform Gum Arabic trade

The symposium on Gum Arabic has recommended the setting up of a council meant for mapping out policies that would streamline production and trade of Gum Arabic - see full report Sudan to reform Gum Arabic trade - Sudan Tribune Aug 7, 2006.



Photo: Gum Arabic. The Gum Arabic Company, Ltd., holder of the monopoly position for the export of crude Gum Arabic from the Sudan. The Sudanese gum is produced in Kordofan region 49.3%, Kassala region 24.4%, Darfur region 23.4 % and White and Blue Nile region 2.9%.

Sudan internet cable repaired after three-day fault

Sudan's internet connexion with the world is re-established Tuesday night after a three-day disruption due to a technical problem on submarine internet cable feeding the country from Saudi Arabia. The fault in the only cable link to Sudatel has severely hit business and press services, Sudan Tribune reported.

Presidents of Chad and Sudan had a warm hug Tuesday

Chad's president Idriss Deby had a warm hug Tuesday for the Sudanese president, welcoming him as a guest at his inauguration for a third term.

Deby said Chad and Sudan can resolve their differences using "African wisdom."

See full report Sudan can resolve differences - Deby ST 8 Aug 2006.

Sudan appoints former rebel leader Minni Minnawi as President's Senior Assistant

Sudan's President Bashir has issued a Republican Decree appointing the leader of a former Darfur rebel faction Minni Minnawi as the Senior Assistant of the President of the Republic and Chairman of the Regional Interim Authority of Darfur.

Minnawi was expected to arrive Aug 5 in Khartoum, but refused to go there before being named as senior presidential assistant. More at Sudan Tribune.

MINNAWI HAS BEGUN HIS ROLE AS SPECIAL ASSISTANT TO PRESIDENT

Aug 7 2006 BBC report - Darfur rebel takes government job: Minnawi takes responsibility for government policy in Darfur.

Aug 7 2006 AP report via ST - Darfur rebel leader sworn in as Sudan presidential aide

Aug 7 2006 IRIN report - Former Darfur rebel leader named presidential assistant : A key bone of contention is Minnawi's support for a United Nations military role in Darfur, despite al-Bashir's repeated refusal to accept a possible transition from the AU peacekeepers to a more robust UN operation.

Aug 8 2006 AFP report via IOL - Rebel leader sworn in as president's aide: "My arrival in Khartoum for the first time and my oath-taking ceremony today (Tuesday) are the first step in the implementation of the Darfur peace agreement," rebel leader Minni Minnawi told reporters.



Photo: Former Darfur rebel leader Minni Arcua Minnawi (L) is sworn-in as special assistant to Sudan's President Omar Hassan al-Bashir (2nd R) in the capital Khartoum, August 7, 2006, which some hope will mark the real start of implementation of a May peace deal. Picture taken August 7, 2006. Reuters/Mohamed Nureldin Abdallah (Sudan)



Photo: Former Darfur rebel leader Minni Arcua Minnawi leaves the Republican Palace in Sudan's capital Khartoum, August 7, 2006, after he was sworn in as special assistant to Sudan's President Omar el-Bashir. Picture taken August 7, 2006. Reuters/Mohamed Nureldin Abdallah (Sudan)



Photo: Former Darfur rebel leader Minni Arcua Minnawi addresses a news conference in Sudan's capital Khartoum, August 7, 2006, after he was sworn in. Picture taken August 7, 2006. Reuters/Mohamed Nureldin Abdallah (Sudan)

Speaking of Darfur's tribal war in terms of Arabs vs Africans is not accurate - Reinforced AU troops are the best option

Please don't miss the following piece. I'm interrupting a blogging break to leave it at the top of this page. I agree with everything it says (except I'm not on any side, only that of defenceless women, children, elderly and infirm). It's a copy of commentary by Drima, author of The Sudanese Thinker, published in the comments at his blog entry A Reply To Michael Herzog Aug 4, 2006:

When talking about this conflict and describing it in the context of a genocide, we need to cover a few things first. I have generally done that already in my reply to Michael.

On the micro level we could consider this as a genocide waged by some tribes against other tribes. Most if not all tribes in Darfur are a mix of Arab and African. Some have a skin darker than others. Speaking in terms of Arabs VS Africans is not accurate. However speaking about it in terms of tribes would be much more accurate.

The Khartoum government is not interested in wiping out a certain ethnic population. They're only interested in smashing the rebellion and staying in power. This is not motivated by racial factors. It's about power and wealth. Even with the African south it was mainly about power, wealth, religion, and then race.

For years Darfur was impoverished as corrupted politicians of Khartoum kept big money to themselves while investing the rest mainly in Khartoum and ignoring the rest of Sudan. In Khartoum there are many Darfurians living side by side with northerners. Hell, even here on my university campus there are many Darfurians (Fur, Zaghawa tribes etc). We're all good friends and get along fine. Moreover if you ask any of them, they'll tell the notion that an Arabs VS Africans genocide is not true. They'll all agree it's about power and wealth.

There are certainly Darfurians who do claim it as a genocide and they're smart for doing that. The Darfurians doing this are the rebels and those supporting the rebels. I believe that's how the media picked it up as a genocide in the first place. Keep in mind that many non-Darfurians (including oppostion parties like Al-Umma) do this too as they relate to the rebels' cause. They even support UN troops coming in.

(Remember that on a political level I support anything against the current criminal regime. However don't forget to look at Darfur from a humanitarian perspective. UN troops coming in won't make things more humanitarian in Darfur. UN troops coming in will mean war and more death for innocent civilian Darfurians. Is that the price supporters of UN troops are willing to pay?).

When I was in Portland, Maine my aunt told me that many Darfurians there pushed the idea it's a genocide too. The reason simply being that they know the word "genocide" will attract huge attention and strengthen their cause. It certainly did. Shlemazl, that's where well meaning Jewish organizations come in. They can relate to the painfull word "genocide". Some women my aunt knows in Maine also told her they lied on their asylum forms saying they got raped and tortured just to get refugee status.

The main goal of the rebels when they started was seperation or proper representation in Khartoum and fair wealth sharing. Oil, minerals and uranium being discovered in Darfur was a huge catalyst. However the bigger and more important catalyst was when peace was signed with SPLM and they got what they wanted for years ie. fair power and wealth sharing.

With regards to the conspiracies behind the international community's intentions, I posted something previously about it entitled The Agenda Behind Darfur.

http://sudanesethinker.blogspot.com/2006/07/agenda-behind-darfur.html

In it I explain why I now too believe an agenda does exist to some extent. I also think those behind it might have manipulated the term "genocide" for their own benefits. Bacon Eating Jew, this is where you have a point about Sudanese people generally being only keyed up about Israel. Read the post and you'll know what I mean.

This brief description doesn't do the real situation justice but I hope it gives you a better and clearer understanding. Keep in mind that in the past Darfur existed as a prosperous sultanate ruled by the great Sultan Dinar. It was only made a part of Sudan quite recently during the 20th century. As such demands for seperation are quite natural. With seperation however Khartoum will say bye bye to the Darfurian oil.

Finnpundit, I've thought about what you said previously regarding China's role. I didn't pay much attention to it previously but now I am. I'll be posting something about China in the coming days. I think in terms of securing oil reserves for years to come, Sudan seems to be stuck in a tug of war between China and the US. The energy consumption of both nations is increasing and as such they'll need to secure sufficient supplies for years to come.

Reinforced AU troops are the best option. Opposition and cultural sensitivities towards "white" UN troops make them undesireable. Take into account what Al-Qaeda said too about Darfur. Plus, UN troops did squat in Congo and Rwanda.

Don't you find it funny how the whole world including the UN jumps on the current madness in the M.E. when the number of people who died in Darfur in the last 3 years are probably more than all those who died in Palestine's conflict with Israel in the past 50 years?

By the way, I'm trying to come up with something to bring more attention to the Darfur cause. I also want to counter the idea of supporting UN troops. I want to let people know there's a better alternative which is pushing the UN & NATO to reinforce the AU troops instead. Any ideas?

I have one. I'm thinking of writing a brief email about this and sending it out throughout the blogosphere. The email would ask the receiver to forward it around. The impact of this will depend on the number of people I send it to. I've started going through blogs and collecting email addresses with the hope of making a huge and super long list. My realistic aim is to get 500-1000 emails. Any help with more productive ideas would be very appreciated.

The challenge for me is to fix the distorted perception people have of the conflict and convincing them reinforced AU troops are a better option. One big challenge I tell ya. Sigh! Again any help is welcome.

Related reports

Aug 4 2006 Pronk says Sudan's response to UN takeover of AMIS could not be misunderstood: "We are against such a transition. This is our final answer"- Bashir

Aug 4 2006 Jan Pronk Weblog: Is there a Plan B? Most victims are Africans, pursued and killed by Arab militia and Arab Janjaweed

Aug 4 2006 Arab militia and Arab janjaweed: How to tell the difference between the two?

Intermission

Short break to catch up on emailing, reading and compiling list of Darfur rebels. Back soon. Sudan news updates at ST, POTP and CFD.



Comfortable coupe for woman...

Photo: Woman from a Hamar tribe sitting in special construction over camel...

Bedouins from a Hamar tribe using as travel coupe for their woman and they called "houdadj".

En Nahud, South Kordufan province, Western Sudan.

Caption and photo by Sudanese photographer Vit Hassan.

This photo has a note. Click here and move your mouse over photo to see it.

Click here for a closer view.