The Conflict in Darfur Rages On

/
genocide-in-darfur-photo-by-michael-kamber.jpg

Jessamy Nichols, Africa Correspondent
Last Modified: 23:56 p.m. DST, 26 August 2013

Invisible Children of the Darfur, Burned Child, Photo by Katie Martin

DARFUR, Sudan - When South Sudan gained its independence in 2011 after decades of struggle and strife, many citizens and international onlookers felt a sense of hope and relief that the dueling sides of Sudan would finally have their own national government and boundaries to consequently move towards peace and stability.

However, the trajectory since secession has been anything but smooth and easy, and citizens of both countries continue to experience violence and broken promises on a daily basis. This also applies to the situation in Darfur, which despite massive international campaigns for aid and awareness, still proves to be a volatile region of Sudan.

Displacement and murder are unfortunately no stranger to the region, and are being brought to light again as tensions flare between the Rizeigat and Ma'alia tribes. Since the start of August, hundreds have been killed from both sides of the clashes as each fight over land and power. The situation is increasingly complicated as the governments of Sudan and South Sudan are known to have been tied to feuding factions in Darfur, which exacerbates the conflict and helps it to continue.

The dangerous nature of the state of Darfur cannot be mended or even abated until the central government brings the perpetrators to justice and peace to the region. International aid workers and volunteers could help with this rebuilding, however their lack of support inhibits their ability to help. Just recently, unidentified gunmen raided an office of the American Refugee Council in Nyala. This clearly hinders the ability of outsiders to offer their assistance to the situation, and this cannot be improved until the central government steps in to provide security and safety for the region.

Follow Jessamy on Twitter
Twitter: @nahmias_report
Africa Correspondent: @JessamyNichols

Related articles

South Sudan Secedes | UN to Grant Membership

/
united_nations_security_council.jpg

UN Security Council Chamber in New York.NEW YORK - Yesterday, 5 July 2011, United Nations officials announced that South Sudan could become a member state after seceding.  South Sudan's secession was a prerequisite set forth by the U.N. Secretary General Ban Ki-Moon for it to be considered for membership.

On 9 July 2011 the Council will vote to confirm South Sudan as the 193rd member state and barring no veto, it could be confirmed as a member state on July 14. However, for over a decade this conflict-ravaged region has been subject to violent civil war and genocide in addition to the battle for control of its rich oil-producing regions. Because of this instability the future state shall remain under U.N. guardianship for the foreseeable future.

U.N. Secretary General Ban Ki-Moon said in a statement late on Tuesday he was disappointed there had not been an end to hostilities in South Kordofan, the north's main oil state which borders the south. Similar to the global outcry against the holocaust in Darfur, the continued hostilities have been condemned by Ban Ki Moon and others.  The U.N. Secretary General has demanded the cessation of conflict as it imposes a "grave humanitarian impact" on an already victimized and weary population.

As part of the U.N.'s preparation to assume guardianship over South Sudan, the international peace keeping organization is expected to deploy up to 7,000 U.N. peace keepers in the new state. This mission is tentatively called UNMIS, which will be the fourth separate blue-helmeted force in Sudan. The others were for Dafur, Abyei in response to the genocide and to monitor compliance with the 2005 north-south peace deal that ended decades of civil war.

Related articles

Communal Complicity in 'Honorable Murder'

/

Honor killings, domestic violence and rape does not only occur in Muslim countries, it is happening more and more in the United States, and we are each responsible for doing our part to stop this scourge. It happens in Western and Eastern cultures, and also in Christian and Islamic countries. This post does not seek to indict one faith or group of people over another, for the real culprits are the men of any nationality, culture, and faith who feel that women are chattel, and deserve to be treated with disrespect, physical and sexual violence, and even death. This behavior continues unabated because the perpetrators know that there will be no repercussions for their acts of violence.

"Awareness leads to interest, which leads to desire, that leads to action."

Read More