I was thinking of writing a long post very similar to what I’m posting below but I’m not going to anymore. The first reason is due to lack of time and the second is because Jinkess has already written a super excellent piece at Shamarat that addresses everything I wanted to talk about.
We first have to agree that one Sudanese life wasted in a senseless war is one life too many but at the same time we have to understand the nature of this war, the reasons behind it, the true figures and how to get Sudanese citizens involved to put an end to this tragedy.
Many of the youth in Khartoum that I have talked to during my last trip to Sudan would tell me that they are being targeted by the western media in order to prepare for an Iraqi like invasion of Sudan. Even though many of them are against the policies of the Bashir government and openly voiced their opposition to it they still have a strong belief that West has plans to re-colonize Sudan by dividing it in order to control its resources.
This is exactly what many Sudanese tell me.
Upon further discussion they would back their arguments by stating how the war is painted as ‘Black’ Africans vs. ‘Arab’ Muslims whereas all of those involved in the conflict are ‘Black’, ‘African’, ‘Muslim’ and that use of the description ‘Arab’ is only used to create a divide by the accusers because even the Janjaweed themselves do not subscribe to a certain tribe but are a mixture of criminals from different tribes.
This is why I get so pissed off sometimes with that whole “Darfur is a gencide waged by Arabs against Africans” crap. The media needs to stop oversimplifying things. It’s counter productive in various ways.
Another very important issue to the youth I talked to is the figures of those killed in conflict, every news media reports a different figure that to them (Sudanese youth) is not based on actual information. The numbers range from tens of thousands to over four hundred thousand, this automatically raises a red flag of foul play and to them this is evidence that the west is exaggerating the facts of the conflict. Many would point out that in Khartoum and all of the major cities everyone is living peacefully together and that almost every part of the country is suffering from neglect not just western Sudan.
Old time and regular readers of this blog will remember that when the guys at Mideast Youth came up with the banner for our Darfur-Awareness site, the banner displayed 400,000 DEAD instead of the current 200,000. I was the one that told them 400,000 is way too high and that it should be changed to 200,000 as it would be more accurate. Moreover that way more Sudanese will be receptive towards the site. Anyways…
I remember a young very well educated young Sudanese telling me that during his studies in the US he would find himself actually defending the government of Sudan without realizing it because he found himself to be under constant attack in the media, college and even by his classmates for being a Sudanese of Arab descent. To them the ‘Arabs’ of Sudan were committing genocide, raping and burning villages of the ‘Black’ Africans of Sudan, for him this was a lie because the Sudanese he knows could never commit such acts and now his very own ethnicity was the one to blame. He told me that the west was encouraging the rebels not to reach a peace deal by placing all the blame on the Khartoum government thus prolonging the suffering of Sudanese. To him the whole exaggerated media frenzy is to mask the atrocities committed by the Bush administration in Iraq and Afghanistan, and provides a cover for the Israelis to continue their aggression towards the Palestinians while the world media is busy painting Arabs as wild savages with no humanity who feast on Africans.
Many others I talked to in Sudan said they simply don’t have enough information in order to formulate an opinion and most claim that with the daily hustle in providing a living they don’t even have the time to research the issue to discover the facts. To them they know many Sudanese from different parts of Sudan who are living in very harsh conditions but they didn’t pick up arms and even if they did the West would have no interest in them because they wouldn’t be able to place labels and make use of it to further their (West) cause.
Nevertheless the suffering of Sudanese from all over Sudan continues and instead of Sudanese sticking together to bring upon peace and prosperity to their county they find themselves aiding in the destruction of the very social fabric and morality that makes us what we are. I guess this is the reason behind starting this topic to get us talking about not just how we feel towards the conflict in Darfur but also about the extensive damage Sudan has endured at the hands of its sons and daughters.
Go Jinkess! RESPECT man!
SudaneseThinker
SudaneseThinker
{ 7 comments… read them below or add one }
To him the whole exaggerated media frenzy is to mask the atrocities committed by the Bush administration in Iraq and Afghanistan, and provides a cover for the Israelis to continue their aggression towards the Palestinians while the world media is busy painting Arabs as wild savages with no humanity who feast on Africans.
Amazing. How is it that Muslims always find a way to blame the Jews for everything? I’m pretty sure it ain’t Jews pulling the triggers down in Sudan. Perhaps “Mr. Enlightened” here should go witness some of the murders and see who exactly are manning the guns.
Drima, I think too some extent you are on point. Darfur is strictly an african/sudanese problem caused by an ineffective central government. I do believe the Beja in eastern sudan(near Port of Sudan) did pick guns also to get the attention of the central however they have signed a peace agreement.
I think it is unfortunate that every region or part feels the need to pick guns to get attention of government. It has become the only strategy to get governmental development assistance.
The Darfur is one those strategies that gone very bad. But it is not an Arab vs African issue. All the participates are African.
Ron L. I can’t speak for other people but I do not think majority of Sudanese or anyone geuinely familiar with Sudanese politics or people believe this problem is caused by Jewish or American governments. Also, Drima has some pictures in his previous posting of the “oversimplification of Darfur” which shows the face of the participates.
But I think the way it is presented in media has “arab vs african” type of war or genocide is bit of stretch… how that type of labeling came about in the western media outlets I do not know but I am sure no one in Sudan sees it like that well I hope they don’t. If the west geuinely wants to help in Sudan, I believe it is important to understand the problem and it cause.
Drima you website is becoming very educational, keep the real information coming and throw away the unreal labels…
As always…the truth in these situations is complex…also…why something orginally starts and how it might later morf into many other things also often gets forgotten.
I am certain the folk of Darfur are not angels…I also think the Sudanese government is rather evil…yes the Arab-Black thing probably gets played…but the few Darfurians I have spoken to feel it is very very real…so it ain’t just the evil western press…Also the writer does leave out the word genocide…and it does have that appearance….and genocide is has to be founded on a principle that some other group deserves to be wiped out.
Darfur is a genocide…or likely would be moreso if the world did not start doing some shouting…
So let’s agree that it is not based on race or even class or even tribalism…why would the government engage in such horrific strategies?
“Also the writer does leave out the word genocide…”
I noticed that too and I’m sure you notice that I myself don’t use the word genocide in my posts. Why? Because it will be way too simply to call everything about Darfur a genocide and I believe the word overshadows many of the other important aspects such as the root causes.
Genocide or not, it doesn’t matter much, we can debate about that for a long time, what matters is that the situation is extremely horrific and it needs to be appeased and solved asap.
Jonah, as usual, thanks for your thoughts and even if we disagree, keep them coming!
Drima-
I think the word genocide gets tossed around to easily myself…but, once again…when non-combatants of a specific group of people, are systematically killed and terrorized over a long period of time and in signficant numbers…this is getting close to the definition.
As much as I dislike Bashir…I think his government has the right to put down a rebellion within the country…but he as gone just a bit over the top here…a good bit.
So…yes I have already agreed with some of the oversimplifications and also…yes the terminology does not matter too much…but the situation is horrific and much of the action there is clearly criminal.
This is quiet a touchy subject. I guess Drima had handled it nicely so far, walking the tied rope.
The world media thrives on catchy phrases that garneer the most reaction. One person starts it and the world catches it, spinning it around. The war in South Sudan used to be labeled in the media as “between Muslim north and the Christian and animist south”. Catchy, eh? Darfur not far from it.
On the main issue, I believe many Sudanese find themselves unknowingly supporting Khartoum when put in a corner by over-amplification of facts etc. When Sudanese are called murderous bastard and genocidal,, every one feels the pinch, not only Bashir. That is quite controversial, I know.
I don’t know what the answers are, but the situation is no simple one. Sudanese are doing much harm to themselves than the whole media combined. I know I must expand further, but what the hell
Hi,
I have a question. Reading your blog I get the impression that most Sudanese see themselves as black African instead of Arabs. If this is the case why is Sudan part of the Arab league. Wars are fought all the time but in this case if the minority of people in Sudan are Arabs and the Majority is Black African why wouldn’t the central government reflect this? I’m intrigue with this Sudan identity thing.
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