Darfur Diaries: In pictures

A few pictures of various parts of Darfur to give you a glimpse of what I have discussed in previous posts about North, West and South Darfur.

Leia Mais…

Darfur Diaries: South Darfur

Nyala, the capital of South Darfur is a booming commercial town. Despite instability of the area, in many areas it is business as usual for local merchants. The streets are busy, markets are packed. Unlike its other Darfur counterparts, Nyala has a considerable amount of migrants from other regions of the country. Many from northern, eastern and southern states moved here for commercial purposes and settled down. Additionally, many of Darfur's tribes of "arab" are indigenous to this state. The mixture of peoples around this city is much more distinct and noticeable. The effects of this conflict have definitely hampered business but merchants are making due.

Displacement of peoples is also more pronounced in this region, mainly because South Darfur in general is much more populated than the other Darfur regions. Its population rivals Khartoum state from the results of the recent 2008 census, which many have raised objections about. IDP camps have become enclaves that have extended the boundaries of Nyala city.

The weather here is much more pleasant. The rainy season is in full force. Mother nature has been kind this year to this region, bringing about plenty of rain. Vital water needed to sustain the area. Sadly very little farming takes place relative to pre-conflict era. Many of the land remains uncultivated, many have left their lands behind and moved into camps or major cities. Instability has definitely taken its toll on the livelihood of these communities.

Life during these conflict years has definitely had its impacts. It has definitely toughened so to speak the people of this region. Their attitude generally is expect the unexpected. It is common place to have armed car-jakings, conflicts within camps and an increase in murders. Weapons are plentiful and can be attained with ease. Despite all these, residents of Nyala go on about their daily lives. Although for most, life as they know it has irrefutably changed, most know that you can't just cease to exist and one must carry on regardless.

The presence of such a large scale humanitarian operation, the largest in the world has dramatically changed the landscape of greater Darfur region. One cannot doubt that it has become a niche industry, benefiting many. Although many have their hearts in the right place, there are definitely some who profit from the instability and conflict in this region. And where there is profit, many vyy for an entrance. Some are taking advantage of a chaotic and unstable situation. That is clear by the number of armed robberies and carjakings that take place. It is relatively easy to do so and there is little oversight as a result the success rate is high. The black market is booming with stolen goods, ranging from cars, electronics, weapons, you name it.

Unlike El Fashir and El Genina, it seems movement is a lot less restricted and tea and coffee stalls are packed in the evenings. The markets are open fairly late and many can be seen walking around the streets. Despite all of this, it seems that it is a false sense of security, as the currents can change in an instance.

I am not familiar with region prior to the conflict, but from numerous stories heard, it seems that Nyala was a golden town, capitalizing on its location and mixture of peoples to establish itself as a regional commerical district. Prosperity was attainable and many moved to this region in the hopes of financial and commercial success.

Leia Mais…

Darfur Diaries: West Darfur

The capital of West Darfur sits in very close proximity to the Chadian border as a result, there seems to be an interesting mix of people and smuggled goods readily available around the city. El Genina resembles more of a village that has rapidly grown into a town. The presence of UNAMID, government forces and militias are clear, somehow coexisting in a very fragile caldron. What once used to be the most peaceful city in Darfur has become the most unpredictable. You get the feeling that so much more is taking place just below the surface, but one is to afraid to peel back an inquire.

The landscape is intensely green due to the abundant rains. The wadis are overflowing with water and pastoralists can be seen herding their livestock on the outskirts of the town. Similar to El Fashir, IDP camps are scattered around the outskirts of the town. The situation in West Darfur is much more complex. Seeing the natural beauty of this area is somewhat saddening to see the instability. So much natural potential all of which cannot be harnessed due to movement and uncertainty. Movement after sundown is limited as is electricity. Due to continuous shortages in reserves, the power station is unable to function. For the most part, generators seem to be the most reliable source of power. The city's power it turned on after sundown until about 1am after which everyone is under the mercy of darkness.

I felt much more tension in the air while in El Genina, I couldn't attribute it to one thing in particular. Occasionally at night you would hear gunshots in the distance, the sounds were amplified by the stillness of the night and lack of electrical appliances to dull the noise. The mosquitoes around these parts are a force to be reckoned with. These bad boys can eat you alive, so my mosquito net became a very wise investment. Luckily the rains produced pleasant winds and breezes that made my stay a bit more enjoyable.

After a long day at work, it was nice to take a stroll by the wadi and take in the greenery, a novel sight in Sudan especially when one is accustomed to desert surroundings.

Leia Mais…

Darfur Diaries: North Darfur

I spent the better part of August in various parts of Darfur on work related trip. I spent roughly about a week in each Darfur state beginning with El Fashir, ND then El Genina, WD and finally rounding off the trip in Nyala, SD.

Most family and friends were not comfortable with my trip to the region although commercial flights leave to and from Khartoum on a daily basis. Roads are less accessible due to armed robberies along the way and this time of the year the unpaved road are made impassable by heavy rains.

El Fashir, dry, desert climate is akin to that of Khartoum and Northern State. Sadly although it was the rainy season it was evident that rains have not graced the region. As a result the parched landscape echoed in the form of cracked soil and achingly dry trees. The perennial rivers known as wadis lay dry. Considerable measures have been taken over the past few month to increase security. As a result, nights are much calmer. In the past it was common place to hear gunshots being exchanged in the night. People were uneasy leaving their homes in the evenings. Slowly there seems to be calm over this region. El Fashir town is slowly regaining some stability, but right on its periphery a series of internally displaced persons (IDP) camps continue to grow. Some of these camps have become established towns, with houses built from bricks and layout of the neighbourhoods. Markets are thriving in these camps.

The presence of United Nations agencies and joint forces patrol the streets. These organizations cars at times outnumber regular vehicles on the road. In El Fashir alone there are roughly 15,000 United Nations Mission in Darfur (UNAMID) troops. Honestly I am conflicted about their presence in the area. At times I feel that they primarily drain the natural resources of the region and do very little to protect the residents of this region. This is the case in West and South Darfur as well but their troop sizes are considerably smaller in those states.

Leia Mais…