NOrmal? NOrmality? NO

"It appears that the situation is returning to normal, and so we are going back to the camps," said Annette Rehrl, spokesperson for UNHCR.

Read this quote in the article below and tell me if you would ever use the word "normal" to describe a situation where over 200 people were killed or wounded just 48 hours ago in a major military battle. Another Nubian Knight perspective that war is bad, but living in a war zone is "normal." Someone described this situation as frogs in a pot. It is a strange fact that if you try to throw a frog into boiling water it will jump out immediately. Actually that is not the strange part. But if you throw a frog into a pot of cold water and gradually turn up the heat, the frog will stay and eventually cook to death. It is said that we who choose to work in a war zone are frogs in a pot. When we arrive things are bad but tolerable and as the heat is increased we stay put gradually adjusting to the increase in temperature. Fortunately, few of us of ever been cooked or our case killed or injured would the more appropriate term. But it does take a toll on the psyche and I think that is one area that few of us explore.

What state of mind do we emerge from a war zone?

Ask the men and women who come home from Iraq without a physical scar but lots of conditioning that comes from adjusting to this environment. Some suffer from depression because the mind produces lots of endorphins (a chemical that trigger pleasure in the body in reaction to stress) when you are in the field and then stops suddenly when you return to a less threatening environment. The body becomes hooked and depression sets in as you ride the rough road back to sobriety.

In World War II and in Vietnam, we called it shell shock but it had nothing to do with being in the vicinity of an exploding shell. It was the rough adjustment in returning to a place that had become foreign, after being forced to adapt for extended periods of time to a war environment.

On that note, everything here in Fasher is normal.

There is a very high-level visitor from Khartoum and there are troops everywhere keeping the streets orderly and safe for the second highest member of the national political party after President Bashir. El Fasher has never had a visit from such a high-level politician since the war began. This visit is a some significance I am sure. But I am not qualified to say what that significance may be.

It is hot, hot, hot outside. We have no hot or cold water here, though we have the standard two faucet sinks with the words COLD and HOT written on each. So it is interesting that tap runs so hot that it is actually scalding at midday. That IS room temperature. So, I wonder how my vitamins and medicines are doing. Might be time to refrigerate the lot, if it isn't already too late.

Anyway, as my mind starts to wander, I thought it best to hand this last entry over to the web and give you the article I promised at the start.

Aid Resumes As Conflict Abates

UN Integrated Regional Information Networks

NEWS
19 June 2008
Posted to the web 19 June 2008
Ndjamena

The UN refugee agency, UNHCR resumed its humanitarian operations in all 12 refugee camps along Chad's eastern border with Sudan on 17 June as conflict abated in the east.

"It appears that the situation is returning to normal, and so we are going back to the camps," said Annette Rehrl, spokesperson for UNHCR.

Calm was restored as the Chadian government claimed victory on 17 June following fighting with rebels in Am Zoer, a town 89km northeast of Abeche, which left 161 rebels and three government soldiers dead according to Chadian military spokesperson Mahamat Hassan Abakar, speaking on the radio on 17 June. These figures have not been confirmed by rebel leaders.

Abakar said the army had seized 61 vehicles, as well as weapons and ammunition, during the fighting. According to a journalist in Am Zoer, dead bodies and burned vehicles can still be seen on the town's streets.

"It is the end of the Sudanese adventure," said governor of Ouaddai region, Bichara Issa Djadallah, echoing Chadian government accusations - denied by Sudan - that its eastern neighbour is behind the attacks. According to government sources, rebels are now scattered across the area and some have returned to Sudan.

Rebel columns entered eastern Chad on 13 June, and attempted to take the towns of Goz Beida, Am-Dam, and Biltine. Rebels commanders told journalists that their objective was the capital N'djamena, which rebels also attacked in February.

Major General Touka Ramadan Korei, commander of operations for the Chadian army, announced on the radio, "the intention of the mercenaries was to attack Abeche, but they fell into our trap."

In Abeche people are now going about their daily business. "The market is teeming with people as usual," said one resident.

"Chad is very volatile and it's very difficult to predict what may happen next here," UNHCR's Rehrl said.

Desert conflict heating up

Chad accuses Sudan of cross border attack as rebels advance

NDJAMENA (AFP) — Chad on Tuesday accused soldiers from neighbouring Sudan of attacking one of its frontier garrisons, as rebels opposed to Chadian President Idriss Deby Itno claimed further advances on the capital Njdamena.

"After despatching columns of mercenaries to Chad and failing to secure strategic areas, the Sudanese army took matters in its own hands today and attacked Ade, backed up by helicopters," a Chadian government statement said.

"By openly engaging their troops and air force, Khartoum has finally thrown off its mask," it said, warning that Chad's "response will be sterner than Sudan is expecting."

There was no independent confirmation of the border attack.

Relations between Chad and Sudan have been difficult for more than five years with the two countries regularly accusing each other of supporting rebel factions fighting against their respective regimes.

Diplomatic relations broke off in mid-May after an attack near the Sudan capital Khartoum by a Darfur rebel group, the Justice and Equality Movement. Ndjamena denied any involvement.

Chadian rebels claimed Tuesday they had wrested control of another eastern town and captured a senior military officer after fresh fighting.

"We have taken Am Zoer after violent clashes. We took prisoner a chief of the garrison," spokesman for the National Alliance rebel grouping, Ali Gueddei, told AFP by telephone.

Meanwhile, EU foreign policy chief Javier Solana Tuesday defended the role of the European Union force in Chad, or EUFOR, and rejected accusations by President Deby that it was partisan and favoured the rebels.

"The force's mission hasn't changed," Solana said in Paris.

"There is no other function than the function chosen for the force. Everyone is strictly acting within the mandate," he said.

EUFOR is stationed in eastern Chad to protect displaced people and refugees fleeing from war-ravaged Darfur in neighbouring Sudan.

Deby on Monday accused had EUFOR of cooperating with rebels.

"We welcomed EUFOR with joy ... but it took us by surprise to see, in the first hostile situation, this force cooperating with the invaders," the president said in a televised address.

"We have the right to question the effectiveness of this force and how useful its presence is in Chad," he said.

The mainly French EUFOR force, expected to reach 3,700 soldiers, was sent to Chad in mid-March for one year to help facilitate humanitarian work and protect refugees.

Fighting near Goz Beida -- where some 80,000 displaced Chadians and 36,000 Sudanese refugees are camped -- on Saturday saw the Irish EUFOR soldiers exchange fire with unidentified gunmen. There were no apparent casualties.

The rebels said on Monday they wanted to reassure the non governmental organisations. Gueddei said their safety would be guaranteed by the rebels.

Heavy clashes were reported Monday near the town of Biltine, some 750 kilometres (470 miles) east of Ndjamena. The attack on Am Zoer marked a further westward step by the rebels.

They have vowed to attack Ndjamena, in a repeat of an unsuccessful coup attempt in February.

The United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees (UNHCR) said Monday in a statement that the Chadian army had sealed off the city of Abeche as the security situation deteriorated.

Abeche, in eastern Chad, is the main operating base for the Chadian army, as well as UNHCR. As such, the agency said the lockdown on the city was "making movement very difficult".

Good days and Bad Days. Mother always said...

Today was a good day for programs. After completing a training workshop, participants are out applying what they learned with flying colors. Really felt good about that today. Spent a little too much time in the sun monitoring their work, but came home with a smile on my face.

Then the emails came...

I am on my last nerve with regards to my living situation in El Fasher. I have a room with four walls and no closets of any kind. I mentioned before that I have no living room or dinning room. Just a bedroom and a separate kitchen and bathroom. What I have not shared perhaps is that the bedroom is not yet furnished. I have been using the window seals to stack my clean clothing and my suitcases to house my dirty laundry. A promise was made to purchase a cabinet and decent bed (mine is made of strings stretched across a metal frame and a thin cotton mattress that you could squeeze in two with one hand), a table, and dinning room furniture for that future date when a team would build an outdoor structure to lounge about on my ever elusive time off.

But nothing appeared. No furniture was purchased and when I returned from my short break in May, I decided to buy a cabinet to finally unpack my clothes after 5 months of being in Darfur. I had received permission to use program funds to do so, since all other ex-pats have been alloted furnished apartments and mine is the only unfurnished residence. Long story short, I received two emails today explaining that I should not have made the decision to purchase the item, that my taste may not match the next occupant of the room, that I did not follow procurement procedures (which apparently must take at least one year), and that I must reimburse the organization for using project funds.

Now what do you call an organization that expects 110% from its employees but gives less than 20% in the form of support? I am really at a loss for words. The first thing that leaps to mind is to give notice and wait for a replacement to take over. I did not sign up to put out these many hours with literally no support from headquarters or from the local team.

Non negotiable

Now I know that none of this is done with any malice but it nonetheless leaves me with no support and it is difficult to give all my attention to a job when I cannot sleep at night and cannot get settled. Just a few months ago, the head office informed me that I could no longer ask the Sudan office in Khartoum to help book my flights. The memo also stated that this was a final decision that was not open to negotiation. I replied that I would need to buy a 400 dollar RT ticket to fly to Khartoum to book my ticket and then stay in a 150 dollar a night hotel while waiting for my return flight. In short, it would cost me nearly 600 dollars to book a ticket. Three days later, I was informed that the memo had been rescinded.

That in itself tells me that my organization just does not have a clue about who we are and what we are experiencing on the ground. Not sure who is charged with that responsibility but it is clear that we are not getting through.

Not sure how I will feel about this in the morning - seeing as I do not get a good night's sleep here - but I sent a very strongly worded email about my situation and sought clarity about how soon I should expect resolution. Giving notice still seems like a good idea. The organization took five months to get someone to fill my position. I have just 6 months left on this contract before I am asked if I will be renewing for an additional nine months. The kind thing would be to give notice now and then give them a January date by which to find a replacement. Six months is a long time. It will be interesting to see how I feel in the morning about all this, especially when I read the response to my email.

The situation in Chad continues to boil with lots of new clashes (click here for more news) and big talk on the government and rebel side. Here in Fasher the situation is quiet.

Thanks for reading my rant of the day.

Trouble on the Border ... Again

War is brewing on the border between Sudan and Chad once again. You may recall my February blog when it appeared that the Chadian rebel coalition had managed to topple the president of Chad only to see Sudanese rebels cross the border to retake the capital and restore President Deby to power.

We are seeing the same scenario played out all over again except this time the rebels have more vehicles - 700-800 reportedly - and more men - 7-8,000 again reportedly. Thus far, the rebels have managed to take a key town in south east Chad but they are still far from reaching the capital city which lies several hundred sandy miles to the west.

Hard to say what the Sudanese rebels will do in this situation. Fighting has flared up all around North Darfur in the past 10 days. Difficult to imagine these rebels leaving their current dug-in positions to run to fight a war in Chad, but I may be underestimating the resolve of these groups to fight.

In the meantime, we are all hoping that this renewed fighting will not mean more people being displaced from their homes. The rainy season is coming and this is the time when most will make a desperate attempt to return to their land if only to plant food for the coming season. Even those from burned out villages will leave the camps for a few weeks to till the soil and prepare their lands for a new harvest.

The arrival of the rainy is also the reason for the latest push to take power. Once the rains come to the desert, it will make movement very difficult in wet sand. Dry river beds will become raging rivers, and sand storms will make it very difficult to navigate.

Here's to hoping that the rains win and people can return to the business of survival instead of killing.

News on the conflict in Chad : CLICK HERE

News Flash: Darfur is dangerous

Darfur Crime Wave Threatens the Most Vulnerable

Another article that states the obvious. But very good intro so I recommend reading it.

Here is an excerpt:

A crime wave has taken hold of Darfur. Carjackings, armed robberies and the occasional murder largely have targeted aid workers, who now say they long for an easier time in the region — when all they had to worry about was war between Darfur's rebels and nomads and the Sudanese government. The roads were safer then. In humanitarian circles, war is easy. Crime is hard.

On Monday last week, it happened to UNICEF. On Tuesday, it happened to Doctors Without Borders. And on Wednesday, on the road outside El Fasher, the capital of North Darfur, it happened to a truck driver called Adam Ahmad Osman.

Nine armed bandits hijacked the World Food Program truck that Osman was driving. He was on his way back from delivering hundreds of tons of food to displaced people living in camps, so the truck was empty. It's the fourth time he has been robbed in a little more than a year. And he has every reason to believe it will happen again.

Banditry, the scourge of any war-torn frontier, is flourishing in Darfur. Nearly every aid organization has been hit, and even Sudanese government ministries have been carjacked. This year, bandits have snatched 76 World Food Program trucks; 35 drivers are still missing. And yet, when people commit such
crimes, they end up robbing themselves.

Power outages

We are experiencing something brand new in Fasher. Power outages that are reported due to the fact that the military has taken all the fuel needed to power the city's generators, so that it can launch a military campaign somewhere. The reports of attacks two days ago in the vicinity may have provoked this need for a military response, but taking all the fuel? That has left many of us wondering when power will return. Some are guessing a few days until more supplies can reach us from Khartoum. In the meantime, the heat continues to rise and Fasher is a peaceful as ever.

Crime is definitely up but it usually involves men pushing guns in your face and you releasing your vehicle and personal belongings to them. The carjackings are rarely violent but the risk is there. Too many people have been injured physically or psychologically when abducted along with the vehicle into the desert and left to make their way back to a town for help.

What is different for Fasher today is that the car jackings are happening in the center of town and in broad daylight. The criminals are getting braver. Vehicles are usually recovered the same day they are stolen but it is no less rattling for staff who have to travel routes with reputations for highway robbery.

The one way to respond to this is to travel less to the field or to rent cheap and undesirable vehicles. But that is not an option for NGOs who deliver food to the vulnerable in the rural areas. You want a reliable vehicle to cross the desert, and so do the criminals.

Hard choices to make.

SCHOOL: IN one place and OUT the other

While children in my hometown are watching the clock and counting the days til summer, the kids (and their parents) in Darfur are shopping for that all important first day of school. It is all about the newest backpacks, colorful headwrap (with glitter this year), and sandals. No one would be caught dead in LAST YEAR's fashion. Have to dress to impress. I do not speak Arabic well enough to catch all the finer points, but that was the gist of a conversation between a mother and her two school aged kids. They were just not having mom's suggestions for the sturdier, jean backpack. Many faces, stares, and stomping abouts later and mom was handing over the 5 Sudanese pounds price for latest in camouflaged school wear.

Sudanese children wear school uniforms. In some areas, the uniform is actually a loose copy of the camouflage blue or grey that the military and police where everyday. I have heard of some areas of the country where the youth demonstrated for the right to wear non militaristic uniforms, but the majority of kids really go for it. The backpack of choice this year is a small, soft bag with sandy and brown patterns. Perfect for blending into the environment on a long trek home.

The school year is about the same length as in the US but they take a break just before the start of the hot season to allow the kids to play and be spared the hottest period. The idea is that by the time the rainy season arrives in June, the kids will have finished preparing the fields for crops with their parents (okay, not all play) and will be free to focus on learning. This week all the elementary schools went into session and next week the secondary schools follow suit.

El Fasher seems very peaceful. Market is bustling with activity and no gunfire at night to speak of. I am having a terrible time getting to sleep however and really need to just have a bed shipped from the states since my organization seems unable to get me a decent mattress shipped from Khartoum now 2 months after my last request. Still wake up with the blasting of automatic gunfire. Who needs an alarm clock?

I was disturbed to read an article today that suggests that things are not as peaceful as they appear to be in this area. The locality (administrative unit) to the east of me has been embroiled in some nasty fighting this week. Although it looks like a stone's throw on the map, the lack of roads and deep sand require nearly 4 days to cross about 200 km. Not something I will be trying anytime soon.

You can read more about the recent events in this article with the inventive title : Sudan Soldiers and Rebels Clash in Darfur. Not exactly a shocker. Try 'Sudan soldiers and rebels exchange gifts and rebuild homes.' Now that would be a surprise. Anyway, you can read the article by clicking on the headline itself.

For those who are click aversed, the article talks about a pretty large battle between the government forces and SLA-Unity (a newly formed group that has ties to the group that attacked JEM). The death toll has only been reported on one side, so I do not think it even bears repeating. They are usually completely made up.

Lots of programs have started and I am plenty busy. Hope to update this blog more regularly but field travel makes it difficult to get my hands on an internet connection.

Hope this entry finds you all well.

Heading back to Fasher

With the recent threats of attack against the city relegated to little more than rumor, I head back to Fasher to resume our programming. I do so after many checks with resident organizations that it is safe to return to the area.

The most important barometer of relative stability, the city's marketplace, is bustling with people and so I return cautiously optimistic that I will have the right environment in which to get our work done.

It has been interesting to see that Sudan barely registers in the international press especially against such headliners like the Chinese earthquake, Myamar typhoon, and Beirut clashses, but that is to be expected I supposed. Everything seem far more news worthy when you are in middle of the events as they unfold.

The city of Fasher is engaged in an ambitious rewiring project to compensate for the sharp increase in residents needing power. My neighborhood is close to the firing range as I mentioned in previous posts. That is because the city is expanding exponentially. The firing range had been built nearly a mile from the city center. It is the city that has come to rest on its perimeter and not the result of bad planning or indifference on the part of the military. Just thought I should make that note for balance.

While the rewiring process continues, our office and many others have been affected. No power for four days. I hope that five days is the charm. Still no generator and I do not anticipate that we will get one for another month at the rate at which my organization is moving. Temperatures are now averaging 100 degrees each day. My dad would probably say that is nothing compared to his desert abode where temperatures linger at 107 for months, but without air conditioning, swamp coolers, or even an operating fan, it can make sleep a pretty elusive thing. And 100 degrees is only the beginning. I have been told that 115 is not uncommon in Khartoum. I am hoping that Darfur is a tad cooler. In the meantime, it is all about keeping focus on the mind and letting go of any resistance to my new environment. Embracing the heat as it were.

More later when I get settled in.

Back in Khartoum

I managed to catch a flight back to Khartoum for a pow-wow with the admin and program heads about the way forward in the current climate.

El Fasher is in good shape with the rumors of an imminent attack falling away shortly after UN declared the immediate crisis to be over and lifting the curfew. Hard to make sense of it all. But at least life in the city is returning to a cautious normal state. The market reopened today and the tensions have dropped considerably. Was all this tension caused by the UN report of an imminent attack? Really hard to say. But increasingly, the public is very sensitive to reports coming from international organizations. The market is a very volatile place and I am sure that it picked up on United Nations Peacekeeping chatter as much as anyone.

Still, we are watching the situation carefully to determine whether it is safe to return to the field. The government maintains restrictions on any UN flight to Fasher, to keep UN staff safe given the UN prediction of an imminent attack.

I am just happy that there was no attack and that everyone is okay there. No one wants to see an attack on any Sudan cities. Urban warfare just takes too many innocent lives. All of us want the fighting to stop period. No matter which side is at fault.

I hope to get a clearer picture of my potential return to the field soon. In the meantime, we are not going to make any rash decisions based on posturing between the UN and the government.

Peace to you all.

Tensions continue to mount but mostly below the surface

Khartoum returned to 'normal' or however close to normal one can return after the scene that unfolded on May 11 and 12. The sights and sounds were captured on the international press from BBC to Al Jazeera. [Click HERE and HERE for videos for biased but colorful Al Jazeera coverage] So I assume you have seen the helicopter gunships firing rockets into the most densely populated areas of the city because that is the area from which JEM chose to launch their attack.

Discussions with Darfurians about the attack and the act of war in an dense urban setting have been revealing. Some will tell you that the government is at fault for firing at a group that was only going to attack selected targets. Others will tell you that the government has not gone far enough to secure the city from further attacks. President Bashir addressed the nation today to let the armed forces and residents of Khartoum how much he appreciated their resolve and ability to thwart this attack against them. It was an invigorating speech but did not reveal the next step for this nation. See excerpts of the speech here

And the fact that we still do not know what is to come has all the NGOs here preparing for the worst. Well, almost. The worst would be full scale war and evacuation to another country to sit it out. Most here do not expect the situation to be quite so bad. Even if there is an escalation, most do not expect to be without access to food or water for more than a few days, so people are stocking up. The price of bottled water in town jumped a few Sudanese pounds and my usual go-to-guy would not budge on the new price. I have a laundry list of products to buy tomorrow in case it does indeed come to sitting in a compound for a week waiting this thing out.

Most NGOs have compounds (joint office and residence) or group homes, so the thought of 'hibernation' - the term of art used to describe the decision to remain in place until the storm has passed - is not quite so bad. I do not know if the experience is quite so appealing to do the waiting alone. At least I have neighbors who could be a source of company if the waiting gets lonely.

I have managed to secure a ticket to fly to Khartoum this weekend, so I will be able to leave Darfur to get some perspective and then return early next week. The program work is really building and we have to keep the momentum going. No plans to put things on hold unless we really need to do so. It is interesting being in this environment where people look at you funny when you ask whether they were thinking about relocating (another term of art meaning getting non local staff out of the city but not out of the country). Most are here with the expectation that there will be violent conflict now and then. The mandatory 2 week rest and relaxation (R&R) breaks every 3 months plus 30 days annual leave is meant to compensate for the added stress.

Cant say if there will actually be a flight this weekend. Lots of flights are being reserved, but cancellations are outside the airline's control for now. So I will just cross my fingers about that possibility and in the meantime focus on work.

Did I mention that it is crazy hot here right now? I wake up with a pool of water in the indentation that my head makes in the pillow. Have to think more seriously about moving one of the swamp coolers into my bedroom.

Hope this entry finds you are well and in good spirits. Despite it all, I am enjoying my time in Darfur and still feel like I have made the right decision to come here.

Okay, I was way off. Situation definitely becoming worse

Well, I guess it is not always just rumor. Turns out that the rebel groups did indeed attack Khartoum. The situation is fluid. Right now all the airports in Darfur are closed by order of the government, so I am stuck. Not that I would necessarily want to evacuate to Khartoum given its problems over the last few days. In case you missed it all. Here is a a summary of what happened.

April 20 – May 8

JEM and SLA Unity troops reported to be gathering in NNE Darfur. 3-4 columns of rebel troops moved into North Kordofan on May 8 and 9.

Friday May 9 Morning:

Rumours spread of possible coup (rumours reaching UN in NY). Noon: Ministry of Foreign Affairs reports: 3,000 JEM troops are making their way through North Kordofan to Khartoum Arabic-speaking foreigners are reportedly among the JEM force It comprises 4 columns led by Khalil Ibrahim and commander Abdel Ashr The GOS described it as a “suicidal action” SAF has been ordered to confront JEM and block its route – but also to “show restraint” in order to avoid civilian casualties in populated areas They are concerned that JEM will attack cities such as Al Nahud and El Fasher on their return from Khartoum Salva Kiir offered troops to support the GOS, and Minni Minnawi offered information and intelligence Afternoon: Clashes reported between JEM and SAF at Um Qarein in North Kordofan

Saturday May 10 Morning:

Quiet and no incident reported Afternoon and evening:
16:45: Shooting starts in Omdurman between JEM and SAF
17:00: GOS tanks and helicopters deployed from the main airport
17:00-20:00: Three hours of heavy fighting in Omdurman. Two main attacks were launched – one from the north of Omdurman and one from the west of Omdurman.
02:00-04:00 (May 11th): Further shooting reporting west of Omdurman Evening: President Bashir breaks off ties with Chad, and announces that Sudan “reserves the right to respond to attacks”. Sudanese state media announces links between Chad and the rebel attack. Sunday

May 11

Withdrawal of JEM from Omdurman – not known where to, or how many troops. JEM suffered significant losses, including Jamali (JEM Number 2 commander and Khalil Ibrahim’s right hand man) The GOS reports Khalil Ibrahim is wounded and hiding in Khartoum and offers $125,000 reward for his capture

On Sunday night, opposition leader Hassan al Turabi is arrested, along with 5 colleagues from his Popular Congress Party (PCP). Casualties (civilians and armed actors) All information still very much unconfirmed

GOS: Open sources report 10 SAF, 20 police and 20 National Security fatalities

JEM: Reports of around 67 JEM fatalities, 120 arrested and 30 vehicles destroyed. GOS reports between 45-200 JEM killed Civilians: GOS reports 15 civilians killed by JEM (in one attack on a biscuit factory).

Q&A INGO representatives asked UNDSS whether visitors should be advised to travel to Khartoum. UNDSS advised if flights were available, they did not see a problem. INGOs asked for future meetings to discuss how to improve communication and coordination with UNDSS, as focal points have shifted in last few months.

The UNDSS representative flagged some challenges created by the split between UNAMID (covering Darfur) and UNMIS (covering Rest of Sudan). However, a follow-up meeting was agreed.

INGOs asked given the regional factors and implications of this incident (involving Chad, Darfur and Rest of Sudan), how does UNAMID, UNMIS, EUFOR AND MINURCAT exchange information and analysis?

INGOs emphasised need for better information sharing, analysis and contingency planning (eg for staff safety and preparation for population movements/humanitarian needs).

May update and developments

Tensions in El Fasher dropped below what the international press would call newsworthy but we saw a continuation of attacks and exchanges of gunfire between government forces in the city center in late April. At one point heavy weapons were used and I spent much of the night consoling my guard whose family lives in the neighborhood where much of the fighting was taking place. But thankfully, while the problem has not been settled, the resolve of the gunmen to use violence to settle the matter has waned and the city is back to its normal state. Khartoum finally made the decision to ship out the soldiers who were at odds with the resident forces and we have not heard any shot since then.

I was able to take a 5 days vacation in Egypt on the Red Sea. The break was supposed to be spent in London with a woman I have been trying to date, but the exit visa required to leave Sudan came late and later still until finally it seemed that I would have only three days to get some distance from Sudan. As it turns out, the programming here has been delayed and I was given an extra two nights. Good news for my nerves, but not such good news for my attempt at a long-distance relationship.

As I write this message, I am pondering a security alert that was issued late last night that the government is mobilizing its troops to counter a massive JEM rebel offensive against the capital city of Khartoum.

In reporting this matter, I am not revealing any privileged information about this development. Sudanese authorities and the Sudanese army issued a statement late last night stating that they have received information of an imminent plot by a Darfur rebel group to attack the capital and other major cities in the country. The statement cites preparations made by rebel Khalil Ibrahim to conduct sabotage attempt and a publicity stunt through infiltrating the capital and other towns. The statement also mentions that the army is mobilizing planes and other materiel to stop the rebel advancement.

Read more about this development here - Sudan steps up security, says Darfur rebels advance

Hard to believe that this groups, which occupies territory along the Chadian border, is capable of taking on the Sudanese army with its tanks, planes, and soldiers many hundreds of miles across the desert from their main territory. We get security reports fairly often, and we have to decide if they are credible and warrant a cessation of our activities or whether we should just shelve them on the “continue with caution" shelf. For now, I am doing the latter. Fortunately, I am not in Khartoum but I am concerned about this offensive being an excuse to up the level of fighting in Darfur. We have received reports of bombings of villages just north of us. The incidents were limited in scope and in casualties but are worrying nonetheless. I just hope this is not part of a trend that leads to escalation.

Sitting with two old men in the market having our tenth cup of tea of the day and catching that caffeine buzz, I asked them whether they thought the recent violence was alarming. The two looked at each other and then at me and smiled. "The situation is getting better not worse," they said. Both men deal in cloth in the main market in El Fasher. "Business is booming and there are more types of things to sell and a growing market to sell them in," the grey haired vendor told me. They did not mind that the products are cheaper in quality and mostly from India or China, so long as there were people interested in them and willing to pay. The height of the war saw the supply lines literally disappear as truck drivers were unwilling to take the risk of a desert trek through several front lines. Today, convoys of 150 trucks or more cross the desert together in hopes of diminishing the chance of highway banditry. Many drivers still must pay 'road taxes' of several hundred dollars to armed gunman who have staked their claim to a portion of the desert, hoping to strike it rich with one good heist.

The downside of the influx of indian and Chinese products is that Darfur residents have become consumers and production has dropped to almost nothing. Darfur used to supply meat to all of Sudan. It was also the major source of citrus and other vegetables and fruits. Today, Sudan imports most of its produce and meat. The new oil-based economy has neglected to invest in improving education, building skills for local and international markets, and reducing unemployment. Instead, the new oil wealth is being used to import all its needs. The new imports are cheaper but with the decrease in jobs, who can afford to buy them? It is a dilemma that a few younger businessmen shared with me this morning. Ahmed sells tins of fish, soap, and other small items from a corner shop. He has a university degree in agriculture but sees no future in food production because of the limited market. He is also afraid to venture back into the fields because of insecurity in the area. He is hoping to develop a new skill set and maybe work as a mason or a welder. These two professions are the most profitable today in Darfur, since all construction is either of metal or stone. And as I mentioned earlier, El Fasher is experiencing a construction boom. But Ahmed noted that "the bigger construction projects are being conducted by Chinese and Indian contractors. They use Sudanese labor but do not leave any of their expertise and know-how behind. In the end, the contract is completed to the satisfaction of the owner but it is impossible to repeat the process. The Chinese also often bring in their own labor for the specialized assignments."

I hope to update this blog on the events in Khartoum tomorrow. But it appears that the crisis there is all but over as the government claims to have stopped the rebel advance.

Read this article on the latest - Sudanese army steps up security in the capital

Shooting, riots, and getting the job done

The last three days in El Fasher have been trying. The temperatures climbed above the norm and it has been hard to keep dry no matter how high I turn up the ceiling fan. From time to time, I turn off the fan to catch what I think is gunfire in the not-too-distant areas surrounding our office. But it is usually just the water wagons sounding off in search of customers. The water wagons consist of several used oil barrels welded together, lying horizontal, set on wheels, and pulled by an Arabian stallion. As they make their way through the neighborhoods, they periodically bang on the containers, literally drumming up business.

On April 6, I woke to what sounded like heavy machine gun fire.

I walked outside to gauge the mood in the neighborhood. Everyone seemed calm. Uncaring. So, I assumed that it was the sound of hammers on a nearby construction site. You see, the neighborhood is poor but bustling with new construction. I interpret the new building materials in two ways. The humanitarian community (INGOs and UN) has created a lot more jobs and a market for increased purchasing power. But the fighting has also forced many people to seek shelter with distant relatives, creating a need to build new rooms for the extended house guests. That morning, I found out that the sound was indeed weapon fire from a nearby firing range. Seems the military will be practicing for the rest of the month.

My day only got worse.

My driver came from the market and told me that there was a run on the bank and lots of unsatisfied customers. As we drove through the market past the bank, we noticed that the bank was closing along with neighboring stores. The market was essentially closing down at the peak shopping hours. I called in what I saw to the security tree. Markets don't close unless it is getting too dark or too risky. All along the road, there were dozens of Janjaweed - the Arab militia that the government had recruited to help fight the rebel movements. Most of them were dressed in worn fatigues or in civilian clothing. Everyone seemed to be waiting for something and no one was acting particularly aggressive. But when I arrived at a local government office to discuss our programming, I understood the problem.

The banks were out of money.

I saw a long line of NGO employees complaining that their employer had been late with their payment. Picture 50 men in long flowing white robes, a lawyer, and two labor officers trying to explain that they will each get a chance to file their claim.

When I walked in the door, all the eyes focused on me and someone yelled out the name of the NGO they all worked for. I quickly corrected them and moved passed the edgy crowd. I had business in the office and it could not wait for a quieter moment. I found my appointment contact and we sat down to go over the paperwork. Just 10 minutes later, a loud shot rang out across the valley. The discussions continued but my colleagues started to look nervous. At one point, I suggested we take a break and we all went outside to take stock of the situation. Everyone in the yard was sitting against the 5 foot fence surround the compound and motioned to us to do the same.

A bullet had just hit the outside wall.

The Janjaweed had expected to be paid but since they are not part of the regular army, there is no official payroll and banks do not store funds for non civil servants. When the banks chose to close rather than be forced to pay, the Janjaweed and their allies the Border Guards tried to force their way in. When they failed, they opened fire on civilians in the city to send a message: Janjaweed and Border Guards provide security to the towns in North Darfur; without their cooperation, this is what chaos would look like. The shoot out led to three deaths and a public outcry from the population insisting that the government do more to keep the population safe from brigands.

The shoot out was short lived, but I thought it wise to make it back to the office and sit it out. That evening, the state governor negotiated a settlement with the Janjaweed. He agreed to pay and tensions dropped considerably the following day. There were still more Janjaweed in town than was comfortable, but at least they were getting what they wanted. When I left El Fasher to travel to Nyala, it seemed that things were going back to normal, but at midnight, I received a call from my guard. He does not speak any English and I do not speak Arabic, so the conversation was short. He mentioned the market, something about 30 minutes, something about 8pm, Janjaweed, and that everything was not good. A few follow-up calls revealed that the Janjaweed had engaged in a sustained and then sporadic gun battle with the army in the center of town over night between 8pm and 3am. By the next morning, the two groups had assumed aggressive postures around the market area. I learned that this act had been well coordinated and similar displays were reported in Kebkabiya and in Tawila - two areas west of El Fasher. In both instances, Janjaweed shot in the air in the market and also ransacked the marketplace when the local population complained. This is not a turning point in the war in Darfur. Janjaweed have used this tactic in the past to get an increase in pay. The population has in turned demonstrated in the same way against the use of force in the populated areas of the city and the matter has been laid to rest for another 8 or 9 months. Janjaweed are pro-government militia, so it is unusual to see them at odds with the government but it is not unheard of.

As one Sudanese told me to describe the present situation "when you have a dangerous dog, you can try to direct him to bite your enemy, but in the end, dogs have a poor sense of direction" Or "everyone is your friend when the wallet is full." Quite the philosophers these Sudanese.

I am in Nyala now and far from the wild west show that El Fasher has become. I plan to head back there before I take my R&R in mid April but only if things have calmed considerably.

Thanks for your emails of concern.

Experience of another Nubian knight - good description of the bureaucracy

Diary from Sudan:

" The day starts early, as 46 humanitarians, from the UN and NGOs, board a WFP/UN-AMIS Bombardier plane. For two hours, we cruise West at 24,000 feet over a deserted landscape, and hundreds of miles pass quickly as passengers sleep. There are no signs of life as we fly over the void between Khartoum and Darfur. As we start to descend, dried up stream beds, and the ever changing shades of reddish brown landscape, is finally cut by tracks and then one long straight dirt road. A cluster of round huts, each with its own walled compound, in groups of fifty or more appear, to create a village. Each village is surrounded by rectangles of different shapes. Man's agricultural mark on the land. We fly over village after village, all surrounded by tracks, some near a road, others perched in the middle of nowhere.

People live here because there is water underground, and with water comes life. They have lived here for thousands of years. But no more. Every village is empty, many burned, as every family was swept away by the tragedy that is Darfur. This is a desolate landscape the size of Texas. A place I've heard referred to as a war zone, or the wild-west. It is home to over 2 million displaced people. Now it is very real.

Everything takes time. And time is on the side of the government bureaucracy that regulates humanitarian access within Sudan. To get to Darfur you need a visa from a Sudanese embassy, once in Khartoum you need to get four copies of a HAC authorization each with your picture, copies of your passport and Sudan visa, and, three days in advance, a scarce seat on a UN flight. The Humanitarian Aid Commission, commonly known as the HAC, manages all movements of the humanitarian community. After our flight, within the first hour on the ground in El Fasher, we are off to the HAC office to register. Without proper registration I will be kicked out. I become an employee of my host NGO and everything is fine. Three copies of my HAC authorization are sent to checkpoints throughout the town. I now have authorization to spend time here and explore the Zam Zem IDP camp.

In El Fasher we'll live in a compound with guards. Thankfully near the center of town, away from the occasional gun fights in the market and the GOS (Government of Sudan) garrison near the airport. Our white land cruiser with its tall radio antennae, NGO markings and large flag, cannot stray more than a kilometer from town. The 'no guns aboard' decal and humanitarian markings no longer provide any protection. Land cruisers, with a mounted heavy machine gun, are the ubiquitous weapon of this desert war. They are robbed, and drivers often left on the road far rom town, or at times to be killed. NGOs tell their drivers that if they are held up at gunpoint, to simply had over their keys and the vehicle. The GOS accuses NGOs of handing over the keys of vehicles to the rebels.

To get to most IDP camps, especially ones that are far from the three major towns in Darfur (El Fasher, Nyala, and Geneina), you need to travel by helicopter. If the camp is close, a miniature rented, mini van, or horse drawn cart have replaced the white NGO land cruiser. Tomorrow we'll travel south, 15 km to the Zam Zem camp in a dilapidated mini bus. Like all NGOs we do not want to be associated with any armed escort. The Tawila IDP camp 30 km to the west is no longer safely reached by land.

El Fasher has a climate at this time of the year that is perfect, a dry Mediterranean heat that is certainly cooler than Spain in the summer. The town has a new paved main street and there are a few new buildings and a mosque going up. Little else seems to have changed in years. The airport, built by the British when planes first flew over the Sahara, hasn't changed much at all. It looks new at least when compared to the low brick walled homes that line the dusty dirt streets that run throughout the town. El Fasher is a place of contrasts. Like big white, six winged, insects, 18 enormous AMIS and UN helicopters sit on the sand around the airport. Alone and separate, an armed camouflaged GOS helicopter lies waiting. Driving to our compound we pass AMIS armored personnel carriers, horse drawn carts with drivers holding a whip and sitting on two 80 gallon barrels of water, soldiers standing on a land cruiser with a mounted heavy machine gun, goats who claim the road, donkeys some with riders or pulling carts, some simply lost in the traffic of small taxis.

Time is not on the side of the NGO humanitarian worker. Every movement of NGO expatriate staff is regulated and limited by government controls. Their space to work, the 'humanitarian space' that enables a group of people to care for others within a war zone, is getting smaller. Humanitarian space requires some degree of security, not protection from the barrel of a gun, but from the warring sides and a knowledge of the land and respect from its people. With rebel groups and government proxy groups splintered, making ever shifting alliances across the land, groups of armed bandits roam the countryside praying on any convoy. Time is not on the side of the IDPs in this war that has no peace in sight. In the mean time, hopefully, the new UNAMID forces, if and when, they are properly armed and deployed, will bring some semblance of security. One has to remain hopeful.

The internet and the phone lines are down. I'll try to send this off tomorrow."

This passage appeared on ReliefWeb - a great website for those looking for a career of cold showers, little pay, long hours, and relative obscurity while pouring your heart and creativity into one of the most challenging and rewarding experiences of your life.

When Good Guys Go Bad

Time magazine printed an article that presents more nuanced view of the conflict in Darfur. Anyone who has read any of Alex De Waal's books on Darfur knows that the conflict cannot be classified simply as the massacre of Africans by Arabs, but that is the general theme that we seen in public rallies. Maybe it is because it is easier to rally public sentiment around black and white issues rather through a more complete presentation of the facts. This photograph was taken by Yuri Kozyrev / Noor for TIME.


The Enough campaign is as compelling as it is accurate. There have been massacres here at the hands of Arab militia against non-Arab groups, and you will not find many Arab groups among the displaced. But it is important to underscore the fact that the non-Arab groups are also armed and have not simply stood aside and watched their people be marginalized politically and economically by the central state. They have taken up arms, mobilized small armies, and engage regularly in armed skirmishes with the national army and Arab militia groups.

This Time Magazine article is seeking to balance the perspectives on the war and not the change your mind about what is right or wrong about the conflict. Nor does it seek to justify the government's response to rebel attacks. It is not an apologist article. The Save Darfur campaign will tell you that there is no comparison between the government of Sudan forces and the so-called African rebel forces. But in my perspective, war is never clean. There are no good guys.

Please read the article. It reminds me somewhat of what happens to members of racial groups in the US that came together to defend their neighborhoods against racism and oppression. The Italians had their Mafia, Latino gangs keep their women safe from outsiders, African-American gangs started for much of the same reason. Protect the neighborhood from the real threat of outside oppression, violence, and theft. If police refuse to patrol your neighborhoods, you launch your own protection group. You collect funds from your community to keep THEM safe. Talk to the Hmong, Vietnamese, and Laotian groups in Los Angeles and they will tell the same story. They felt exposed as a community. No one seemed to understand their needs. Something had to be done.

Times change and needs change. Groups eventually morph into burdens for their communities rather than assets. Somewhere along the way, members lose their way, the cause is lost, and they start to prey on their own.

Keep this in mind when you read this article. It is not a phenomenon that affects people thousands of miles away from you. It is phenomenon happening right now in your own neighborhood. What are we doing to save our own towns; our own backyard Darfurs?

Beating the heat but digging the warmth.

I have been lucky so far to avoid moving outside too much in the heat but that will change once we begin making trips to the rural areas of North and South Darfur. There is a constant breeze and last night at around sundown I saw my first clouds in nearly two months. Everyday is a cloudless day. I know that sounds ideal in western terms where we are obsessed with warm sunny days, but here a warm sunny day is overrated and people clamor for shade and the relief and promise that a cloudy sky brings.

I have not done enough to describe my physical surroundings so I will try to do more here now and in the future.

First, it is sandy but not void of water. I am constantly amazed by the relative ease with which people will pour what seems like endless quantities of water on neighborhood trees. Trees usually have small moats around them made of cement or dirt and it is customary to fill them up two or three times a week. Most houses also have a grey-water (used water) trough that leads to the trees adorning the front of their houses. I am not saying that trees abound in Darfur. I am referring to the neighborhoods of Nyala and El Fasher where each street has at least one set of trees planted all around the same time. Ficus trees seem to be a favorite. And they are spoiled rotten.

The roads in town and to many rural centers are paved but are usually covered on either side by the encroaching sand. So in the end, a two lane road becomes a single-laned, narrow path or completely covered in sand. The maintenance required to keep a paved road clear is so high that it is a wonder why the roads are paved at all. Still, it is easier to cross a sandy path with an asphalt foundation than a open wilderness sandy path.

My own residence is located in a quiet neighborhood. The only noises are the kids belting out the national anthem - more of a screaming session than actual melodies but that is normal for early primary school kids, I suppose. We get the periodic calls for prayer now that the nearest mosque has repaired their giant speakers. I mentioned the boys selling water from donkey-drawn carts who tap a slow rhythmic beat to wake up anyone thinking about sleeping in. And then there are my friends the very noisy and nosy birds. Loud chirping and very insistent about inspecting every inch of your personal space.


My cousin Vanessa will have a special appreciation for these birds because they are expert spider hunters. If you have a spider in your room, open your door and they will swoop in eat the spider, take down all your cobwebs or spiderwebs, and be off in a flash. Cant explain it. Just saw it with my own eyes on several occasions. I happen to like spiders, so I guess they had better find a better hiding place than my bedroom if they wish to survive. I dont leave my door open too long, for fear of what else these birds may make off with. I guess I could call them sparrows, for the sake of giving you an image of how they look. They just have boom boxes for vocal chords.

None of my streets are paved but everyone has a beautifully decorated brick wall with a cement finishing. Everyone is very cordial. And children run the streets in pack of ten, playing football, heading sheep, or just out and about looking for things to do.

My house is composed of a 10x10 room that stands alone. I have to go outside (shut the door to keep out the birds) and make my way 40 feet to get the toilet and shower units. I have about the same distance to get to the kitchen and I have no sitting room as yet. I do have plans to build a sitting room outside to enjoy the warm starry nights and hold dinner parties with friends. We have a sundown curfew so I do not move around at night, but I do have two guest beds for those wanting to stay later and crash for the night.

The routine so far consists of the weekly meetings with international nongovernmental organizations on various themes. We usually use these opportunities to update one another on developments in the field, populations in need, and security incidents on the road. We have about two or so a week now and I will likely add a few more as we increase our activities and reach.

I also meet with Sudanese organizations to get an idea of the needs in the areas outside Nyala adn Fasher. It is rather tedious so far, and I look forward to visiting some of the discussed communities to get a better sense of the actual needs. Hope that gives you some sense of my physical surroundings and my routine. I will go more into depth on the actual work on my next message.

For now, I just try to stay cool during the day, and soak up the warmth of Sudanese hospitality, which seems to have no bounds.

Signs of a new war

... but still taking it one day at a time

The Chadian conflict continues to rage on but with no news headlines and with even fewer witnesses, but we are feeling the repercussions here in Darfur.

Last Thursday, I was trying to make my way through the city when I encountered a long column of military truck and troop transports. It is not at all unusual to see military technicals (Toyota pick-up with outfitted with special seats to carry troops and often a mounted machine gun) roaming about town. Both government and SLA-M forces (the only signatory to the now almost defunct peace agreement) regularly cruise the market area in their vehicles and conduct what I assume are armed patrols on foot. To make a point, I should explain that they are all very cordial and never really interact with the population, which is a far better scenario than in Congo where armed groups were a constant burden on the population, forcing residents to feed and house them. At least in El Fasher and Nyala there are barracks and some division between civilian and military is respected. This is an important point to make because in many African countries in conflict, the government does not provide consistent support to its army; and so on top of the armed conflict between adversaries you also have regular clashes between civilians and the police and military. A culture of predation sets in that creates a confused web of conflict that then becomes difficult to untangle from the original conflict. Peace processes lose their way, and most importantly, lose popular support.

But I digress.

We pulled our taxi to one side to allow the column of military trucks to pass and, after checking in with the UN security office to make sure that the market area was safe, I proceeded to my first meeting of the day. Not two minutes after arriving there, a long column of tanks began to enter the city center. People ran to the streets to watch the 20 or more huge Soviet style tanks roll through with men wearing red bandanas, and waving Sudanese flags and flowers over their heads. “They are returning from Geneina,” a smiling spectator told me. People cheered them on and showed the “number one” symbol and the joyful soldiers replied in kind. As we both watched this seemingly endless column of vehicles, the same onlooker turned to me and said, “War is horrible and we want this fighting to stop. We hope they are back to stay.” Not two minutes after making this point, he is waving the “number one” symbol again as another tank rolls into view, this one covered in soldiers singing military songs and dancing. One soldier nearly falls off his tank, but still manages to regain his composure and join again in the revelry.

Quite a sight.

It is standard for all NGOs to consult the UN for information about the security situation to ensure the safety of their staff. But when we consulted the UN for some information about what had been happening in town, their response was predictable.

"Nothing to report."

They did not even come to the weekly OCHA meeting later that afternoon because of the lack of relevant security matters to discuss.

Two days later, we all heard the press reports of a large assault on towns north of Geneina (click on the blue text to go the article) and of the arrival of fresh troops in the same area preparing for a sustained attack on the areas abandoned by the Sudanese rebels who had left their hard-fought positions in West Darfur to help their alleged benefactor, President Idriss Deby of Chad, to stay in power. Having abandoned those key positions and leaving the civilian populations totally unprotected, the rebel controlled areas are experiencing a great deal of chaos. Over 15,000 civilians fled the area and crossed in Chad, and the press has been reporting regular air raids on these newly abandoned areas. A larger-scale confrontation between the remaining rebel groups in West Darfur and government forces is expected soon.

None of the fighting has directly affected our safety but it does create an unsettling feeling among most international nongovernmental organizations here, especially those who were hoping to start doing early recovery work in settled villages where people have been trying to rebuild. It is very difficult to get a community to start to think about rebuilding, if they believe that there is chance that war will return to their village. So, although the fighting is still hundreds of kilometers away, we can still see its repercussions in the psyche and emotions of the people of North and South Darfur.

We have made adjustments to my living and working situation and I will soon have regular access to the internet in both Nyala and El Fasher, so that is a relief. I should be able to make more regular entries and try to include more descriptions of my environment in El Fasher. I will leave you with this thought.

Recycling the desert

El Fasher and Nyala are towns in the middle of the desert. And things do not decompose very quickly in the desert. I have had to try to find a way to decrease my carbon footprint in this mission by finding creative ways of deposing of my trash. I asked around about any recycling program, and Sudanese just look at me like I am crazy. “We just burn it,” is the usual reply. I began to resign myself to doing the same until I saw this kid collecting plastic bottles in one town, a man collecting scrap metal, and another kid sorting his trash into organic and non-organic material. I managed to follow the scrap metal man to a factory that transforms the scrap into cooking pots and utensils but I still do not know what the kids do with their trash. I personally, think that it would make a very worthwhile side project that perhaps I could encourage you my readers to send ideas and materials on desert recycling and eventually possibly financial support to help these entrepreneurs to create a more formal recycling business.

Trash is a huge source of income in this environment but it has been undervalued for obvious reasons. For inspiration I encourage all of you to watch this film about recycling in Cairo. It is made by a company called Media that Matters and is called Garbage Dreams. Just click on its title to view the 8 minute film.

Maa’a Salaama

HOT

and GETTING HOTTER

I spent the first night without worrying about the fact that I do not own a blanket. The weather has decidedly shifted into summer gear and it is easily 80 degrees at midday possibly more. If only I had the weather channel to tell me just hot warm it really is here.

Speaking of temperatures, the conflict in Chad has taken so many turns and caused the loss of so many lives that it makes one wonder if this heat wave isn’t man made. Three rebels groups that have been fighting the Chadian army for just under a decade managed to cross hundred of miles of open desert and then storm and capture 90% of the capital of this landlocked nation over the weekend. It is hard to imagine that the army did not see the dust of a hundred vehicles flying across the desert. Still, it appeared that the national army was caught off guard. Perhaps it is because they never expected to have to lift a finger in their own defense.

France has been a longtime ally to the government there and has intervened on several occasions to thwart rebel attacks. However this time is different.

France is soon to lead a large UN sanctioned peacekeeping mission composed of the European Union’s peacekeeping force – EURFOR – and classical UN peacekeepers from all over the world. The mission, dubbed MINURCAT, is designed to bring peace and stability along the Chad/Sudan and Chad/Central African Republic borders. On Sunday, the French defense minister declared that, in keeping with its role in this peacekeeping force, France would remain neutral. However just 30 minutes later, the French foreign minister announced that France would not remain neutral and would defend the rule of law and legitimacy underlining that President Deby had been democratically elected.

True. Deby was elected.

Deby was elected but only after he launched a military coup to overthrow the previous president then lifted term limits when he came to the end of his second term in office. That last maneuver caused massive defections in the army and even some of his own family members took up arms against him.


I cannot help but wonder if France’s sudden neutrality wasn’t also motivated by the harsh characterization of French nationals in Chad following the episode when a French NGO, Zoë Ark, nearly got away with abducting several hundred Chadian children on the pretense that they were Darfur refugee orphans who needed urgent medical attention in France. Not so true.

When pressed for the truth, Zoë representatives stated that international law required that they take kids from poor homes where they are suffering and transfer them to better homes where they will be love and cared for. They may have been driven by compassion, but they drove right across a bunch of laws protecting children. In the end, it was proven that the children were not orphans, refugees, sick, or even from Darfur, and it was suggested that the children were actually heading for cash-paying, barren French couples. The parents who released control of the children were told that the children were going to get an education, a retreat, or day trip, and would return shortly. The Chadian judiciary worked its magic and sentenced everyone to eight years of hard labor in Chadian prisons. After that episode, it was open season on the French. Anything French was ridiculed, spat upon, and trampled in the streets. Now that Chadians desperately need their help, the French … well … they may just … bide … their … time.

Is that too cynical of me?

Perhaps. Today however the tides seem to have changed again. The United Nations Security Council, reacting to analyses that an overthrow of the Chadian government could mean far more instability in the region and especially in Darfur, called on all member states to respond to the pleas of the current government and prevent its overthrow. In short, the UN has given France free reign to lift their neutrality and use military means to rout the rebels. What did the French think?

Well, their reactions have been almost just as contradictory as in the first instance.

First the foreign affairs minister announced that, despite the findings of the UN Security Council, France would not change its current stance of neutrality but would maintain its presence to ensure the safety of evacuating civilians and those remaining in the city.

But then, not 15 minutes later, the president of French gave a speech in which he stated that France would not shy away from its duty, making direct reference to the UN Security Council’s call for action from member states.

What will it mean if French decides to throw its weight behind the Chadian government and chase the rebel back across the border into Darfur? I am not certain, but I am apprehensive. Things quieted almost immediately after the rebels left for their mad trek across the desert. A heated retreat would be instability at best and renewed fighting on a larger scale on the other side of the spectrum.

Keep following the news and I will try to do the same.

Maa salaam

Time condensed entries

FINALLY HERE

How to describe Darfur? I guess I can say what it isn’t. It is not a zone of perpetual violence and despair. If there is fighting, it is not without large areas of calm, rebuilding, and cautious optimism. Despite the ethnically charged displacements, it is still a land of diverse people with different histories united in this area by thousands of years of trade, conflict, intermarriage, and ties to the land.

My first impressions when I arrived here were that the town is silent. The only sound one hears in the residential neighborhoods is that of the water boys rapping on the plastic jugs hanging from their donkey drawn water wagons alerting people of their presence. If you are close enough, you can hear the aden, or call to prayer. Our office and residence is close to two mosques but neither blasts its speakers like the ones in the center of town.

The streets are bustling with motorized rickshaws or tuk tuks, yellow taxis, and lots of donkey or horse drawn flat-bed carts. Over 200 vehicles have been carjacked in the past year, so NGOs no longer drive their signature shiny white land rovers or Toyota cruisers. Instead, we rent tiny cars that look like toys they are so small. They often get stuck in sand. So much for the romantic image of knights galloping off to save the day. Here we resemble more Don Xiote dwarfing his tiny burro. The work here is focused mostly on three large camps that lie just 20 minutes outside the city. You need a permit to go there. Actually you need a permit to move anywhere. But I suppose that is not so unusual given the unresolved conflicts in the area.

It has been cold at night, but the season is due to change in mid-February. Lizards, birds, and ants abound. Cats skirt across backyards belonging to everyone and no one. Hard to explain how such wild cats can be so tame and accustomed to humans. On my way to what has been a long series of meetings with international and local organizations, I met a tiny kitten standing guard in the entrance to the OCHA building. I walked up to it and it did not flinch. (Does he belong to you?) I motioned to the human guard by his side. “No, he is wild, just push him aside,” he replied.

These are not the feral cats I once uncovered under my mother’s house. Maybe the gentle desert breeze brings out another side.

SWEATING DUST

Anything that stands still for more than a few hours here is bound to be covered in a fine film of dust. I mean that quite universally. I learned my lesson when I reached for a Kleenex to cover my sneeze and got a nose full of sand dust that had delicately and invisibly settled on the waiting facial tissue.

That reality may explain why nothing seems to stay in one place for very long here. The political and humanitarian crisis shifts so regularly that it makes it difficult to know if today’s project design will still be valid tomorrow. (A scary prospect when you are charged with designing a regional project). One overarching reality is that areas that are quiet today may become volatile no go zones tomorrow; so, we plan for instability while toiling for sustainable, lasting, foundational peace.

When I come home and get ready for bed, I find that my t-shirt is invariably covered in brown dust, but only on the inside against my skin. I know I am breathing dust. But am I sweating it as well?

A BOY NAMED SKY

Sitting under a cloudless sky on a very windy but lazy Friday afternoon, reading my Darfur book, two boys around 8 or 9 years of age walk up to greet me. They don’t actually say anything. They just stand there trying not to stare at me perched precariously on the edge of the cement block near my office. I pretend not to see them so that I can finish the paragraph. The sun is really bright today and I am squinting to read from the pages of this paperback by Alex De Waal. Finally I look up and ask the boy “maa ismuka?’ The boy motions that he cannot speak, so I ask again in sign language. I point at him and then move two fingers across my chest. (What is your name?) He smiles, moves two fingers across his chest and points upward (My name is sky).

Friday is a high holy day when everything is closed. Last week the Sudanese government mandated that Friday and Saturday be enforced as the official weekend. The work week is from Sunday to Thursday. This has changed from time to time with combinations of half days and reduced hours and it will most likely change again.

The international community here - organizations and non-governmental organizations alike - generally adhere to this schedule as well. It would be a cardinal sin to disturb someone on a Friday here. Saturdays are generally used to catch up with report writing. But since I arrived in Darfur I find myself writing reports everyday. Until our activities get underway, reports on meetings are the best way for me to get my mind around the ten thousand different elements that make up the political, ethnic, economic, social, and conflict environment that is Darfur.

Chad exploded in violence yesterday with rebels threatening to overthrow the government. This war has major repercussions for the nature of our work here. The president of Chad is believed to have been supporting the rebel groups operating in Darfur. If he is ousted, then the rebels will have lost their main support and the war here could either completely evaporate or intensify as groups feel a need to dig in. It anyone will feel the effects, it will be western Darfur first and foremost. In north and south Darfur, we are slightly more removed but still following the situation closely.