Leaving for Darfur

Following in the tradition of other bloggers who have aired their views on the unfolding events in Darfur, I will commence this blog of one person's odyssey to Darfur.

The apparent assassination of the U.S. official, John Granville, working for the U.S. Agency for International Development (USAID) who had been assigned to help to implement the 2005 comprehensive peace agreement (CPA) between Sudan's north and south after more than two decades of civil war is very troubling. No sign at this time how USAID will react to his death. Granville's Sudanese driver was also killed in the attack. Intially, the US downplayed the possibility that the attack was the work of terrorists. Despite the animosity between the two governments, Sudanese do not normally display aggression toward US citizens in Sudan. http://www.nytimes.com/2008/01/02/world/africa/02sudan.html?em&ex=1199336400&en=5df99a677d101c6c&ei=5087%0A

On Tuesday night however, the American Embassy sent out an e-mail message to Americans in Sudan notifying them about the attack on the Granville, reminding them that terrorist groups continue to seek opportunities to carry out attacks against U.S. interests and warning of the risk of indiscriminate attacks on civilian targets in public places. Suggesting that the attack may have been indiscriminate.

I look very much forward to my stay in Darfur, but this news also reminds me of the dangers associated with travel to a conflict zone.

WHY NUBIAN KNIGHTS?

Knights, like the samurai of Japan, were a warrior class defending the people and bound by a code of chivalry that governed good conduct. I realize that this code was regularly broken in the quest for power or material goods, but the spirit of the knight fighting in defense of the people seemed an appropriate description of the modern-day humanitarian worker. The shiny land rovers and codan radio antennas may have replaced the steed and lance, but the mission is no less the same: to defend the honor and livelihood of ordinary people everywhere. Knights have been romanticized for prosperity sake, but this blog will avoid the Chaucer version and paint a more realistic picture of the personal and professional challenges knights face in the deserts of Darfur. I will include tales about myself, my hopes and aspirations for a stable and productive Sudan.

Most importantly, I will keep this site respectful of the people and peace process in Sudan.