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Name
Eg Foo Yong
- Hong Kong
Profession
Tugboat Skipper
Question
Are you optimistic or pessimistic regarding peace and quiet in the Sudan for this coming year?
Answer
I would rather say that the peace building process is more complicated than negotiating peace itself. Am aware of the difficulties involved in sustaining peace. Am aware that peace has been made viable becuase of war fatigue between contending forces whether government or west or south. In addition to strong international pressure on both sides.
Peace came from negotiation needs a lot of effort to sustain it. We do not have war anymore, we hope this coming year will sustain it but so far the signs and steps that have been taken are not supportive of any optimistic conclusion.
The goal should be to imrove the living conditions in the short run and offer better opportunities to the population. There is a need to take decissions based on the deep understanding of the differences in the country. The situation in Darfur is a bit complicated because of the division between rebels which should be put into consideration.
Name
Hous bin Fard'een
-
Profession
Banquet Accountant
Question
What role does religion play in the problem of Darfur?
Answer
I do not think that religion plays a role. Darfur is the only region in the country that has non muslim minority unlike the south or west so I do not see it as a division along religious lines. Darfur crisis started way back in the 80's over the control of resources. Population doubled and resources and land did not, so the problem of decreasing land caused more problems due to lack of resources and competition over it, But these kinds of problems turn into ethnic conflict not religious.
Name
Nadar
- United States
Profession
Student
Question
As-Salamu Alaiykum
I would like to know more about the situation in Darfur? Also, I would like to know why aren't Muslims(especially Arab countries) not helping the victim of DArfur conflict?
Answer
The first part of this question has been answered before so please check previous answers. I think the other Muslim countries supported the Sudanese government rejection of international intervetion in Darfur. The sudanese government showed it is ok with intervention from the African union forces but no international forces. They saw clearly what happened in Iraq as a result of international intervetion.But there is no doubt that Muslim countries should have played a more active role in humanitarian assistance which is currently coming from western countries.
Name
Lady Fingers
- Bahamas
Profession
Question
What role do Islamic terrorists play in Darfur?
Answer
If you mean Bin Laden, he threatened to interfere in Darfur, but there is no evidence so far of infeltration of terrorism in Darfur. This is inter-muslim fighting.
Name
Salah
- United Kingdom
Profession
Al-Hajj
Question
Dear Sir,
I am a Sudanese expatriot living in the UK and would like to ask whether Egypt could be a truly honest broker in any of Sudan's conflicts, due to the highly securitised issue of Sudan's water resources.
Does Egypt not have an interest in maintaining a weak but marginally stable Sudan?
Answer
I know this theory that Egypt would like to see a weak Sudan because of water resources, but this conspiracy theory is not based on a right reading of the the water issue. The threat is not coming from Sudan, 85 % of the nile water comes from the Blue Nile , Ethiopia rahter from Sudan, both Egypt and Sudan are down stream countries and are major benefitialists from the nile water. Any conflict over nile water will equally affect Sudan and Egypt but the danger to the Water supply does not come form Sudan. So I do not agree with this conspiracy theory.
Name
Zaki
- Indonesia
Profession
Student
Question
Assalaamu'alaikum warahmatulaahi wabarakaatuhu.
Ba'da tahmid wa shalawat.
Does the death of John Garang give the significance influsence to Darfur conflict ? I was hear that there is a conspiration of foreign power in Darfur, is it right ? How ?
How about Hasan Turabi's role and opinion on Darfur ?
Jazakumullaah khair.
Wassalaamu'alaikum warahmatullaahi wabarakaatuhu.
Answer
The death of Garang might have added possible claim to the representation of Whole Sudan, but his continuation might have caused more division due to this revolutionary ideas, his death regretable as it is might have contributed to lessening dispute among southerners. As for the second part of your question, please check previous answers.
Name
Kamor
- Nigeria
Profession
Question
As-salamu Aleikum. I have watched developments in Sudan over a couple of years and especially the peace efforts being made by the warring factions. What saddens me as a Muslim is the lack of concern by the Islamic nation of the plight of the Darfurians and in fact the whole Sudanese in general as a result of this unnecessary and drwan out blood letting. Watching the situation from here in Nigeria and also monitoring the reports in the media, there seem to be absolute lack of any sort of genuine commitement by the Muslim countries to prevent, stop or lessen the suffering of ordinary civilians. Rather, substiantiated reports have been written of trading in slaves, psedo-slaves by Muslim Arabs. Politics seems to have played major role in the whole crises than what the religion obligate us to do and we have given up our duties to help our brothers and sisters to other than us. How would you consider my feelings on this subject.
Answer
I sympathise very much and appreciate what you expressed but what the Isalmic countries are doing in many other conflicts shows there is a lack of attention and inability to take a positive position concerning the war in any muslim community. It was Europe that took and had a position in Bosnia not the Muslim countries. It is a reality in International relations. I do not think there is slavery though, there are human crisis and abuse of course and it is very clear. There is gross violation of human rights but all parties are responsible for what is happening.
Name
Abu Baker
- Spain
Profession
Question
Analaysts say the Abuja accord is the second stage of the US plan to devide Sudan... What is your opinion?
Thanks...
Answer
I do not exclude international as well as regional interests in the crisis in Darfur but I do not see any clear interest in having a divided Sudan, how will it serve the Amercian interests.I could see some interest linked to oil and American plans to shift from dependence on Middle east oil to African oil with the presence of the pipeline which extends from Chad and less costly. There are estimates that there are huge amounts of Uranium in Darfur. These are factors that should be taken into account. I do not exclude staretgic interests but no to the extent of dividing Sudan.
Name
Sami Al Muali
- Morocco
Profession
Question
Could you mention the positive and negative outcomes of the
Abuja peace deal? and what is its impact on Darfuri refugees who live a misery between borders?
Answer
On the negative sides, the Abudja agreement is a partial one, it is not comprehensive because it excluded some of the armed groups, it excluded very important political actors within Darfur who have been traditionally very important players and it also excluded traditional leadership in Darfur from African tribes and Arab ones who should have been part of this agreement
On the positive side the seize fire decession is very important and represents a great result.
It will be very difficult to start war again, there is war fatigue among everybody, players and population. what could be achieved by war could be achieved by no war, because the fighters are not the ones who suffer most but the people are the ones who loose all what they have so resorting to peaceful means was a great result of this agreement.
Refugess will be careful in taking the decission of return, they will not rush back unless they are sure it is safe. But I think that refugees in Chad for example will be more willing to return and get rid of the conditions in camps and the suffering they are living in right now.
Name
Percival
- Falkland Island
Profession
Question
Could you expound a teensy bit about the inter-Muslim nature of the conflict? Which side is backing who?
Answer
As mentioned before, the Darfurian community is a Muslim community. While the ruling party is backing the Arab speaking tribes, and the Islamic movement is backing the non-arab speaking tribes. We have a situation that is not an islamic one it is political rivalry.
Name
Muhnad Nouri
- Canada
Profession
Question
the factional rebel leader from Sudan's Darfur region Abdel Wahed Mohammed Al-Nur has made an overture to the Sudanese government that has prompted intensive talks to push for a breakthrough.
Nur said he pledges to sign the accord if a list of key demands were addressed in a separate document.
Nur said he pledges to sign the accord if a list of key demands were addressed in a separate document. what does that reflect ?
Answer
Nur said that the people of Darfur has the right to nominate a vice president and that 2 million people displaced by the government have a right to financial compensation, he also drew a parallel with a peace deal signed last year between the North and South in which the right to minesterial government and to self determination in 5 years time in the south. All this reflects a deep division within SLM which is along line with ethnic division.
Name
Abdullahi Sh Rashid Axmad Shiil
- Malaysia
Profession
student
Question
Assalamu aleikum,Dear bro, i would like to ask, why has the Muslim media failed to capture the story of Darfur,we know how the western media has been exaggerating it,since the have an axe to grind with the sudanese government,why is some muslim media using the western references,like genocide,when they are failing to describe the massacre of the palestinians as genocide, and the starvation of children, and women in palestine, have you everheard a western media calling it cleansing or genocide, the pen is strong, use to defend islam and the muslims,correct and blame who is who in an islamic situation like that of darfur,but darfurians must stop taking arsenal from sudan enemies to destroy the nation.give dailogue a chance, may Allah help us all.Allahuma Amiin.
Answer
I agree with you. There is a real crisis in Darfur, but we should not under estimate the humanitarian crisis, of course it is not as other ones but it still exists.
