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Name
serina
-
Profession
Question
El salamo alaykom,
Since Darfur has become an occupied land, why have all sides and countries focused on the illegal land occupation, ignoring the human abuse in this case?
As all the decisions are against occupation of the land but no body gives any little attention to those who haven't had life's basics.
Answer
The crisis in Darfur is very big and far beyond the reach of the humanitarian organizations. There are very far places that they neither the government nor the humanitarian organizations can reach.
There has to be a bigger role for the international organizations and the international community to help the government put plans to reform Darfur, specailly that Darfur doesn't have an infrastrucutre.
The crisis is very big and the international community doesn't have to contribute by selling arms and weapons but they would better contribute to build infrastrucutre as the shelters are a short-run solutions.
Name
AIR
- Egypt
Profession
Question
Salam Alykom,
Is the picture that gloomy about the Janjaweeds in Darfur; Can one say for sure that they are supported and created by a certain group or party? & Why would they be supported?
Appreciated,
Answer
The Janjaweed is an old and very broad expression. They are from different tribes in Darfur, and mainly thieves as a result of the bad social and economic conditions.
Its a broad expression, and they dont come from a special tribe or group.
They are manily a group of thieves who have weapons and collect themselves to attack people.
The governemnt at the beginning used them (from different tribes) to confront the rebel forces -- but for a short period. But now no one is supporting them.
Name
A.Mahmoud
-
Profession
Question
With the giant lake discovered in Darfur, why do you think it would make no difference in solving this conflict (that is claimed to be on resources)?
Answer
First the lake that was discovered was a bottom water and wasnt discovered recently.
It's an old lake with deep water underground and needs many resources so that it can be used as there is no infrastructure; so that this water can't be used and thus can't contribute to resolving the crisis because of the lack of resources.
Name
-
-
Profession
Question
Who is behind the crisis in Darfur? How can the crisis be resolved and when?
Answer
The crisis started as a normal conflict between two tribes in Darfur, an Arab tribe and a Zaghawa. Such conflicts used to get resolved in terms of treaties and agreements between the two tribes, but the government was slow in solving the problem because it underestimated it, which lead to its intensification of the crisis and made it more difficult to be solved.
To resolve the crisis, the international community has to be neutral, fair, and not to use double standards. It also has to support the people and provide resources to build the infrastrucutre for Darfur.
The solution is also within the hands of the people of Darfur and the tribes and intellectuals in Darfur, they should sit together and make a conference and discuss the crisis as they used to do before.
The Darfuri tradition in solving the crisis was used to be taught in international universities in crisis management.
The solution for the crisis isn't difficult, but it needs all sides of the conflict from the government, tribes, rebels and the people to sit together and reach an agreement and the problem will be solved.
Name
Aisha
- Australia
Profession
Question
What do you think of athe US policies toward Darfur?
What is the official stance of the US and what are its goals?
Answer
The US polciies in Darfur has a double standard, and its more biased against the government in favor of the rebels. It also doesnt ahev a specific agenda towards Darfur
We ask the US to be more fair and non-biased towards anyone neither the government nor the rebels, but to be neutral, specially that its a big country and has resources to help solving the crisis.
The US goals are expansionist and its policis arent fair anywhere not only in Darfur. It also doesnt have transparency in its policies. It may give with one hand but ti takes by the other.
Name
Omar
- Egypt
Profession
Question
We hear of missionary activities, Is that true? what is its extensity? and what is the responce of the locals?
Answer
Darfur has an Islamic culture and abides with Islamic Shariah.
But there are humanitarian organizations that got involved which may had had missionary goals in their agendas, but the government took control and stopped their work.
However there are no missionaries in Darfur specially in the places that abide with Islam and the Islamic culture.
But generally there are no missionary activities, and even if there were before, they were very limited and had no apparent effect.
Name
Dina
-
Profession
Question
Concerning the peace talks on October 27 in Libya, do u think it will help in solving the crisis or not?
Answer
The peace talks will solve the problem if they include all the community of Darfur and representatives of all tribes and rebels and the government, the international players and discuss the crisis with objectivity and fairness.
There also shouldn't be personal agendas that serve the personal interests of a few people.
Name
Arash
- Iran
Profession
Question
How much of the current attention at the sitation in Darfur do you think is related to the fact that Sudan has Uranium natural reserves. Not only Europe (especially France) but it also seems even Iran has some eye on the reserves. Do you see this issue playing any role in escalating or resolving the issue in Sudan?
Answer
The internatioanl attention given to Darfur is because Darfur is thought to be rich in resources, because the government explored minerals in Darfur, but there is nothing for sure, it might be rumours.
Darfur has more than uranium, it has oil and other mineral resources.
Teh explorations of resources affects the problem and makes it escalated specially if it was very clear and for sure that there is mineral resources in Darfur because it would attract other countries to have a role in Darfur and try to interfer.
Name
Rasha
- Egypt
Profession
Question
I want to ask about your vision of what future is awaiting Darfur after all these years?
Answer
The future of Darfur isnt clear specially after the decision of deployment of internatioanl forces, as people are skeptic whether these forces will have their own agendas or it will really help in solving the problem.
Specially after the experience of Iraq and its division, the future isnt clear and is somehow pessimistic.
Name
Nathan
-
Profession
Question
I want to know what was the real spark that initiated all this destruction, I know what the States keep saying, but what is the truth?
Answer
The spark of the destruction was that the small conflict between two tribes an arab and an african, but the rebels' memebers who live outside Sudan made the conflict much worse by taking the conflict to the UN and the internatioanl media while it was a normal conflict between two tribes.
This contributed to the escalation of the conflict.
Name
tt
-
Profession
Question
Do you think that there is a practical way out for Darfur crisis?
Answer
I think the practical solution will include the return of the refugees to their homes and leave the refugees camps. The international players have to help these people to return to their houses in a natural way by paying these people to be able to reconstruct their houses and return to their homes, it also must help the sudanese government in building the infrastructure.
I also think there has to be a convention of all parties of the conflict with the observation of the international community, in which all parties whether the rebels, the people, the government sit together and discuss the crisis and reach a solution.
The international players, whether countries ro organizations, are looking at their own interest and not the intersets of the people of darfur.
Name
Sharmiela
- South Africa
Profession
Rural development worker
Question
As Salaam U Alaikum
I have heard from relief people coming back from Darfur that the situation is not as bad as the western media and governments are propagating. And that the U.S. have a vested interest in the darfur area because of the oil that was discovered in the area besides the underground water and further to increase their military presence in that part of Africa. I would appreciate a frank answer. Shukran
Answer
There is a suffering of people and a real crisis, but not in the way that the internatioanl media portrays.
There is killing, and burning of houses and violence, but not in the way that the media portrays.
The suffering of the people in Darfur is just like the suffereing of people in palestine, but the media makes the suffering of Darfuris much worse than the palestinians, I find it double standard in that way. Why does it exaggerate in portraying the violence and sufferings in DArfur, while it gives minimum attention to the sufferings of Palestinians?
The conflict between the arab and african tribes arent that bad, they are mixed and living together. Its even hard to differentiate between them in real life.
There is also no racism between the arabs and africans in the way the media portrays. It is exaggerating.
