heart of the conflict in Darfur
Over 300 people fasted and prayed for Darfur yesterday.
I spoke with a co-worker about the fast that so many people are participating in and I wanted to ask her what the root is of why genocide is taking place in Darfur. She is a refugee from Sudan (not from the region of Darfur, but all intellectuals are persecuted in that country in general). She and her husband spent a few years in Egypt before being able to come here. They had to leave because her husband was a journalist and politician that displeased the authorities. (Most of the intellectuals not connected to the power of the government have left actually.)
She said that at the heart of the conflict in Sudan is an identity crisis. Basically, the government for the past few decades has tried to either brainwash or force everyone to think they are Arab or to accept Arabic culture. All who oppose that are not under the totalitarian reign of the government and therefore are a direct threat to "The New Sudan". The Arab group in power in the government is forcing the identity of the country to be Arab, but they are not Arab; they are African. So underneath all the complexities of the conflict over there is really a fight for power over ethnic and national identity. The Janjaweed militias are just a violent tool towards that end.
She told me that since coming here to America, she and her husband have given up their dreams for the future of Sudan.
Habakkuk. 3:17-19
I spoke with a co-worker about the fast that so many people are participating in and I wanted to ask her what the root is of why genocide is taking place in Darfur. She is a refugee from Sudan (not from the region of Darfur, but all intellectuals are persecuted in that country in general). She and her husband spent a few years in Egypt before being able to come here. They had to leave because her husband was a journalist and politician that displeased the authorities. (Most of the intellectuals not connected to the power of the government have left actually.)
She said that at the heart of the conflict in Sudan is an identity crisis. Basically, the government for the past few decades has tried to either brainwash or force everyone to think they are Arab or to accept Arabic culture. All who oppose that are not under the totalitarian reign of the government and therefore are a direct threat to "The New Sudan". The Arab group in power in the government is forcing the identity of the country to be Arab, but they are not Arab; they are African. So underneath all the complexities of the conflict over there is really a fight for power over ethnic and national identity. The Janjaweed militias are just a violent tool towards that end.
She told me that since coming here to America, she and her husband have given up their dreams for the future of Sudan.
Habakkuk. 3:17-19
posted by jdances | 16.5.07
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