Darfur! Have We all Forgotten about It?

Sudan’s ruling National Congress Party (NCP), led by President Omar al-Bashir, is desperate to prevent the independence of the south, which will be decided by referendum in 2011. After all, Sudan’s oilfields, currently al-Bashir’s cash cows, lie in the south. Sudan?s government has denied access to all but African troops, and, alongside a range of other demands, this has limited Unamid’s operability. Sudan’s Penal Code, which is based upon the government’s interpretation of Shari’a (Islamic law), includes penalties such as limb amputation, death, and death followed by crucifixion. Amnesty International regards these as cruel, inhuman or degrading punishments.

Sudan can control the rebellion, what they cannot, what Harun cannot do is attack the village, attack the civilians. They would not find any rebels in the cities, they would just attacking the civilians to remove them. Sudan’s penal code, which is based upon the government’s interpretation of Shari’a (Islamic law), includes penalties such as limb amputation, death and death followed by crucifixion. Sudanese oil fuels China’s growing economy. There are rumors that the Chinese government has funneled money into al-Bashir’s hands, thus funding the genocide.

Sudan is today the site of two contradictory processes. The first is the Naivasha peace process between the Sudan People’s Liberation Army (SPLA) and the Government of Sudan, whose promise is an end to Africa’s longest festering civil war. Sudan’s neighbour Chad has been instrumental in mediation between the Government and rebels, and this has resulted in several ceasefire agreements - most recently the one signed on 8 April 2004. The African Union has agreed to deploy observers to monitor the ceasefire. Sudan’s internal problems are also not an Arab national security issue as claimed by the members of the Egyptian parliament. The conflict has always been an internal matter, as shown by the fact that none of the groups fighting the governments have targeted Arab countries, interests or people.