Sudan Watch (to July 2012)

[tequila]

In Nubia, fears of another Darfur - LATIMES, 31 Aug.

The tranquil Nubian villages along this Nile River stretch are best known for the brightly painted gates that adorn many of the simple mud-brick homes. With geometric shapes and hieroglyphic-like pictures, the oversized gates hark back to the stone-carved doorways the villagers' ancestors once built on pyramids that rivaled Egypt's.

These days, however, the elaborate entryways are shadowed by black flags. Government soldiers patrol once-quiet dirt streets, occasionally drawing stones from angry youths. Protest graffiti mar the walls, including one scrawling of an AK-47 with the simple caption: "Darfur 2."

First, southern Sudan erupted in a 20-year civil war, followed by the east and, most recently, the western region of Darfur. Now many fear that Sudan's northern territory of Nubia will be the next to explode over the fight for resources and all-too-familiar accusations of "ethnic cleansing" and complaints of marginalization by an Arab-dominated government ...

[negotiator6]

I deployed on a DOD contract with four others to Nuba Mountains, Sudan, located in the southern half of the largest country in Africa-Sudan. The story in the LA Times about the Nubian people might require alittle more definition. Date of deployment: early March of 2002.

Mission: Observer/Advisor to interim cease fire agreement between SPLA-Sudan People's Liberation Army and GOS-Government of Sudan

In the early years of tribes in north Africa, the Nubian people were mostly black Africans tribes, in lieu of the Arab tribes more common to the tribes currently making up the Middle East. As Islam and Arab tribes migrated westward, the Nubian people or factions of the tribes moved south. Although, many remained, as today, the Nubian people were constantly degraded to near slavery under Islam; many retained their "Christain" legacy reinforced by the occupation forces during World War I.

Others moved south and many took up residency in the five (5) mountains (maximum height at 3,000 ft) in what is called Nuba Mountains in the southern half of Sudan. There about 2 million people resided until the conflict between what was then the Sudan People's Liberation Army (SPLA) and the Government of Sudan which began after Bashir came to power. The war started in 1983 and until its conclusion in 2004, it was the longest continuous war in Africa with over 2 million dead and countless hundreds of thousands as IDP's and refugees along the Sudan-Congo, Republic of, Kenya, Ethiopia, Uganda and Chad and in the region called Darfur.

The Nuba Mountains were essentially surrounded by the Government of Sudan soldiers and encampments; the last major attack in Nuba was in May of 2001 near the dirt landing strip near Kauda.

Only two of the four deployed into the mountains; BLH to sector 5/mountains with a small contingent of SPLA and myself, to the command HQ of the SPLA in Sector 1. Co-located with the SPLA leadership, I acted as an observer and advisor: tasking included moderating issues which would break the cease fire agreement; compliment any NGO activities and moreover, reinforce the end state objective of a sustained cease fire moving into a final peace agreement. Often myself and several others would walk to the SPLA "garrisons" which were located a narrow passage ways into the mountains; the SPLA fighters were located with their families knowing full well, if they could not succeed in controlling key terrain, they and their families would be slaughtered by the GOS soldiers.

The SPLA with its leader John Garang (Infantry Officer's Basic Course-FT. Benning) who led the uprising against the GOS interdicted the oil transport lines from southern Sudan to the coast, thereby inflicting heavy economic damage on the government.

As you know, China receives nearly 10% of their oil from Sudan and all parties, including US wanted this peace agreement to materialize. In fact, the Sudan Peace Act under President Bush promised the Bashir government 300 million in economic aid if a peace agreement between the factions was finalized. In view of today's issues in Sudan, I suspect that funding has been withheld-I might add, a great amount was destined for the south, but according to current reports, none has materialized.

The Point: If there are any doubts about the Government of Sudan and its efforts to cleanse Sudan of their non Islamic population, I can testify as a witness to genocide in Nuba Mountains, Sudan. The people were on the absolute verge of starvation. I most often tried to eat (initially MRE's) solo, as I could see the look on their collective faces when I broke opon a pack.

All the talk in the world will not stop Bashir and his government from cleansing all who are not Islamic, speak Arabic and abide by sharia law.

Never negotiate except from a position of strength..so goes the phrase..and up currently Sudan remains in a position of strength with oil reserves to exceed perhaps those of Saudi Arabia; billions of petro dollars are flowing into Khartom and the Arab world supports Sudan push to extinguish those who are not of the Islamic faith.

And, lastly, when I returned, one of the Sudan DOD desk officers asked: " Tell me about the SPLA fighers..what kind of soldiers are they?"

My response was terse with this short example. I replied.." Almost any SPLA soldier licking an ice cream with his left hand could gut you from the neck to your bellybutton and not miss a lick..."

Enough said!

Randy

[negotiator6]

Many of the readers know of Sudan as primarily the ongoing crisis in Darfur.Between 1983 and January of 2005, Sudan experienced the longest continuous civil war in Africa.* The Comprehensive Peace Agreement (CPA) was signed on January 9, 2005 between the then National Islamic Front (NIF)-now termed the National Congress Party (NCP) and the Sudan People's Liberation Movement (SPLM), the political component of the Sudan People's Liberation Army/SPLA.* John Garang, the infamous bush fighter turned leader of the SPLA headed up essentially both the SPLA and the SPLM.* Garang was killed in a helicopter "accident" after returning with a meeting in Uganda with its president in July of 2005.

I deployed under a DOD advisory contract in March of 2002 in support of cease fire agreement in Nuba Mountains-Nuba was a five mountain chain adjacent to the oil pipeline from Unity State..just south of Nuba Mts (South Kordafan).* Parties agreed to the following: The SPLA would cease cutting the oil pipeline, while the north (NIF) would allow humanitarian relief into Nuba Mts. which had been essentially cut of from all aid for many years.The cease fire in Nuba Mts was the first step in bring the parties together which culiminated in the Comprehensive Peace Agreement (CPA) signed on January 9, 2005.

The US along with Britain have been supporters of the SPLA in part due to the radical Islamic government headed by the current President Bashir in Khartoum.* You may recall UBL headquartered for a time in Sudan in the mid=1990's before being pushed out moving to the border areas of Afghanistan-Pakistan.OK, movin fast forward..in comes the UN and as part of the planning post was southern Sudan, the mission to "transform" the SPLA into a professional military organization.* The USG government contract was awarded to Dyncorp.* I joined the advisory mission to the SPLA in November of 2007.

Lessons Learned:

(1) Dyncorp was wholly un-prepared for the mission-

(2) The Program Manager was former military who worked as liaison officer with State and essentially built the advisory program, and in doing so worked his way into the contract for $240,000 per year.* The result was a person totally unqualified to lead a mission of this importance in Sudan..and perhaps anyplace.

(3) Relationships within the government continually give rise to intra-personal situations not for the purpose of the mission, but to "buy" a job post retirement from government service or the military.

(4) Outsourcing critical training components of the US foreign policy to companies who really do not care about the mission, but rather are concerned about profits.

(5) Visited several times by former US Army generals (retired) who meant well in their collective presence, but everyone knew they "sold" their connections for income opportunities-this fact seems so apparent.

(6) The recruitment of "advisors" included several with severe health issues; one fellow on Prozac, while others were totally un-qualified for the positions.* At issue..the company just could not find as required in the USG Statement of Work (SOW) qualified people when considering the competition from the wars in Iraq and Afghanistan.So, you say..why did you stay...well, I didn't.*

In short, the US is thin on fulfilling its worldwide mission.* We need to re-think our committments and provide the resources neccesary, otherwise, more harm than good will result as in the case of providing competent military advisors... called the Training & Advisory Team (TAT) mission to Southern Sudan in support of the Sudan People's LIberation Army/SPLA.

[Tom Odom]

Many of the readers know of Sudan as primarily the ongoing crisis in Darfur.Between 1983 and January of 2005, Sudan experienced the longest continuous civil war in Africa.*

And in doing so beat its own previous record of 14 years of civil war that ended in 1975 as I recall...

John Garang, the infamous bush fighter turned leader of the SPLA headed up essentially both the SPLA and the SPLM.* Garang was killed in a helicopter "accident" after returning with a meeting in Uganda with its president in July of 2005.

And was the college classmate of my 3rd ex-wife, whom I met while we were in Sudan. Garang is one of those figures who was hero to some and devil to others. He was also labeled both terrorist and freedom fighter.

The US along with Britain have been supporters of the SPLA in part due to the radical Islamic government headed by the current President Bashir in Khartoum.*

In this latest iteration, yes, In the earlier stages when I was there we were trying to walk the line and attempted to discourage the Khartoum government from declaring Shariah in 1983. When that failed we tried to convince Nmeri not to enforce it.That partially restarted the war--what really got it going was US oil exploration in the south and the exploitation of that by the Arab north, The southern rebels shut that down in 1984 when they attacked the camp at Malakal, killing several expatriate workers.

I am not surprised thet Dyncorp couldn't do the job, nor am I surprised that they took the contract. Damn few folks know anything about the Sudan and most are happy to use ignorance as a carte blanche to do what they want according to various agendas.

Tom

[Stan]

Lessons Learned:

(1) Dyncorp was wholly un-prepared for the mission-

(2) The Program Manager was former military who worked as liaison officer with State and essentially built the advisory program, and in doing so worked his way into the contract for $240,000 per year.* The result was a person totally unqualified to lead a mission of this importance in Sudan..and perhaps anyplace.

(3) Relationships within the government continually give rise to intra-personal situations not for the purpose of the mission, but to "buy" a job post retirement from government service or the military.

(4) Outsourcing critical training components of the US foreign policy to companies who really do not care about the mission, but rather are concerned about profits.

A sad state of affairs, but not at all surprising that the responsible individuals at the US Embassy would not engage. Keep in mind the contracting officer(s) is/are nearly the most junior officer(s) with the least amount of experience, and already a full plate to deal with before he/she/they pull(s) plug at the 2-year mark.

It takes but one individual to get the IG fired up (I've done it twice while on active duty... it works, albeit slowly).

(5) Visited several times by former US Army generals (retired) who meant well in their collective presence, but everyone knew they "sold" their connections for income opportunities-this fact seems so apparent.

Hmmm, all our 'visitors' were either in 'government' or still on active duty !
We used to call that "gettin' your passport stamped "Goma" in the event there would be awards or potential presidential candidates in near future"

(6) The recruitment of "advisors" included several with severe health issues; one fellow on Prozac, while others were totally un-qualified for the positions.* At issue..the company just could not find as required in the USG Statement of Work (SOW) qualified people when considering the competition from the wars in Iraq and Afghanistan.So, you say..why did you stay...well, I didn't.*

Two California-based contractors with shady pasts employing Rwandan and Nigerian soldiers under the (ahem) watchful eye of the African Union? Better yet, a five-year open-ended State Department task order... Yep, sounds just about right.

Hard to find qualified people to work for nothing in Africa these days.

In short, the US is thin on fulfilling its worldwide mission.* We need to re-think our committments and provide the resources neccesary, otherwise, more harm than good will result as in the case of providing competent military advisors... called the Training & Advisory Team (TAT) mission to Southern Sudan in support of the Sudan People's LIberation Army/SPLA.

I concur with you ! Do you feel AFRICOM will come up with qualified active duty personnel to fulfill all our political commitments in Africa ? Having spent a decade in DRC (then Zaire), I can't imagine just how much it would take to turn things around. We had the qualified personnel and literally unlimited budgets, but the problem was far more difficult than D.C. could ever fathom.

Regards, Stan

[Barnsley]

It is indicative of the appalling mess that 'New Sudan' is melting into. Juba is a bloody dangerous place to be these days. Armed gangs roam the town at night and deliberately target the compounds of the UN and NGOs. Following the money. The levels of corruption are epic. Almost every commodity is imported through Atiak having been dragged all the way from Mombasa via Busia or Mbale then on through Kampala or Lira, Gulu, Kitgum and over the border. Its a trip of about 2000kms. The economist and friend-of-Bob Geldorf, Jeffery Sachs recently had his minions calculate ht e average speed of an ISO container over the route, 5kph. Cost of journey (according to a local Indian businessman, $10k. And they intend to build a capital city. The roads from the Kenya/Uganda border mostly look and feel like they have been cluster bombed. As each day goes by, with convoys of huge over-loaded trucks, the roads get worse. The journey from Lira to Kampala used to take me 4 hours in 2005, it now takes six. They are rebuilding the Yoweri Museveni Memorial Highway and Regional Bombing Range, between Nakasongolo and Luweero, but it is being destroyed even as its being repaired. The railway line between Kisumu and Kampala fell in the water last week, about the same time as the Government announced that the bridge over the Owen's Falls at Jinja is badly cracked and will have to be rebuilt asp. It is the MSR for Uganda, Rwanda, Burundi, Sudan and E Congo. The Chinese, who are here in hordes, are on a promise to build a railwayline from Kampala to Juba .... some day.
My favorite Sudanese cluster-fug of the moment is at: www.normeca.com/normeca/news/ Southern%20Sudan%20Hospital%20Project_mail.pdf -
It will no doubt be Sudan's equivalent of the Millennium Dome.
The cost of building this 'folly' is in excess of EU 20m
The estimated monthly running costs are EU 5m
There is currently a major crisis because GOSS haven't paid any running costs yet.
Shame for all those expat docs and nurses sitting around the pool drinking cold beers, whilst the locals [Taposa pastoral nomads] have to have a shower before they are allowed in the hospital. This is supposed to be a sustainable project, yep, but who is going to sustain it? And the deal is they will build 9 more, a bunch of mobile clinics and two hospital ships on the Nile! I swear!! Assuming they can attract enough expats to man these white elephants, the monthly running costs will total about $100m a month. Meanwhile 37 nurses were sacked in Juba Referral Hospital ( they only have 50) for walking out because the administration failed to pay them.
Tom: I am back. I wrote the paper on CIMIC and also a shorter article for a magazine. If you instruct me as to where and how I post its URL, i will do so. You were all a great help, thank you. If there is anyone out there who is current on the Dyncorp story, i would be interested. And in anything else S Sudan. Kony is still wandering around the woods in either Congo or CAR, but the people have got bored and gone home. There are some great stories about resettling IDPS in northern Uganda if you think it would start a string. I also have a good friend who is commanding AMISOM in Mogadishu, I could ask him if he wanted to join and offer thoughts, he is desperate for new ideas.

[Jedburgh]

USIP, 21 Feb 08: Sudanese Universities as Sites of Social Transformation

Summary

• Education is an important resource for any country, but it is especially valuable in spreading the values that transform a wartime society into one with a culture of peace.

• Some of the structural inequities besetting the educational system in Sudan today stem from the colonial period and policies set during the early days of independence.

• Efforts to unify the country through an Arabic national curriculum caused resentment and alienation in the non-Arab communities and exacerbated civil conflicts.

• Sudanese universities have historically been the incubators of political change in Sudan, and student unions in particular have retained a tradition of vibrant—and sometimes violent—political activity.

• The education revolution implemented by the current regime in the 1990s overextended Sudanese universities, resulting in an extreme teacher deficit and the degradation of university resources and degrees.

• Various additional policies had the effect of intimidating university students and teachers, changing the atmosphere on campuses and leading to a nonreflective focus on exam results and to little intellectual exchange.

• In the interim period between the signing of the Comprehensive Peace Agreement (CPA) and the general election, a new openness allowed universities to begin to revive their historical intellectual traditions. This openness will be vital for securing peace with the South and for eventually reconciling Darfur and the East.

• A productive model has been illustrated by efforts to engage Sudanese universities with their local communities as sites for the development and sharing of public information, culture, and the acceptance of difference.

• The international community should advocate creative collaboration, research, and teaching exchanges both to and from Sudan, encourage international conferences involving Sudanese students and faculty, and pay active attention to restoring Sudanese libraries and research facilities.

• Sudanese education officials, university faculty, and civil-society organizations should work together to counter four key educational problems: the lack of exposure to critical thinking and research skills; the lack of vibrant extracurricular life; the alienation of universities from their local communities; and the recurring pattern of violent student activism.

Complete 12 page paper at the link.

[Beelzebubalicious]

This is just being reported so not a lot of info right now. If anyone is on the ground there, would be interested in hearing more about this.

http://africa.reuters.com/wire/news/usnMCD049604.html

[Tom Odom]

Omdurman with the Karari training area is west of Khartoum. The Infantry, Armor, Artillery, and ADA centers are all out that way. Hard to say,,,

[Beelzebubalicious]

Know any good forum or blogs to track this?

[Rex Brynen]

Fighting prompts Khartoum curfew, al-Jazeera English, 11 May 2008.

A curfew has been imposed on Khartoum, the Sudanese capital, after government forces clashed with fighters from the Justice and Equality Movement (Jem) in an area north of the city.

The Jem website said on Saturday that its fighters had taken control of Wadi Saidna air force base, just north of Khartoum, although this has not been verified.

More coverage (and some pictures) at the Sudan Tribune website.

[sgmgrumpy]

Excellent site for current events in SUDAN.


SUDAN WATCH
http://www.sudanwatch.blogspot.com/

[SWJED]

Excellent site for current events in SUDAN.


SUDAN WATCH
http://www.sudanwatch.blogspot.com/

SGM,

Nice link - I'm always on the lookout for additional resources on Africa. This site has links to other Sudan bloggers as well as to Congo Watch, Niger Watch, Ethiopia Watch and Uganda Watch. Thanks again.

Dave

[sgmgrumpy]

Interesting Survey. The website has alot of information as well.

Human Security Baseline Assessment Small Arms Survey, Geneva Sep 2006
http://www.smallarmssurvey.org/files...0sept%2006.pdf

Disarmament and gun control, coupled with security sector reform (SSR) and police training, are viewed by Lakes State residents as high priorities. Almost three quarters of respondents claimed that reducing the number of firearms and related arms would make people safer. In fact, more than one-fifth of respondents contended that firearms were South Sudan’s most pressing concern—outranking even access to education (20 per cent), poor health facilities (7 per cent), and unemployment (4 per cent) as the region’s most urgent priorities. Almost two-thirds of respondents reported that improvements to the security sector (police and military) were a high priority. More than half focused on the need for more effective police, while 20 per cent identified improving the army as a priority.

Small Arms Survey Main Site
http://www.smallarmssurvey.org/

[jcustis]

It seems there was an attack at a large refugee camp near the middle of last month, and it caused an exodus of aid workers at a critical time, with only Red Cross left to deal with the 130,000 souls dwelling there.

I found more on aidworkers.net: http://www.aidworkers.net/?q=node/671

Aid groups pull out of Darfur refugee camp after rape

According to an article in the Independent, UK on 22 January 2007 by Alex Duval Smith in Paris:

Aid groups have suspended operations in Darfur and may pull out of the Sudanese province after a French relief worker was raped, another sexually assaulted and an Oxfam employee was severely beaten at the world's largest refugee camp.

The attack took place on 18 December at Gereida refugee camp, South Darfur, and marks the first time a Western aid worker has been the target of rape - a weapon of war in Darfur, where 3.5 million people depend on aid. "We have suspended our operations and we may not go back," said Thomas Gonnet, the director of operations for Action Contre La Faim (ACF), whose colleague was raped and another was molested.


Is there anyone on the SWC who has primary source knowledge of the current conditions in the Sudan?

[sgmgrumpy]

Jcustis,

He might be your best bet. Although he only has a few more months left in country.

I am a South African soldier. My work as an infantry captain at 6 SA Infantry Battalion (Air Assault)includes work as an AU/UN miltary observer. This is my world and I could not imagine doing anything else.

DARFUR BLOG
http://www.rsasoldier.blogspot.com/

[120mm]

Interesting Survey. The website has alot of information as well.

Human Security Baseline Assessment Small Arms Survey, Geneva Sep 2006
http://www.smallarmssurvey.org/files...0sept%2006.pdf



Small Arms Survey Main Site
http://www.smallarmssurvey.org/

Every time I see something like this, I cringe. Blaming inanimate objects for complex problems seems to be a "universal solution" for the international activist type.

The "small arm" becomes the totem of both the soldier, and the peacenik, and the peacenik's solution is to simply remove the "small arm". Of course, when combined with military defeat, the symbolism might be effective (We beat you, so we get to remove/you have to give up your totem).

But short of military defeat, removing small arms is a) not practical and b) setting the stage for a "peace without justice" where the large and powerful no longer have to respect the small but well-armed.

It's also possible that c) setting the stage for a future conflict based on the forced disarmament.

Rearming is not a very difficult thing to do, or faking disarmament in the first place is a possibility.

[Jedburgh]

From the UK Defence Academy's Conflict Studies Research Centre, 2 Apr 07:

Darfur: A Cultural Handbook

...The aim of this piece is to explore the broad issues which are part of and associated with the culture of Darfur. Although much has been written on the north and south of Sudan, there is still very little currently available regarding the culture in the west, due mainly to its remoteness, and that it continues to be ‘out of bounds’, with access by Westerners strictly restricted by the Sudanese Government.

Sudan and, specifically, Darfur are difficult and expensive to get into and difficult to travel through and across. But Sudan is very strategically placed and has played an important part in the history of civilisation through the millennia. Through its location it has the ability to contribute considerably to wider regional stability and the prosperity of a key part of Africa in the future....

[SWJED]

27 May LA Times - U.N. Presses for Peace in Darfur by Maggie Farley.

U.N. Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon has put his personal diplomatic clout on the line to end the bloodshed in Darfur, demanding a cease-fire and fresh peace talks in a letter to Sudan's president, U.S. and Sudanese diplomats said Saturday.

Ban has asked the Security Council to hold off on sanctions to give President Omar Hassan Ahmed Bashir time to respond to an all-out diplomatic drive outlined for the first time in the confidential letter, which was delivered Friday.

The letter is also meant to signal a last chance for Bashir to stop attacks by Arab militias widely believed to be supported by the government. If Sudan continues to stall or backtrack on agreements, diplomats here say, even its strongest allies in the Security Council will have little excuse to block strong sanctions...

[tequila]

U.S. relies on Sudan despite condemning it. Greg Miller and Josh Meyer, LATIMES. 11 June.

Sudan has secretly worked with the CIA to spy on the insurgency in Iraq, an example of how the U.S. has continued to cooperate with the Sudanese regime even while condemning its suspected role in the killing of tens of thousands of civilians in Darfur.

President Bush has denounced the killings in Sudan's western region as genocide and has imposed sanctions on the government in Khartoum. But some critics say the administration has soft-pedaled the sanctions to preserve its extensive intelligence collaboration with Sudan.

The relationship underscores the complex realities of the post-Sept. 11 world, in which the United States has relied heavily on intelligence and military cooperation from countries, including Sudan and Uzbekistan, that are considered pariah states for their records on human rights.

"Intelligence cooperation takes place for a whole lot of reasons," said a U.S. intelligence official, who like others spoke on condition of anonymity when discussing intelligence assessments. "It's not always between people who love each other deeply."

Sudan has become increasingly valuable to the United States since the Sept. 11 attacks because the Sunni Arab nation is a crossroads for Islamic militants making their way to Iraq and Pakistan.

That steady flow of foreign fighters has provided cover for Sudan's Mukhabarat intelligence service to insert spies into Iraq, officials said ...