Category: African history
In Sudan, an agreement is emerging between civilians and soldiers — Archy Worldys
The leaders of the protest movement and the army hope to have found common ground Saturday, April 27 in Khartoum, capital of Sudan, the first step towards an exit from the political crisis that paralyzed the country for several months. ” We reached an agreement on a joint council between civilians and the army Ahmed […]
via In Sudan, an agreement is emerging between civilians and soldiers — Archy Worldys
Sudan. Darfur worried about new power — Archy Worldys
One week after the dismissal of Omar Al Bashir, the Sudanese people are still gaining ground. The army allegedly gave in to the street yesterday by transferring the former dictator to the infamous Kober prison in northern Khartoum. Ironically, it is in the sinister jails of this penitentiary that the old regime used to imprison […]
Sudan’s Military Says It Has Taken Control And Arrested President Omar Al-Bashir
It’s about time. I’ve waited almost twenty years for that prick to either be overthrown or killed in office, the usual end for such dictators. In his thirty years in power, Omar al-Bashir is responsible for the genocide in Darfur as well as carrying on a war with his own people that only ended in 2005, ironically under the George W. Bush administration. While I’m amazed and grateful W’s people were able to bring an end to their 20-year conflict, his silence on Darfur was appalling.
The next few weeks will tell the tale on whether the overthrow of Bashir heralds real change or more of the same. Since its so-called independence in 1956, the people of the Sudan has been subjected to one military coup after another. Perhaps the infusion of young voices in the government would bring an improvement. Rescinding sharia law would also be welcome. Whether the latest coup-leaders permit any real change again will remain a wide-open question for now.
Sudanese soldiers stand guard on armored vehicles as demonstrators protest against President Omar al-Bashir’s regime near the army headquarters in the Sudanese capital Khartoum Thursday. [AFP/Getty Images]
What I DIDN’T want for my Book
Butterfly & Serpent–thoughts
We’re in the final stages of proofing and I’m looking forward to putting this baby to bed.
I never really intended this to be a trilogy at all. I hate trilogies; they’re as bad as cliffhangers, or major motion pictures of books that stretch ONE book into two–or three- pictures. Thank you very much, Harry Potter, for starting that trend. I thought this series would wind up at two books, at best.
Well, the first book, Butterfly & Serpent (above) was already clocking in at over 200 pages. Once I finished the first section of the follow-up volumes, I realized this section would be completely different from the rest of the material and would probably work best as a stand-alone.
Not to give away too much, but in Book 2, Fathers & Daughters, Youssou is forced to call on Jamai’s help when a new situation rises, and he has to confront his family’s pains of the past. Jamai will come forward as a stronger, more assertive personality.
For Book 3, because of their actions in the previous adventure Jamai & Youssou find themselves thrown into the wider world. Their relationship will be tested, with the usual troubles one can expect from two very young people.
That’s all for now. I’ll keep everybody up to date as things move along.
Sudan
I have not thought about Sudan in a long time. I’m sorry. I’d hoped with the ‘end of hostilities’ between the Northern government in Khartoum & the South would be a new beginning. Never mind why the Bush Administration did it, for Billy Graham’s fundamentalist gang or what, it still stopped the war and I was thankful for that. At least I was.
As of 2013 a new civil war has broken out. Over 300,000 more people have died. That’s not to mention the ongoing scorched earth policy in Southern Kordofan. Don’t expect much U.N. help, the Russians & Chinese will see to it that no aid comes forth.
https://www.oxfam.org/en/crisis-south-sudan/what-peace-means-south-sudan
I still haven’t forgiven any of you in positions of power for doing nothing about Darfur. You gave the token condemnation & left it at that. You learned nothing from Rwanda, except to wash it off your conscience as 2.7 million people were driven from their homes. An article in the Lancet in 2010 puts the reliable estimated death toll between 178,258 & 461, 520.
https://www.ennonline.net/fex/39/patterns
https://www.cfr.org/interview/understanding-roots-conflict-south-sudan
Where is Donald Trump in all this? Well, he might be making some positive moves for once, by imposing an arms embargo on South Sudan. Withdrawing U.S. aid to the country, in the middle of the worst refugee crisis in Africa, less so.
https://www.justsecurity.org/53049/deadlock-u-s-pressure-south-sudan-peace-process-remains-stalled/
I’m not sure if I believe in a heaven or hell. But if there is a hell, Omer Bashir & all the rapist soldiers on both sides have earned a special place in it.
Rock Hewn Churches of Ethiopia
http://www.ancient-origins.net/ancient-places-africa/rock-hewn-churches-lalibela-ethiopia-00154
Ethiopia has seen its hard times in recent decades. However it remains the one land never to be conquered by foreigners. It also boasts magnificent rock-hewn churches, dating from the 13th Century. The name is apt; these holy sites had been literally carved from the hills of Ethiopia, centuries before the Renaissance began to turn back a thousand years of ignorance in Europe, before there was even a notion of such a place as ‘America’. 
Papablues Scrapbook 