understandingsudan.org university of california, berkeley © 2008 sudan diversity and identity 22...
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UnderstandingSudan.org University of California, Berkeley © 2008
SudanDiversity and Identity
22 October 2008
developed by: Martha SaavedraUnderstandingSudan.org
UnderstandingSudan.org University of California, Berkeley © 2008
Sudan: Diversity and Identity
Goals• An appreciation of:
– Dimensions of Diversity & Identity
• Geography• Ecology• Demography• Culture• [HISTORY]
– Essence of cooperation, collaboration, conflict
UnderstandingSudan.org University of California, Berkeley © 2008
Sudan: Diversity
• Geography• Ecology
– Environment– Relationship to the land
• Demography– Who are the Sudanese?
• Culture & Livelihoods– Ethnicity– Language– Religious practice– Occupations
UnderstandingSudan.org University of California, Berkeley © 2008
Identity
• Key factors– Mutability– Power
• Access to resources
• Process of “Sudanization”– Paul Doornbus has observed that once "Sudanized", a person is
able to participate spiritually and materially as a member of the top stratum of traders and officials and to be taken seriously, be considered trust- and credit-worthy through Sudan and its trade periphery beyond international frontiers. (Doornbus 1988, p. 100)
UnderstandingSudan.org University of California, Berkeley © 2008UnderstandingSudan.org University of California, Berkeley © 2008
Geography
Sudan in the Region2
Darfur1
Sudan in the World
1. http:// rightsmaps.com/html/sudmap1.html and2. http://www.alertnet.org/thenews/newsdesk/L03772791.htm
Nuba Mtns
South
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Sudan - Historically
1885
UnderstandingSudan.org University of California, Berkeley © 2008
EcologyEcology of region• The Intertropical
Convergence Zone (ITCZ)
• The migration ITCZ in Africa affects seasonal precipitation patterns across that continent.
• North to South increase in precipitation
• Transhumant RoutesVariation in arability of
terrain and soil• Affect on livelihoodsClimate changes?
e.g. 1980’s: Drought/Desertification
• pressures on land increase conflicts
Rainfall Analysis - Cumulative Amounts in relative terms : % of long term average
Sudan Agromet Dekadal Bulletin, Vol 2, Issue 19, 11-20 September 2004 http://www.mundo.u-net.com/samis/
UnderstandingSudan.org University of California, Berkeley © 2008
Demographics
Source: World Development Indicators
Yr 2006 Population, total 37.7 (millions)
Population growth 2.2 (annual %)
Surface area (sq. km)2505.
8 (thousands)
Life expectancy at birth, total 58.1 (years)
Mortality rate, infant 61.4 (per 1,000 live births)
Literacy rate, youth female 71.4 (% of females ages 15-24)
GNI (current US$) 33.5 (billions)
GNI per capital, Atlas method 780 (current US$)
Prevalence of HIV, total 1.4 (% of population ages 15-49)
UnderstandingSudan.org University of California, Berkeley © 2008
Administrative DivisionsAs of 14 February
1994:
The 26 Wilayatmostly old provinces or administrative sub-provinces.
Under the CPA, 2 wilayat were merged
UnderstandingSudan.org University of California, Berkeley © 2008
Ethnicity in Sudan: Multiple and Mutable
Academics prefer the phrase “ethnic group” over “tribe”
• Meanings have changed internally and have external references as well– “African”– “Arab”
• Gabila – Arabic term• 600 Ethnic groups• 400 Languages
UnderstandingSudan.org University of California, Berkeley © 2008
Janjaweed during the Anglo-Egyptian Condominium?
British defeated Sultan Ali Dinar in 1916 by force and used local nomads as militias in process. The Sultanate of Darfur was then incorporated into Sudan. Aerial bombing was also part of the British campaign to subdue recalcitrant natives.
UnderstandingSudan.org University of California, Berkeley © 2008
Native Administration Map
of Kordofan Province– Approximates a
vision of reality, but at base was arbitrary
– “Nuba”– “Arab”
Original located in National Archives, Khartoum, First drawn in 1938, updated in 1941
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A Tale of Two Brothers
UnderstandingSudan.org University of California, Berkeley © 2008
Religious Practices
• Main categories– Muslim– Christian– African Traditional
UnderstandingSudan.org University of California, Berkeley © 2008
UnderstandingSudan.org University of California, Berkeley © 2008
Religious Practices
•But more complicated– Muslim
• Sufism• Religious-political sects• Orthodoxy• Political Islam
– Christian• Coptic, Catholic, Protestant
– African Traditional• Various and woven into other practices• Zar cult? Islamic, but…?
– International influences on all
UnderstandingSudan.org University of California, Berkeley © 2008
The MahdiMohamed Ahmed defeated the Turco-Egyptians along with British mercenaries (Charles “Chinese” Gordon”) in 1885. He died soon after, but his successor, the Khalifa Abdullah al-Ta’aishi, established an independent state that lasted until British – with Egyptian help – re-conquered much of Sudan in 1898.
•The Ansar
•The Umma Party
UnderstandingSudan.org University of California, Berkeley © 2008
How to deal with Diversity?
• Governments– Conquer, subdue – directly– Divide & Rule – indirect
• e.g, Use of militias
– Co-optation• Invested in system• Native Administration
– Autonomy
UnderstandingSudan.org University of California, Berkeley © 2008
UnderstandingSudan.org University of California, Berkeley © 2008
Hamudi Abdullah Mohammed in Kalma IDP Camp, South Darfur
©UNICEF/2004/Westerbeekhttp://www.unicef.org/emerg/darfur/index_24605.html
Dedicated to the future of Sudan…
© UNICEF/HQ05-0943/Ron Havivhttp://www.unicef.org/childalert/darfur
Cover Photo from UNICEF Darfur Emergency September – October 2005 Reporthttp://www.unicef.org/emerg/darfur/files/DARFUREMERGSEPT_OCT2005.pdf