understandingsudan.org university of california, berkeley © 2008 sudan diversity and identity 22...

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

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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