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بسم اهللا الرمحن الرحيمبسم اهللا الرمحن الرحيمبسم اهللا الرمحن الرحيمبسم اهللا الرمحن الرحيم����������א����ودאن�������وמ�وא����و����و����������� �

Sudan University of Science & Technology

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Sudan Centre for Theatre Research

SCTR

Developmental Drama/Theatre as Cultural Interventions for Grassroots Peace Building

Western Kurdufan – Abyie area 2000

By: Dr. Abuelgassim Gor Atif Adam Ageep Gamal Suliman

Sudan Center for Theatre Research

2001 May

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Acknowledgements

My Thanks are due to Mr. Kurt the late officer who was working at the conflict transformation in the UNDP/DED who passed away last year November 2000 . To Mr . Theo and Mr. Adim Sharief and All members of DED ( German Development Services ) for their grate generosity in funding this project, in fact without their financial support it would have been impossible for this work to see the light . Here I would like to thank Mr. D. J. Sloan, Director of the British Council in Khartoum for his recommendation whose support with couple of UNDP/DED had far reaching effects in the implementation of the Peace Culture Project among the friction zone tribes, where peace culture is gradually taking roots and slowly but surely was gnawing with a rankling tooth at the war culture .

Finally I never forget the worm generosity of the Dinka & Myssariya tribal leaders whom formed the association of Peace as a result of this cultural intervention , they host us ( my students and I ) for almost 29 days …. When we left them ,we felt a part from us was remain there !!

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Overview The aim of this study is to ascertain how developmental drama as a creative tool of social activities would contribute to humanitarian emergencies, grassroots peace and community building. This study enjoys three dimensions as follows: -

i. Putting into practice developmental drama as an intercultural mass media mechanism for community development.

ii. Mapping the area for peace to germinate and radiate among the tribal

men of both the Messeriyagh (Baggara Arabss) and Dinka Noak)

iii. Unravelling the elements of co-existence between the two tribes and utilising that for community development.

Targeted Objectives

- The (PCC) intends to use this preliminary mapping exercise as

a springboard to trigger the process of grassroots peace building and community development. The Developmental drama can be used as a methodology in socio-cultural transformation and development.

- We aim to glean information on widely utilised drama for

peace and non-formal education to assist the people of Abyie area at Western Kordfan State to undergo social development through the application of drama and other creative forms among the camps of the displaced as a means to help other agencies and organisations to ramify the good practices in various walks of life such as health, provision of safe and pure drinking water and the infusion of social awareness.

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What dose Development Dram /Theatre Mean? Obiyo Mumma of Nairobi University defined development theatre as “Developmental drama/theatre usually uses indigenous art forms but must be designed with great imagination and care .The Theatre For Development programs aim at instilling a cultural awareness and transforming people to facilitate progress and human growth “1 Abeyie Province Profile. Abeyie province is located in Western Kordofan State, in Western Sudan, some 1600 kilometres from Khartoum. It is geographical administrative area is 25000 square kilometres and is divided into four local councils or localities, namely, Almairam-Abeyie, Muglad, Tiboon and Dibab. Bahir el Arab or river Kir flancks the Abeyie on the southern side and one could the see the hats of the green trees growing on the banks of River Kir dancing in a sea of mirage during the dry season, but during the wet season every tree turns green and the trees on the river banks could not be identified. The soil is muddy, soaking and miry under foot and the river could only be reached through walking on horseback. Donkeys would stick and camels would slip and fall, it is hot water, which is no playing place for frogs. Population According to the 1956 official census, the Dinka ethnic group and the Baggara Arabs are dominant. The census revealed the following figures: -

i. 38000 Dinkas ii. 10229 Baggara Arabs.

Dinka Noak They belong to the large Dinka ethnic group in Sudan and form 11% of the whole population of the Sudan at that time and 50.4% of the population of the Southern Sudanese. Noak are divided into 8 main groups as follows: -

1. Abior 2. Ajaul

1- Loukie ,levert & Mumma Opine , Drama and Theatre communication in Development ,Kenya Theatre Education Association KDEA 1st edition 1999 , P14

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3. Ally 4. Major 5. Dil 6. Achweng 7. Asha 8. Bungo

Each tribe branches into further clans, called (wotss), with a leading tribal chief called Banj Dit. The Dinkas are tall, slim, sunken bellies, thin legged and lion-hearted fighting with a spear, club ad shield made of impregnated buffaloes and crocodile skins but the advent of the modern firearms changed the nature of bull bravery, fortitude and forbearance. They are a pastoral nomadic people, similar to their Baggara neighbours but the latter differ in that they have tamed their bulls and used them as beasts of burdens, the former carry their belongings on their heads when on the move. Both the Baggara and their neighbouring Dinkas are ill equipped to withstand the rain or cold when they are in their cattle camps on the rolling grazing plains. The image has completely changed in recent times and those pleasant memories have now become a disappearing world.

Route The groups of the Peace Culture Project consisted of 30 university students, the majority of whom belongs to the College of Music and Drama at the Sudan University of Science and Technology (SUST). All students worked as part-timers at the Peace Culture Project under the administrative supervision of Dr. Gor. The group of thirty students and I started our journey by boarding a Sudan Railways train from Khartoum North (Bahri) on our way to Rigl El Fulla, the seat of the Western Kordofan State Government and the capital city of the region, whose sway extends as far south beyond Bahr el Arab or River Kir, and as far eastward to the brinks of the Nuba Mountains, as far north as En Nahud, studied in the middle of the thirsty sand dunes in the dry season which turn lush green in the wet season. En Nahud is the greatest Gum Arabic producer in the world. The State of Western Kordofan sprawls westward to the eastern borders of rebellious greater Darfur, which enjoyed peace only during the British administration. Immediately after independence it started to ferment with violence and unrest to the present day. Arriving at El Fulla, we covered the remaining stretch of our journey by bus or suk lorries, where we arrived at Babanousa, Muglad, Miram, Abyie, Umdris, Heirekah, Es Sitape, Shagadi, Ed Damboloyah Ad Dibab, Nama and the surrounding villages and nomadic camps sporadically sited on the vicinity of Abyie. Our journey back to Khartoum was undertaken on a bus from Muglad, Babanousaa, El Obeid and finally to Khartoum.

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The journey 5th – 8th November 2000 Boarding the train in Khartoum North, the locomotive started at 10 a.m. Messrs Kurt from DED and UNDP were at the railway station to see us off. It is a kind and encouraging gesture which raised our morale and that peace reigning in Sudan is not only the concern of the Sudanese but it is also the concern of the international community including the UN. My students and I occupied three compartments and arriving at El Fulla, on the night of the 7th, we were ushered to the rest house, which had only three rooms. Early morning on the 8th I paid a visit to the Governor or Wali of the State, brigadier Aljaili Sharief, whose written approval of the visit of my group and I was received by me prior to our arrival at El Fulla. On the preceding night my group and I held a short meeting with the staff of the local radio broadcast station and discussed the topic of Drama for Peace, the scenario and some scripts for community development. The students also recorded on tape a play in Baggara language which had the title of “Abu Kafa wash el Dood”, which means a stoutly built man, with large palms of his hands and his face is as serious as a lion. The play was written by (Dr. Gor). The gist of the play focused on cattle rustling which is the major cause of the tribal friction, which incited the armed aggression of the two tribes, Messeriyah and Dinka against each other. My group and I left El Fulla by bus on 11th November at 10 a.m. quite carried out by our feelings of relief that we broken our shackles, and leaving our worries behind at El Fulla, the political village. We arrived at Babanousa, the railway junction to the west and the south, which has a Russian technical aid built milk processing factory, which no longer produces powdered milk at night on the 11th and were accommodated at the railway rest house. Waiting to receive us at 11 p.m. were Mr. Mohamed Hamid, the deputy commissioner and the Sudan railway resident engineer. The people of Babanousa were kind and generous. It is a totally different and wholesome atmosphere. Babanous dramatic show, 12th November. We held a meeting with the commissioner in the morning. He was a pleasant character, who views that the group would help in two ways: -

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i. Increased armed robberies ii. Cattle rustling, with particular reference to Dinka cattle

(called majoke) He asked the group of students to create some social awareness among the people of his province through the application of drama for cultural interventions. Invitations were sent out to all the notables, including (sheikhs, omdas, who are tribal leaders). The show was a remarkable success. Immediately the, play ending, we requested the people to elaborate and discuss what they have been inspired by the play. The discussion was opened by Mr. Masalam Abul Gasim, the Emir of the Fayareen tribe and was followed by others. Their ideas were to the point and enriched us a great deal. The speakers were politically ripening people. 13th – 14th November 2000 Arriving at Muglad at 10 a.m. the group and I met the commissioner of Abeyie who operates from Muglad locality. He welcomed the group with a high spirit and unhidden delight and appreciation the notion that 30 students would embark on a peace culture project for the benefit of his province. He provided a spacious, clean and comfortable accommodation for our group and simultaneously an announcement was made for a night show that evening. A large audience of about 600 attended the show and people talked at liberty and aired their views on how to attain peace. The Baggara are truculent and outspoken. Their views are as follows: -

1. The government are not serious on the topic of peace. Such being the case they could embark on attempts to create peace their own customary and tribal ways in collaboration with their neighbouring Dinka in and south of Abeyie along river Kir and beyond.

2. They resented the lack of basic services, the provision of safe

drinking water. Education and health services.

3. They are angry and do not agree with the activities of CEWAC which are engaged in the area of abolishing abduction of children and women. The people said that these were lies and allegations by politicians who are hoping to tap money from international organisations.

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4. They also resent the attitudes of the oil companies, which exerted no efforts towards the provision of services in the area from which they sap oil. They only talk to us on the eve on elections and tell us of services that would be provided to the area by the oil companies. We quite know that their promises are snares intended to create an electorate excitement.

1 Abtour Jok 13th November Abtour Jok is a large water pool that floods with water during the wet season and stands only 2 kilometres south of Muglad town. It accommodates the camps of the displaced dinkas. A play was staged at the camps and was attended by more than 300 Dinkas who expressed their applaud of the show and expressed their hopes and support for the peace endeavour. We left Muglad at 7 a.m. on the 15th November on our way to El Mairam, which is 80 kilometres south of Muglad. The grit road runs through grass plains, sand dunes and slippery silt and clay stretches parallel to the railway line running to Wau in the Southern Region. I enjoyed the trip because I belong to the area but it was tiresome to the students as the bus swayed right and left like a drunken sailor and dipped into water puddles like a frolicking fresh water fish. We were on the vicinity of the warring area. It is virtually impossible for anyone to imagine the amenities of peace if he did not exercise the rigours of war. On our way to Mairam we passed through 4 railway stations at night, namely Abu Ajbar, El Edleem, El Fouda and El Heirekah. We arrived at mid-night at El Mairam, and were housed at the premises of Ed Dawa Organisation, prepared for us by the locality authorities, but we have to cater for ourselves as well as the provision of motorised transport, the first hurdles of the vicinity of war.

1 Messeriyah tribe divides into two major sections, the Humur and the Zorog. The former divides into two main divisions, the Ajayra and the Flaytta. El Ajayra divides into Aulad Kamil and Aulad Omran. Both Aulad Kamil and Aulad Omran divide into yet frurther five divisions. Aulad Kamil are numerically dominant and hold the post of chief paramount as mentioned by Dr. Francis M Deng in his ”War of Visions, conflict of identities in the Sudan, a Brookings Institution publication

Aulad Omran come second numerically and social status as far ass the local tribal classification is concerned. Aulwad Kamil and El Mazagana are more closely knitted as the latter holds the deputy tribal Emir post. El Fayareen are an Ajayra tribe with their separate Omdaship but they come under the sway of Aulad Kamil for historic relations. El Fadlya are more akin to Aulad Omran but they separated for political tribal aspiration. They had their separate Omdaship as the Fayareen. Once under the sphere of influence of Aulwad Omran they turned the tribal balance in favour of Aulad Omran,while Aulad Kamil envied this,thei helped to slay off the Fadlya from Aulad Omran for apparent reasons. Aulad Kamil built their tribal dominance in a similar way to the Holy Roman Embpire, on marriages, which created blood relations.

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16th November The research depended on data and information. To overcome this difficulty, I divided the students into three special interest groups detailed as follows: -

i. Strategic information group consisted for the following students: -

1. Ahmed 2. Khaliel Hussain 3. Yousif Ahmed 4. Ibrahim Hamid 5. Maha Ali 6. Adel Taj el Din

ii. Folklore, tradition and cultural group: -

1. Atif Adam Ageep 2. Jamal Suleiman 3. Hassan Osman 4. Ajbar Hamed 5. Justin John 6. Shazali Abdel Mahmoud 7. Eiman Husssein 8. Royda Ahmed Ali 9. Eieman Hassab El Rasoul

iii. Traditional methjodology for the conflict resolution Group

1. Rabiea Yousif 2. Hanan Abdel Rahman 3. Nafissa Al Nour Hajar 4. Yassir Abdalla 5. Dodi Ajbaar 6. Al Ghali Abdel Aziz 7. Ismail Abella

The Special Interest Group worked for 10 days, i.e. from 16th – 26th November 2000 and travelled for 190 square kilometres in and around the vicinity of Abeyie, Al Mairam locality which, includes Umdris, Alhereikah, and Shigi from 18th to the 20th November. Abeyie village from 21-22 Nov. Shagadi, Konga, Algantour from 23-26 Nov. he route taken was following the lagoon north east of Aldamboloya, Aldibab locality from 27th – 29th Nov. We then returned to Almairam. The SIG gleaned thefollowing information, which structured thek research platfor and Abeyie Locality.

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The legend - how the Dinka Came down to earth? The legend told and retold states, that once a upon a time, during the night when the sky was overcast with black clouds, the ear-rending booming of thunder, the petering rain and lightning imitating the arts of warfare, a pregnant girl of black beauty, descended from the heavens. Astonishing people gathering round her, she delivered a baby boy with a complete set of teeth! She said this boy comes with me from the heavens. He will preserve you and would be the spiritual bond between you, God and myself. His name is Banj Det and he would talk when sacrifices were offered. Having said this, the mother vanished into the eerie space leaving the newborn with the people. Banj Det directed that every man must allocate some of his cows to him (Banj Det). Messeriya or Baggara Arabs The major division of the Messseriah living in Abeyie are the Humur Ajayrah composing the following divisions, each divisions contains several tribes. The divisions according to numerical order are: -

1. Aulad Kamil (they have the post of paramount chieftain until the advent of (General Beshir Regime or Ingaz where every tribe was allowed to choose their own leader, boastfully called Emirs, whose salaries are below than that of a Ghafir or night watchman in Khartoum. The judicial and administrative authority are denied these Emirs, hence the chaos and instability, particularly in Greater Darfur and to a lesser extent in Greater Kordofan.

2. Aulad Omran – Manama and Adal 3. Mazaga – El Ari and El Timani 4. Fiaareen 5. El Fadliya (please see footnotes previously mentioned on the tribal

composition) The exodus, which brought the Humur Baggara Arabs to their present homeland was said to have included the Riziqat and the Hawazma. Mr. Ian Cunnison records that the Humur arrived in Denga on the 16th Century. The Messseriya are general mixed with the Dinkas in their activities of grazing the land in the dry season. During the wet season, at pre-hostilities times, Dinka cattle (Dukduk (singular) and Dakadik (plural) moved north to the sand dunes north of Muglad in July to September. In October both Baggara and Dinka cattle come down to Muglad, whose grass contain greater salt contents to recuperate before the cattle flow to the Dinka area in Abeyie and south of

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River Kir. Baggara and Dinka mixed with one another in their subsistence agriculture, trading and communal works such as cutting down a road through the bush during the time of the Britrish administration. Baggara is the popular name for the Messeriya. Baggara means the cow herder Arabs are associated with the pedigree belonging historically to the tribal Arab groups diaspora, which spread in the form of a belt in the middle of the Africa continent, from the west to the east, crossing northwest Moroccan states, Chad, Sudan and Western Nigeria. The origin of the immigration dates back from the time of Arab movement out of Egypt. The life of he Baggara and Dinka Noak is characterised with toil and sweat and presently with political struggles from which they would reap nothing apart from bitter animosities, poverty and mistrust.

On Conflict: The reasons of conflict between the Baggara and the Dinka is not only over graze only. In 1964 at Babanousa some Humur Arab tribe attacked the police station when the Southerners took refuge there. Arab women and children poured cans of kerosene into the rooms and set fire. The occupants burnt to death. It was in response to an attack by the Dinka or SPLA. The civil war between the Dinkas and Messeriya reached its apex in May/June 1977 when many hundreds of tribal men were killed in sporadic incursions. One of the victims was Majk (Mark) Abiim, a lecturer at the University of Khartoum, who was about to receive a Ph.D. from London University on history of relations between Arabs and Dinkas. After 1980 the conflict and dispute between Dinka Nagok and Humur tribes enered a new phase in respect of quality/quantity. After the emergence of the SPLA, Dinka Nagoak withdrew from Aananya movement and joined the SPLA. Then Dinka forces entered the battle with Ananya fighters and Nuer, while crossing Nuer land. The Dinka lost one thousand souls in that battle, while crossing Nuer land. The Dinka lost one thousand souls in that battle, which affected the fighting force of Nagok. Due to this escalation of events, military leaders appeared who classified and prepared Hummur (nomadic Baggara), and the term (Maraheellll) was attributed to the forces that protected cattle movements. Hence Abyie-Bahr Al Arab area entered a new phase of armed conflict and war culture. Old arrangements and traditional reconciliation councils had no affect or effectiveness – modern arms that belongs to both tribes 1979 to 1989 in Messeriya area totalled 20000 thousand pieces approximately. It is a large quantity compared with a rural civilian society, as it would cause a state of anarchy and losses among the Humur themselves. The tragedy has further deteriorated by the famine that stroke Abeyie area in the late 1980s. According to UN sources, mortality list in

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Abeyie during the month of June 1988 reached 150 persons per day, in November of the same year a thousand people died of hunger. The famine did not affect only the Noak tribe, but also the Humur in the north of the area had suffered more severely. Cattle died in thousands due to the drought. Thus war and famine had their toll in Abeyie/Bahr El Arab area. The arms in the hands of individuals from the two tribes led to burglary and looting, killing and burning property. With the advent of globalisation, and the spread of prompt information dissemination, the international media focused on Noak/Baggara conflict and stated that the Baggara Arabs are embarked on a genocide war, killing and abducting women and children and trading in these, a recall of slavery practice. Education The records at Abyie and El Mairam local councils revealed that there had only been a single secondary school for boys, housed in the premises of the Islamic Dawa at El Mairam. The basic schools were sited on the following places: - El Mairm had one school for boys, one school for girls, Abeyie village had two basic schools, one for boys and the other for girls. El Hereikha has one mixed basic school for boys and girls. All these schools are functioning at present for lack of due to shortages in schoolteachers and other teaching materials. The teachers did not receive their salaries for the last 9 months. Health Services The localities at Abeyie and El Mairam are suffering from non-existence of hospitals or medial health centres. The only clinic at El Mairmm is owned and run by (MSF) Medical Sans Frontiers. The nearest hospital is at Muglad, some 80 kilometres north of Abeyiem owned and run by El Bur International Organisation. Safe Drinking Water Lack of safe drinking water stands a main hurdle, which faces the people at both Abeyie and El Mairam. There are only two deep bore water wells and one in Abeyie village. People in other places drink from open water pools (buta). Security and stability services According to the Popular Defence Forces (PDF) reports, more than 60000 pieces of sub-machine guns had been distributed by the Government since 1991.The current number of such light arms has increased to 150000 pieces according to Brigadier El Geneid Hassan Ahmed, the

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commander and military supervisor of he PDF in Bahr el Arab Military Zone. Conclusion & Recommendations The main objective of this theatrical and cultural intervention is to create a sustainable and grassroots body for peaceful co-existence between the Dinkas and the Messeriyah. One thing which we understood from this experience in the tribal conflict resolution was that, peace is not imposed from outside. These tribes have their own traditional methods for conflict resolutions. From this important standpoint we started the formation of a peace association, which we prepared in two days. The association is composed from 32 persons, 16 from Dinka Noak and 16 from the Humur.. Following is the name list of the Peace Association

Dinka tribes: 1- Joseph Niwal Niwal.

2- Ajorin Poul 3- Dot Atiang Tik. 4-Abdelrhman Dout Wal. 5-Alhadi Abdelbagi Akol. 6-Loal loal Adong . 7-Sn Marial Grang . 8- klialifa yowm yaut . 9- soltan chair rihan 10-Abdelrahman Mshwar Mshwar . 11- Ding Akoj Tieg. 12- Abdelmonaim Mshowar Moshowar . 13- Adot Akol Ashier. 14- Zahra Agol Athiet . 15-Nibol Akol

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Under Alamir Moslam Abuelgassim

Missary (Arabs) Tribe: 1- Abdeljalil Bakar Ismail.

2- Herika Ali Alherika 3- Massa Hamid Musa 4- Yousif Ibrahim Aliwa . 5-Issa Rahma Hamad. 6- Abdeljalil Abuelgassim Toboeg . 7- alzam zami mohmd 8- Mawia Salih 9- Hamdoon Alharieka Hamdoon . 10- Mohmmed Rahmtalla 11- Ishag Ismail. 12-Altieb Bashier Soliman . 13-Amkathier Ahmmed Alksahmo. 14-Alfadil Yagoub 15- Hanan Abdella Moussa .

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