Conflict In Sudan Research Articles

Political and Social Conflicts in South Sudan: The Post-Independence Challenges

Political and Social Conflicts in South Sudan: The Post-Independence Challenges

The Geneva Convention on Laws of War and the Sudan Armed Conflict

The Geneva Convention contains regulations that govern the conduct of war and the treatment of individuals affected by war. However, despite the existence of this regulation created to guide the conduct of hostilities and protect civilians in international and non-international armed conflict, there are still recorded cases of actions by state and non-state actors that run contrary to the dictates of the convention. Records show that in modern day conflict, indiscriminate attacks and the use of unauthorized weapons are still being launched against civilian population, recruitment of child soldiers in insurrections, the use of weapons with indiscriminate effects, genocide, among others. It is against this backdrop that this paper examined the Sudan conflict and the application of the Geneva Convention on the laws of war. From the findings, a wide range of violation of the dictate of the Geneva Convention in the Sudan conflict was observed. The paper concludes that while the Geneva Convention continues to be relevant today, its provisions are still violated in modern day conflict such as Syria, Yemen, and Myanmar. The international community must continue to uphold the principles of the convention and hold those who violate it accountable.

The consequences of Sudan’s armed conflict on public health: a closer look at the devastating impact

The consequences of Sudan’s armed conflict on public health: a closer look at the devastating impact

Evaluation of the Darfur Crisis in the Context of Climate Migration

Darfur Krizinin İklim Göçmenliği Bağlamında Değerlendirilmesi
 
 
 Öz
 Çevre kaynaklı göç olarak da bilinen iklim göçü, sınırlı kaynaklar nedeniyle kuraklık, su kıtlığı ve gıda güvenliği gibi temel ihtiyaçları karşılamada ciddi zorluklar yaşayan Afrika ülkelerinde yaygın olarak görülmektedir. 21.yüzyılda Afrika’da yaşanan iklimsel stresin yatay bir göç hareketi yanı sıra sınır aşan bir göç hareketi ile devam edeceği beklenmektedir. Çalışmanın amacı literatürde iklime bağlı göçün ilk örneklerinden gösterilen Sudan’ın Darfur eyaletinde yaşanan “iklim değişikliğinin” bölgeden yapılan göçlerde nasıl bir etki yarattığının ortaya konması ve uluslararası dış politikanın müdahale alanı haline gelmesiyle bir insani krize dönüşmesinin değerlendirilmesidir. Çalışma bu nedenle Afrika’daki iklimsel değişikliklerin yaşanan siyasal istikrarsızlıklarla birleşerek nasıl toplumsal şiddete dönüştüğünün ve bir güvenlik meselesi haline geldiğinin ortaya konması bakımından önem taşımaktadır. Çalışmada Darfur’da yaşanan insani krizi tetikleyen makro güçler olan ABD, Çin ve Rusya gibi devletlerin Sudan Hükümeti’nin yönetimsel zafiyetlerinden yararlanmak suretiyle krizi tırmandırarak Sudan’ın kaynakları üzerindeki paylaşım hedeflerini sürdürecekleri sonucuna ulaşılmıştır. İç siyasetini sakinleştiremeyen Sudan’da demokrasi, insan hakları ve çevrenin lowpolitics konular olmaya devam edeceği, toplumsal barışın uzun vadede sürdürülebilirliğinin sağlanmasının güçleştiği ortaya konmuştur. Bölgedeki şiddet olaylarının yükselişinin farklı etnik unsurlardan oluşan kamplardaki yaşantıyı etkileyerek yeni sosyo politik sorunlara neden olacağı düşünülmektedir. Türkçe ve İngilizce literatürün tarandığı çalışmada yapılabilecek yeni araştırmalara ışık tutacak öneriler geliştirilmeye çalışılmıştır. Çalışmanın bu anlamda Türkçe literatüre katkı yapması beklenmektedir.

The Art of Revolution: The Online and Offline Perception of Communication during the Uprisings in Sudan in 2018 and 2019

The article deals with art from the Sudanese revolution in 2018 and 2019 (the December Revolution). The focus is on the most recognizable and widespread images from the uprising and their presence on the streets of Sudanese cities and social media. The article shows how freedom of expression exploded on the Sudanese streets after years of censorship, suppression, and violations of freedom of speech, media, and civil rights. Art and social media had significant roles in covering the uprising. Issues related to the importance and value of art in transmitting social discourse and dissent in a tightly controlled society are raised. These issues should be the subject of wider research on conflict and social media in Sudan. This article focuses only on a small part of this vast and important topic.

Medicine as a career choice: a comprehensive study on factors influencing Sudanese students to opt in/out medical career

BackgroundThe medical profession is one of the most highly respected and desired professions among students worldwide, most likely because it provides opportunities for both a financially and socially rewarding career. However, while it has been quite established that factors such as self-interest, family pressure, friend pressure, and socioeconomic status do influence the choice of medicine among students worldwide, the exact reasons for an individual to join a medical school may actually vary worldwide. The aim of this study was to comprehensively explore factors influencing medical students to opt in/out medical careers in Sudan.MethodsAn institutional based descriptive cross-sectional study was conducted at University of Khartoum in the year 2022 with a random sample of 330 students that was obtained from the medical students at the The University of Khartoum, Faculty of Medicine using stratified random sampling.ResultsSelf-interest was the most common factor influencing opting in (choosing) medical profession (70.6%) (n = 233), followed by getting a very high score in high-school that qualifies into the faculty (55.5%) (n = 183). Regarding the factors affecting medical students’ choices, parental pressure was the main factor (37.0%) (n = 122), followed by other relatives’ pressure (12.4%) (n = 41), and 4.2% (n = 14) chose Peer pressure. 59.7% (n = 197) of the participants stated that they were not affected by any of these factors. Most of the participants felt that the general perception of the medical profession by society is that it is prestigious and has good career opportunities, only 5.8% (n = 19) believed that it is “Not appreciated at all” by the society. A statistically significant association was found between the type of admission & parent pressure (p value 0.01). out of 330 participants, (56.1%) (n = 185) have opted out i.e. lost their interest or regretted their choice of medical career. Academic difficulties was the most common factor causing students to opt-out of the medical career (37%) (n = 122) followed by Multiple suspensions of education (35.2%) (n = 116), Current political & security conflicts in Sudan (29.7%) (n = 98), Poor quality of education (24.8%). The proportion of students having regrets for the medical profession was significantly higher among females. Over one third of the participants reported having depressive symptoms more than half days of the week. No statically significant correlation was established between the academic level and having these depressive symptoms and no statistically significant correlation was established between the decision to opt-out and the academic level (class) of the individuals (P = 0.105).ConclusionsOver half of Sudanese medical students at the University of Khartoum have already lost their interest or regretted their choice of medical career choice. Whether these future doctor chose to drop out or continue their path in the medical career suggests that they are more prone to serious hardships in their future careers. A careful comprehensive approach should further explore and try to offer solutions for problems like “Academic difficulties”, “multiple suspension of education”, and “poor quality of education” for they were the most common factors that caused medical students to opt out of the medical career.

Rebel Fragmentation and Protracted Conflicts: Lessons from SPLM/A in South Sudan

The rise in splinter groups within rebel movements and opposition groups has serious implications for conflict resolution efforts. Yet existing literature has not sufficiently touched on the key implications and factors that lead to the split and fragmentation of rebel groups. One of the conflicts that have been impacted by the problem of fragmentation of warring parties is the South Sudan conflict. The Sudan People’s Liberation Movement (SPLM) has experienced internal fragmentation historically during the struggle for independence from Sudan and today during the civil war that began in 2011. New groups have emerged claiming to be paying allegiance to leaders and pursuing a different course. This paper argues that internal fragmentation within the SPLM constitutes a serious threat to peace in Africa’s youngest nation. The author examines the motivations behind such fragmentations and their implication in the understanding of the South Sudan prolonged conflict. The paper begins by examining the causes of the South Sudan conflict and the patterns of violence, and it assesses wartime governance and the fragmentation of the groups. The study concludes with a set of recommendations for the resolution of the conflict.

Conflict in Darfur - A Different Perspective

Conflict in Darfur - A Different Perspective

The Conflicts in Darfur. Causes, Motives and Possible Solutions by Nagmeldin Karamalla-Gaiballa

The Conflicts in Darfur. Causes, Motives and Possible Solutions by Nagmeldin Karamalla-Gaiballa

The Perils of Pro-Government Militias in African Transition Democracy: Case of RSF in the Sudan’s Conflict

Sudan has never experienced peace since it attained its independence from Britain in 1956. Most of the causes of the conflicts in Sudan are related to political domination, economic deprivation, and Islamization. The regime of former President Omar al Bashir since it took power from 1989-2019, it adopted a counter-insurgency strategy of using militias in the peripheral areas to confront alongside its army on the rebellious activities. The review literature on pro-government militias in the context of the unstable Sudan provides debates pertains violent atrocities committed by militias against innocent civilians in the name of counterinsurgency. The 2003 crisis in Darfur region clearly outlines the state strategy of employing the Janjaweed militia who later metamorphosed into Rapid Support Force, a paramilitary group who committed genocide and crime against humanity in the name of fighting the two rebel groups: the Sudan Liberation Army/Movement (SLA/M) and Justice and Equality Movement (JEM). The RSF has grown a powerful paramilitary force that are now battling the State Army for the takeover of the government militarily. The militia group which was once built up by the state now turning a real danger to the transitional democracy. This paper argues that the RSF are the direct beneficiary of the state and are closely linked to its structures, its people, its wealth, and foreign partners. This paper draws a conclusion that amicable solution ought to be sought for the benefit of the marginalized peripheral areas of Darfur, Southern Kordofan and Blue Nile or Sudan with this unstoppable conflict risks to fragment into different autonomous states.

ГЕОПОЛІТИЧНА ХАРАКТЕРИСТИКА КРАЇН АФРИКАНСЬКОГО РОГУ

B a c k g r o u n d . The article provides a description of the Horn of Africa and examines recent security transformations for a number of states in the region. The Horn of Africa is a strategically important region for African and global trade and security. The organization of the Intergovernmental Authority on Development is the main platform for the settlement of complex interstate relations for the countries of the region. M e t h o d s . The following methods were used: analytical, historical, generalization. During the research, the authors relied on the principle of objectivism. R e s u l t s . In the region of the Horn of Africa, intense rivalry and competition between states is observed, which does not contribute to the consolidation and solution of security challenges, and as a result to the economic growth of the region as a whole. Numerous conflicts both within individual states of the Horn of Africa and between them undermine the stability of the region. Competition for the influence of extra regional powers also does not contribute to the consolidation of the states of the Horn of Africa. C o n c l u s i o n s . The conflictogenicity of the Horn of Africa develops according to the "spillover" effect, which emphasizes the interdependence of the security situation of the states of the region. Conflicts developing in different states of the region have a tendency to spread beyond the sovereign borders of the countries and have an impact on the destabilization of other states of the region. In particular, the long-term conflict in Somalia is affecting the destabilization of neighboring Kenya and Ethiopia. The conflicts in Sudan affect the security situation in South Sudan and Ethiopia, etc.

Genocide and Sexual Violence in Darfur: Mapping the Nexus

Now that many of conflicts have moved from traditional battlefields to villages, involving both organised armies and scrambling militias fighting amidst civilians, women and children are more vulnerable to assault by perpetrators from within their own communities and beyond. The Darfur conflict, stretching for over a decade now, is no exception. Once Darfuri women fall prey to a mass campaign of rape and other sexual violence by belligerents they are being ostracised by their families and societies. Also, such gruesome blitzes leave babies born of war in a state of uncertainty and insecurity, as they are, too, abandoned by their mothers fearing social stigma. Based mainly on secondary data and situation analyses, the paper explores how sexual violence during a conflict gnaws away at the fabric of a community and its future generations with a focus on the ongoing conflict in Sudan’s Darfur.

Conflict Entrepreneurs in Prolonged Civil War in South Sudan

South Sudan has travelled a long and difficult journey in its quest to seek lasting peace which has been jeopardized by multifaceted factors and a multiplicity of actors including state and non-state operatives. Such determinants of internal peace processes, which have stood along the way, have been firmed up by deep and powerful players in this youngest state in Africa. Much clarity on what continues to transpire in South Sudan is grounded on scholarship which accounts for the roles of regional dimensions and international dynamics of conflict and peace processes in Sudan and South Sudan. Literature indicates that ethnonationalism, greed, grievance drivers, the Islamisation of politics when the south was part of the north, and the high-handedness of the Khartoum regime was central in the polarization of the state. We also examine the effect of natural resources particularly oil and militia factions in protracted conflicts in South Sudan. When South Sudan seceded in 2011, the state started from a fluid beginning, with weak institutionalization and the problem of ethnicization of the government and its related agencies. Although the explanations grounded on the conventional understanding of ethnicization of politics and loyalty deficits towards authority are critical, the state as an entity is bound by other activities that it maintains with external agents such as trade entrepreneurs who partly invest and occupy a wide economic space and agendas of wealth creation which informs the regimes economic wellbeing. This subject is understudied especially considering the contemporary peace processes and conflict resolution in South Sudan. In this study, I seek to explain the significance of conflict entrepreneurs in the peace process in South Sudan. Conflict Entrepreneurs consist of diverse actors including entities with commercial interests, MNCs, political elites, and states who directly and indirectly are involved in plundering resources and economic opportunities in civil war-torn South Sudan. The question is: which actors can be regarded as conflict entrepreneurs in South Sudan’s conflict context and why? Second, what roles do these entrepreneurs play in South Sudan’s peace process? Using governmental reports, newspaper analysis, and secondary research, these questions are addressed throughout this paper.

Expanding the Jurisdiction of the International Criminal Court

Environmental destruction and exploitation of natural resources are some of the main causes of humanitarian conflicts, which are often international in scale. One instance was the crime of genocide conducted by Al-Bashir, which was triggered by exploitation of natural resources (resource war), causing pollution of vital water sources, and ending with conflict in Darfur, Sudan. This case is evidence that environmental destruction can be a driving factor for crimes against humanity. In response to this, the International Criminal Court (ICC) issued a Policy Paper, which sets out considerations to prosecute cases of environmental destruction and illegal exploitation of natural resources, which is referred to by some as ecocide. With growing demand of the international community, not only natural persons, but corporations are urged to be prosecuted before the ICC for ecocide. This research is normative legal research. It is intended to outline the current rise of demand for the ICC to prosecute cases of ecocide, whilst challenging the existing jurisdiction of the ICC based on the Rome Statute. This paper will discuss whether the ICC have jurisdiction to adjudicate ecocide, expanding the Court’s jurisdiction to prosecute corporations, and crimes conducted in and/or by citizens of States that are not members of the Rome Statute, such as Indonesia. This paper concludes with constructive recommendations for businesses to start re-evaluating their business plans to put environment and human rights awareness into priority concern.

Impact of States and Non-State Armed Groups Collaboration on Conflict Management in the Horn of Africa, 1996-2016

The article argues that conflicts in the Horn of Africa were fueled and sustained by the non-state armed groups (NSAGs) in collaboration with states within the sub-region. The somewhat symbiotic relationship that existed between states and NSAGs provided synergy that protracted conflicts and made them difficult to manage. While using realism theory, this study analyses why states, which are interest-driven, engaged NSAGs in their respective countries and worked with them to perpetrate conflicts. The study deployed purposive sampling in the selection of respondents and administered questionnaires as well as in-depth interviews to collect data. Additionally, the inquiry relied on secondary data where content analysis was carried out. The study found that Sudan conflict protracted because Uganda supported the Sudan People’s Liberation movement/Army; Somalia conflict prolonged due to the involvement of Ethiopia, Kenya and Eritrea; and the South Sudan dispute was sustained because of the meddling of Uganda and Ethiopia. Keywords: collaboration, states, Horn of Africa, non-state armed groups DOI: 10.7176/IAGS/97-03 Publication date: October 31 st 2022

Forging the Juba Peace Agreement: The Role of National, Regional, and International Actors

Apart from national contestations, there has been some form of third-party involvement in the conflict and peace process in Sudan. Actors in the immediate region and internationally played the role of mediators in the peace efforts in Sudan. The international community played a role in negotiating the Comprehensive Peace Agreement in Sudan and other agreements. The Sudan government and armed groups are key actors in conflict and peace but there was hardly any negotiated peace that was reached without the involvement of regional and international actors. IGAD, the AU, and the UN were among key actors in the Juba Peace Agreement. Through the analysis of existing material, this contribution looks critically at the roles played by different actors in the process and how regional and international actors brought the interlocutors around the table. A key argument in the article is that mediators succeed in having parties sign agreements but play no significant role beyond that.

A Legal Analysis of the Juba Agreement for Peace in Sudan and Its Darfur Component

The 2020 Juba Peace Agreement (JPA) is a complex instrument, consisting of a general agreement dealing with national issues and six additional agreements negotiated in parallel “tracks,” separately addressing the multiple regional conflicts that have beset Sudan in recent decades. The purpose of the article is to provide a legal analysis of the JPA and to assess its implications for both peacebuilding in Darfur and the democratization of Sudan. After situating the agreement in the context of Sudan’s comprehensive peace process, the article presents the structure of the document, sheds light on its legal nature, and introduces the core issues addressed therein. It then focuses on the Darfur Agreement, considering the importance of the Darfur conflict to both the recent history of Sudan and the success of the peace process. Based on this analysis, the article assesses the main achievements and potential challenges to an effective implementation of the JPA.

Local Women and Building the Peace: Narratives from Africa

Inadequate attention is given to the influence of local women in fostering peace. Scholars and policymakers in striving to plug this deficit now pay more attention to the contributions women make to peace. This article supports this reorientation and makes a case for encouraging local women in peace processes by pointing out the difficulties in ending conflict when they channel their efforts to conflict exacerbation out of being denied formal spaces to contribute to peace. Using events from the conflict in Liberia (1989–2003), Burundi (1993–2005) and Sudan’s Darfur (2007 to date), this study points to the significance of harnessing the energies of local women in forging peace during conflict and sustaining it post conflict. Using descriptive analysis, this article argues in support of conventional feminist thought that the absence of women from peace initiatives conjures a vital missing link in achieving stability.

DEVELOPING ALTERNATIVES: CITIZENS PERSPECTIVES ON CAUSES AND THE RAMIFICATIONS OF THE 2003 CONFLICT IN DARFUR

This manuscript provides an alternative examination of the causes and the ramifications of the conflict in Darfur. The findings reveled the causes of the conflict to be religion, racial segregation, resources, geographical factors, the influx of weapons etc. and the ramifications are Genocide/Killing, Starvation, Rape, Fear and insecurity, Destruction of Property etc. The parties involved are Government forces, Janjaweed, USA, China Libya, Egypt etc. A purposive sampling technique was used to select 26 respondentswhich include, Diplomats, Civil Servants, Students and refugees. The instrument used for data collection was a semi-structured interview guide. It was conducted within the framework of ‘identity politics. The recommendation to the Sudanese Government is that the government has the following role to play: Protection of the civilian population by the Sudanese government. This can be done by: Publishing and disseminating orders eliminating the targeting of inhabitants, properties and indiscriminate attacks,and enforcement of orders prohibiting the targeting of civilians and civilian property and indiscriminate attacks. Publicise and enforce a policy that embraces zero tolerance for violence against women. Enforcement of UN/ AU Resolutions: The Security Council veto on invasive military flights must be enforced. The AU and NATO should agree on enforcement processes to be applied if Khartoum violates the injunction in United Nation Security Council Resolution 1591 and National Reconciliation: There should be reconciliation that comprises of prosecution of perpetrators of atrocities, the safe return of villagers to their villages and violence compensation.

The Role of Regional Organisations in Peacebuilding: The Case of the International Conference on the Great Lakes Region

This article aims to examine the role of the International Conference on the Great Lakes Region (ICGLR) in peacebuilding in the Great Lakes Region (GLR) by focusing on its conflict transformation approach to peacebuilding. The region is made up of a complex network of political and economic resources that have had tremendous effects on peace and security. The region has experienced many atrocities, caused by heavy violations of human rights and the violation of the state sovereignty principle. This has opened avenues for illegal armed groups from within and outside the region, encouraged illegal mining, and led to conflicts becoming intractable in nature. The GLR has also registered intercommunal conflicts in Uganda and South Sudan which continue to compromise peace and security, affecting the safety and livelihoods of people. These intractable intercommunal conflicts do not affect the GLR alone but also the entire continent. This has led scholars, non-governmental organisations, international organisations, and intergovernmental organisations such as the ICGLR to seek to end the conflict in the region. This article finds that conflict persists because the ICGLR's structures are ineffective. Furthermore, despite the strides made in areas such as the illegal exploitation of mineral resources, human rights violations, sexual gender-based violence, and democracy, there are factors that hamper progress, including understaffing and unqualified personnel, coupled with a lack of political consensus in decision making and implementation, which has led to malfunctioning in the ICGLR.