#North Kordofan

[vvstual]

[worldhumanitarianday]

755,000 people face phase five “catastrophic” conditions in 10 states, including in Greater Darfur as well as South and North Kordofan, Blue Nile, Al Jazira and Khartoum.

Famine risk is real for 14 areas of Sudan amid ongoing fighting

According to the latest UN-backed Integrated Food Security Phase Classification (IPC) initiative, over half the population in Sudan – 25.6 million people – face “crisis or worse” conditions between now September 2024, coinciding with the lean season. Learn more about famine and the IPC's five levels of food security in our explainer here.

Even worse, 755,000 people face phase five “catastrophic” conditions in 10 states, including in Greater Darfur as well as South and North Kordofan, Blue Nile, Al Jazira and Khartoum. At the same time, 8.5 million people – 18 per cent of the population – now suffer from phase four “emergency” levels of food insecurity.

Warring generals

In the more than 14 months since rival militaries – the Sudan Armed Forces and the Rapid Support Forces – unleashed their heavy weapons arsenals on one another amid rising tensions over a transition to civilian rule, the UN has repeatedly called for a ceasefire as the country’s capital, Khartoum, became a battleground and amid fears of atrocities in the Darfurs. Despite multiple calls for a ceasefire to Generals Abdel-Fattah Burhan, head of the Sudanese military, and Mohammed Hamdan Dagalo, who heads the Rapid Support Forces, senior UN humanitarians have warned that the situation is only getting worse.

Conflict leaves country reeling

“We have received news of people eating leaves from trees; one mother cooked up dirt just to put something in her children’s stomach,” said Justin Brady, head of the UN emergency relief agency (OCHA) in Sudan, in an interview with UN News. The risk of famine threatens residents, people uprooted by the war and refugees in no less than 14 areas covering Greater Darfur, Greater Kordofan, Al Jazira states and hotspots in Khartoum “if the conflict escalates further, including through increased mobilisation of local militias that further disrupt mobility, humanitarian assistance, market and livelihood activities”, the IPC assessment warned.

[kemetic-dreams]

Kordofan melons from Sudan are the closest relatives and may be progenitors of modern, cultivated watermelons. Wild watermelon seeds were found in Uan Muhuggiag, a prehistoric site in Libya that dates to approximately 3500 BC. Watermelons were domesticated in north-east Africa, and cultivated in Egypt by 2000 BC, although they were not the sweet modern variety. Sweet dessert watermelons spread across the Mediterranean world during Roman times.

Many 5000-year-old wild watermelon seeds (C. lanatus) were discovered at Uan Muhuggiag, a prehistoric archaeological site located in southwestern Libya. This archaeobotanical discovery may support the possibility that the plant was more widely distributed in the past.

In the 7th century, watermelons were being cultivated in India, and by the 10th century had reached China. The Moors introduced the fruit into the Iberian Peninsula, and there is evidence of it being cultivated in Córdoba in 961 and also in Seville in 1158. It spread northwards through southern Europe, perhaps limited in its advance by summer temperatures being insufficient for good yields. The fruit had begun appearing in European herbals by 1600, and was widely planted in Europe in the 17th century as a minor garden crop.

Early watermelons were not sweet, but bitter, with yellowish-white flesh. They were also difficult to open. Through breeding, watermelons later tasted better and were easier to open.

European colonists and enslaved people from Africa introduced the watermelon to the New World. Spanish settlers were growing it in Florida in 1576. It was being grown in Massachusetts by 1629, and by 1650 was being cultivated in Peru, Brazil and Panama. Around the same time, Native Americans were cultivating the crop in the Mississippi valley and Florida. Watermelons were rapidly accepted in Hawaii and other Pacific islands when they were introduced there by explorers such as Captain James Cook. In the Civil War era United States, watermelons were commonly grown by free African people and became one symbol for the abolition of slavery. After the Civil War, African people were maligned for their association with watermelon. The sentiment evolved into a racist stereotype where Africn people shared a supposed voracious appetite for watermelon, a fruit long correlated with laziness and uncleanliness.

Seedless watermelons were initially developed in 1939 by Japanese scientists who were able to create seedless triploid hybrids which remained rare initially because they did not have sufficient disease resistance. Seedless watermelons became more popular in the 21st century, rising to nearly 85% of total watermelon sales in the United States in 2014

A melon from the Kordofan region of Sudan – the kordofan melon – may be the progenitor of the modern, domesticated watermelon. The kordofan melon shares with the domestic watermelon loss of the bitterness gene, while maintaining a sweet taste, unlike other wild African varieties from other regions, indicating a common origin, possibly cultivated in the Nile Valley by 4360 BP (before present)

[arablit]

Sudanese poet, Mohammed El-Makki Ibrahim, Dies at 85

By Lemya Shammat SEPTEMBER 29, 2024 — Mohammed El-Makki Ibrahim (1939-2024), a celebrated poet and cultural icon of Sudan, died today in Cairo. He was 85. Born in El-Obied, North Kordofan, in 1939, Mohammed El-Makki Ibrahim earned a B.A. in law from Khartoum University and an M.A. in political science from the Sorbonne. A former diplomat and global citizen, El-Makki was recognized for his…

[good-old-gossip]

In the wake of over a year of relentless conflict, Sudanese grassroots movements are mobilising for self-defence against the Rapid Support Forces (RSF), which has been clashing with the Sudanese army since hostilities erupted between the former allies in April of last year.

As the conflict edges closer to full-scale civil war, international efforts to contain the violence have largely failed, leaving civilians to fend for themselves.

The rise of self-defence initiatives has been fuelled by the RSF's brutal actions across the country and the perceived inability or unwillingness of the Sudanese Armed Forces (SAF) to protect civilians.

Although SAF chief Abdel Fattah al-Burhan has called for an "armed popular resistance" under the SAF's command, the current wave of grassroots mobilisation is notably independent, with many expressing distrust in the SAF’s capacity to safeguard them.

However, critics warn that arming civilians could rapidly escalate the conflict into a full-blown civil war, particularly given the pervasive hate speech, tribal populism and ethnic rhetoric already inflaming tensions.

Sudanese analyst Salah Adoma, for example, downplayed the significance of the self-defence efforts, cautioning that they could worsen the situation and expand the war.

He warned that such resistance could open the door for remnants of the old regime and Islamists to exploit the populism and regain power.

"Many of these calls for self-defence are coming from associates of the old regime or individuals who have been brainwashed. It would be better for all of us to pursue dialogue and peace negotiations to end this conflict," Adoma told Middle East Eye.

Self-defence efforts have emerged across several regions, including el-Fasher in North Darfur, al-Dalang in South Kordofan, el-Obeid in North Kordofan, Babanusa in West Kordofan and central Sudan, including el-Gezira.

These movements reflect a growing determination among communities to protect themselves, independent of SAF's command.

A prominent member of the Darfur rebel coalition, the Joint Forces, which fights alongside the SAF in el-Fasher, noted that most locals who have taken up arms are not aligned with the army.

"The majority of those joining the fight against the RSF are doing so to protect themselves, their families and the city. Their primary enemy is the RSF and they are organising independently," said the source, who requested anonymity for security reasons. He added, "The people of al-Fasher have been under siege and subjected to intense RSF attacks for more than two months now, but they remain steadfast under our popular resistance slogan ‘el-Fasher is strong'."

Political analyst Magdi el-Gizouli argued that self-defence is a natural and necessary response to ongoing RSF attacks.

"Villagers in el-Gezira, Sennar and Kordofan are under daily assault by RSF or RSF-affiliated militias. It’s only reasonable that they arm themselves by whatever means available," Gizouli, a fellow at the Rift Valley Institute, told MEE.

"This is a raging civil war, and people are being drawn into the conflict not by choice but out of necessity." Gizouli acknowledged the concerns surrounding the spread of arms but argued that these fears are somewhat misplaced given that the country is already flooded with weapons.

"In practical terms, these recruits function as self-defence units in their villages and towns, defending against RSF attacks. They are not the Popular Defence Forces of the 1990s.

They lack a central command and do not share the same ideology or creed," he added. In South Kordofan's al-Dalang city, a newly formed group called the Organisation of Nuba People Unity successfully repelled RSF forces.

This group, made up of thousands from the Nuba community, includes soldiers affiliated with both the SAF and the Sudan People’s Liberation Army (SPLA) under Abdelaziz al-Hilu, as well as ordinary citizens who have taken up arms.

"The fight against the RSF began in al-Dalang this year and has since spread to other areas, including Rashad, al-Abbasiya and Tagali," said a source within the group, speaking on condition of anonymity.

"We will continue to fight the RSF and expel them from our lands. While we are open to support from SAF or SPLA, we are prepared to defend our state on our own. We are the majority, and we will not relinquish our land to the Janjaweed [Popular Defence Forces]," he said, referring to the notorious militia responsible for widespread atrocities in Darfur two decades ago.

Thousands of Sudanese citizens have mobilised into what are known as Popular Defence Units under SAF command to protect themselves from ongoing attacks by the RSF.

The concept of self-defence gained traction in el-Geneina, West Darfur, last year and has since spread to al-Dalang and el-Obeid in South and North Kordofan and is now reaching new areas in central Sudan.

While it is common for people in Sudan's peripheral regions to bear arms due to a history of civil wars, this is the first time in recent history that residents of central Sudan have taken up weapons in self-defence.

The violence, which began in el-Gezira state in the west in December last year, has spread to Sennar, White Nile, Blue Nile and North Kordofan. In response to RSF claims of surrounding Sennar, White Nile and Blue Nile states, a popular coalition known as The Middle Call has formed, branding their mission as "suicidal".

According to its manifesto, the group aims to expel the RSF, accusing them of land grabbing and displacing local populations. "Our call is for a popular confrontation against the war waged by Janjaweed militias against the Sudanese people.

We are committed to defending the people of central Sudan, organising them across the states of el-Gezira, Sennar, White Nile and North Kordofan," the manifesto states.

The coalition also accuses the RSF of orchestrating a regional plot, backed by external supporters, to target its resource-rich region for its strategic importance in food security. "Our struggle is linked to the liberation of our region as part of the broader battle to liberate the entire country," the manifesto declares.

The Middle Call plans to train and arm youth to fight the militias, launch a global media campaign to raise awareness and pursue legal action against the RSF and its external backers, demanding compensation for the atrocities committed.

They also intend to coordinate with Sudanese expatriates to provide humanitarian assistance.

The group is adamant in its opposition to any peace talks or negotiations allowing the RSF to retain control over any areas in el-Gezira, Sennar, White Nile, Blue Nile or North Kordofan.

The Middle Call recently announced on its Facebook page the graduation of its first self-defence battalion in central Sudan, which includes members from el-Gezira, Sennar, White Nile, Blue Nile and North Kordofan.

This battalion has been trained to defend their lands against RSF incursions and various forms of violence, including mass killings, rape, abductions, village burnings and forced displacement.

Speaking at an online symposium, Ahmed al-Sharif, Middle Call's coordinator for the White Nile region, highlighted the systematic and organised attacks on central Sudan, accusing the RSF of orchestrating a campaign aimed at displacing residents and seizing their land.

He stated that thousands have been forced to flee el-Gezira, Sennar, North Kordofan and Blue Nile states.

"The militias have deliberately targeted farmers, driving them from their land, looting crops, food stores, seeds, and agricultural machinery - essentially stripping away the means of survival and agriculture in these villages.

This is a clear attempt to occupy the land," he told MEE. At the same event, Mohamed Ahmed al-Mahjob, coordinator for North Kordofan, blamed the RSF for the famine threatening millions across Sudan.

Agricultural expert Abdul Latif Ahmed argued that Sudan's food sovereignty has collapsed due to intentional attacks, displacing farmers and landowners from the fertile regions of el-Gezira, Sennar, White Nile and North Kordofan, where much of the land is now under RSF control.

"This tactic is reminiscent of land-grabbing practices seen in other countries and also in Sudan's Darfur region by the same militias. Some nations in the region appear to be eyeing these rich lands to secure their own food supplies," he told MEE.

Meanwhile, recent developments indicate emerging cracks within the popular resistance under SAF command.

A leading member of the armed popular resistance in River Nile State, Ahmed Ali, has defected and taken up arms against SAF. Ali, once a key figure in the armed resistance movement in River Nile State, confronted a SAF battalion in Berber city, White Nile State.

Bushra Alsaim, a local leader from Berber, told MEE that Ahmed Ali has engaged in battles against police and army forces in the area, declaring his rebellion against SAF.

According to Alsaim, Ali had raised concerns about the financing of the armed resistance movement, accusing associates of the old regime of embezzling gold mining resources meant to support the movement's volunteers.

"Fighting has been ongoing for nearly a week in al-Fraikha village near Berber between forces loyal to Ahmed Ali and government troops. Tanks and drones have been deployed, with casualties on both sides," he explained.

"We’ve heard that negotiations are underway, and we hope this can be resolved peacefully."

✍️ by Mohammed Amin/MEE

[dzthenerd490]

News Post

Palestine

Israel-Hamas war: At least 90 Palestinians reported killed in Israeli strike in southern Gaza targeting Mohammed Deif | CNN

Who is Mohammed Deif, the Hamas military commander in Gaza? | Israel-Palestine conflict News | Al Jazeera

UK Foreign Secretary visits Israel and West Bank and calls for an immediate cease-fire in Gaza | AP News

Abbas blames Hamas for Gaza war; terror group says PA siding with Israel | The Times of Israel

Ukraine

From basement to battlefield: Ukrainian startups create low-cost robots to fight Russia | AP News

He created Oculus headsets as a teenager. Now he makes AI weapons for Ukraine : NPR

What has NATO promised Ukraine – and did Gaza figure in summit talks? | NATO News | Al Jazeera

The West finally allowed Ukraine to strike back at Russia — and it seems to be working | CNN

Sudan

https://sudantribune.com/article288240/

In pictures: Hunger grips Sudan's Nuba Mountains | Middle East Eye

Sudan situation update | July 2024: The RSF marches on Sennar and West Kordofan (acleddata.com)

At least 23 civilians killed in RSF attack on North Kordofan convoy - Sudan Tribune

[tieflingkisser]

Sudan war: Army and RSF both profiting from smuggling of vital goods

Sudan's warring parties are both involved in the smuggling of food, fuel, medicine and Starlink internet devices

Fighters from Sudan’s two warring parties are exploiting the ongoing conflict to profit from the smuggling and sale of vital goods including food, fuel and medicine.  Under the pretence of confiscating their enemy’s supplies, associates of both the Sudanese Armed Forces (SAF) and the paramilitary Rapid Support Forces (RSF), which have been at war since April last year, are also looting merchants, robbing civilians, accepting bribes and imposing levies on goods at roadside checkpoints. According to multiple sources, officers and soldiers from the army and RSF are directly involved in the smuggling of an array of goods, as well as in renting Starlink satellite internet devices to civilians in areas in which access to the internet has been cut.  Sudanese traders, local eyewitnesses and businesspeople all spoke to Middle East Eye about this wartime economy, as the one-year anniversary of the conflict approaches on 15 April. The war has displaced over eight million people and the current humanitarian situation in many parts of Sudan is dire, with children dying every day and 25 million suffering from hunger or malnutrition.

[...]

Another trader who spoke to MEE confirmed that the warring parties are responsible for the food markets that exist in the areas they control.   “The RSF is bringing in the food it needs through South Sudan, Chad and CAR to the areas it controls, especially in Darfur and Kordofan, while its soldiers are trading food and other supplies widely,” Mahmoud Hussien, a trader from Gedarif told MEE. Hussien said that army officers are involved in smuggling food and groceries from Ethiopia or Egypt, which border army-controlled areas in eastern and northern Sudan.

[...]

Alhadi Mohamed, another trader, told MEE that he brought groceries from Ethiopia to Ad-Damazin, the capital of Blue Nile state, but that an army checkpoint outside the city had confiscated the shipment, accusing him of helping the RSF. “They clearly looted me,” Mohamed said, “with the excuse being that I’m supporting the RSF, which is totally incorrect as I’m a normal trader and I brought these items from Ethiopia like the other traders. But this hasn’t just happened to me, it’s happened to others as well.

[...]

With the internet cut in some parts of Sudan (accusations of blame have been thrown around by both sides), Starlink satellite internet devices, which are made by Elon Musk’s SpaceX company, have also become part of illicit trading networks. Zain telecommunication company has succeeded in restoring the network in Port Sudan and other states in the east and north of Sudan controlled by the army, promising that coverage will return to the entire country soon.  An eyewitness from el-Gezira state said that the RSF has exploited the internet blackout –for which many blame the paramilitary group – to trade in Starlink devices, which can deliver broadband internet via satellite and are the only form of communication in the state right now.

[archivio-disattivato]

In brief:

Hopes for a ceasefire in Sudan dimmed on Tuesday as the warring parties concluded a new round of talks without reaching any agreement, apart from humanitarian commitments and vaguely articulated “confidence building measures.” However, the talks are expected to continue after a pause.

The humanitarian commitments are the most detailed and concrete outcome of the talks. The facilitators published separate lists of commitments made by RSF and SAF. If implemented, these measures could significantly improve humanitarian access. But prior commitments made in Jeddah were not respected.

Three members of the Sudan Liberation Movement led by Minni Minawi, including a field commander, died in a suspected ambush by the Rapid Support Forces in North Darfur, raising the risk of conflict between the two parties.

Leaders of the Beni Salamat and Salamat tribes have signed a peace agreement after more than three months of conflict that left hundreds dead.

The Church of the Savior in Omdurman “was hit and destroyed” November 1, according to Anglican Archbishop Ezekiel Kondo. ”Church of Saviour is co-owned by the Episcopal Church of Sudan and Evangelical Presbyterian Church. This building has been a place of worship for the last 81 years or so,” he said in a Facebook post. The building is located about 1.5-2 km from the frontline, in the RSF-controlled neighborhood of al-Mulazimin.

[mybeautifulchristianjourney]

Today in Christian History

Today is Thursday, June 29th. It is the 180th day of the year (181st in leap years) in the Gregorian calendar; 185 days remain until the end of the year.

1073: Consecration of Gregory VII (Hildebrand). His reign will be marred by continual skirmishing with Holy Roman Emperor Henry IV.

1315: (traditional date) Death by stoning of mystic and missionary Raymond Lull in Bougie, North Africa (Tunisia). He had been persuaded by a vision to seek the conversion of Muslims, had founded a school to train men to the task, and had studied Islamic culture.

1629: Samuel Skelton and Francis Higginson, Presbyterian reverends, arrive on the ship Talbot to Massachusetts, the first clergymen of that sect in what will become the United States.

1770: John Beck, born to missionaries in Greenland, returns to his land of birth, having completed his formal education in Europe. He will serve as a Moravian missionary in Greenland for over fifty years.

1794: Bishop Asbury preaches the dedicatory sermon for Bethel African Methodist Episcopal Church, founded by Richard Allen and fellow African-Americans after they were segregated from white worshipers in St. George’s Church, Philadelphia.

1861: At Casa Guidi (in Florence, Italy) toward morning the poet Elizabeth Barrett Browning seems to be in an ecstasy. She tells her husband of her love for him, gives him her blessing, and raises herself to die in his arms. “It is beautiful,” are her last words. Among her poems is the sonnet “Speak low to me, my Saviour, low and sweet.”

1864: In a ceremony that fills Canterbury Cathedral beyond capacity, Samuel Adjai Crowther is consecrated as the first African bishop of the Church of England.

1875: The first Keswick convention opens, a holiness movement that spreads around the world. Delegates had met for prayer the day before.

1881: Convinced that he is the long-awaited Mahdi, Muhammad Ahmad, a Sufi Muslim in Kordofan (then a province of Sudan) proclaims “There is no God but God, and Muhammad is the Prophet of God, and Muhammad al-Mahdi is the successor of God’s Prophet!” He soon imprisons Christian missionaries and in 1885 will massacre many of the Christians in Khartoum.

1900: Pastor Meng is seized and beheaded at Pao ting Fu, having refused to flee, declaring he will stand by foreign missionaries whose lives are threatened.

1979: Repose (Death) of Archbishop Andrew (Father Adrian) of New Diveyevo Monastery in Jordanville, New York. Born in the Ukraine, he had been forced to flee his native land because of Soviet persecution, eventually migrating to the United States where he established an Orthodox monastery. He was sought out for his deep spirituality.

[vvstual]

[sa7abnews]

Darfur IDPs on the brink of starvation as aid dries up

New Post has been published on https://sa7ab.info/2024/08/11/darfur-idps-on-the-brink-of-starvation-as-aid-dries-up-2/

Darfur IDPs on the brink of starvation as aid dries up

“Hunger is our biggest crisis,” says Hafiza Musa, a 33-year-old displaced woman who has lived in the Al-Hasahisa camp in Zalingei, the capital of Central Darfur state, since 2007. 

Musa’s voice trembles with emotion as she recounts how most of the nearly 50,000 displaced people (IDPs) who lived there relied on aid from organisations and some small-scale farming.

According to a UN report, the camp eventually emptied by early November as people managed to flee the relentless bombing, leaving behind damaged brick homes and ghost-like streets. 

“Since the war began, everything has fallen apart,” Musa told The New Arab, describing the devastating impact of the ongoing conflict.

“When the fighting reached the camp in October, 100 people were killed and over 200 were wounded. But worst of all, children and the elderly died of starvation because the aid organisations disappeared.”

The armed conflict in Sudan, which broke out on April 15, 2023, between the army forces and the Rapid Support Forces (RSF), has left Darfur’s displaced populations teetering on the brink of starvation. 

With the army controlling Port Sudan and blocking aid delivery to Darfur, and militias seizing the aid in areas controlled by the Rapid Support Forces, the residents are left to face an inevitable fate. 

Despite efforts by the World Food Program (WFP), which has delivered humanitarian aid to about half a million people in Darfur this year via convoys coming from Chad, the ever-increasing number of displaced persons complicates the mission, according to a WFP report. 

Furthermore, road conditions are quickly deteriorating, particularly in remote parts of Darfur and Kordofan, becoming waterlogged and muddy due to seasonal heavy rains.

This is slowing the delivery and distribution of humanitarian assistance to some areas. 

Weaponising hunger

The situation in Darfur is catastrophic.

“Ninety percent of the people cannot afford a single meal a day,” says Adam Rajal, spokesperson for the Coordination of Displacement and Refugee Camps in Darfur.

“The declaration of famine was long overdue. The response to our appeals has been weak, and thousands are at risk of death if aid doesn’t arrive soon.”

Approximately 2.6 million displaced persons live in Darfur’s 56 camps, spread across five states: 21 in West Darfur, 17 in Central Darfur, 11 in South Darfur, six in North Darfur, and one in East Darfur.

Since the war’s onset, these camps have seen a surge in numbers as city residents flee to escape the violence. This influx has worsened the already dire food scarcity, as both warring factions obstruct the flow of humanitarian aid.

The Rapid Support Forces control four out of Darfur’s five states, making aid delivery increasingly challenging.

In its June 27 situation report, the WHO announced that in Sudan, over 750,000 people are experiencing catastrophic levels of food insecurity with 25.6 million people in crisis levels of hunger, noting that the hunger catastrophe is on a scale not seen since the Darfur crisis in the early 2000s.

Thwarted aid efforts

In a confirmation of the worsening conditions, in early July the WFP reported that unidentified gunmen attacked and looted three trucks loaded with food aid en route to Central Darfur. 

“The safe delivery of supplies must be guaranteed by all,” the organisation urged on its official social media, noting that the aid will no longer go to the most vulnerable people in need.

“More than 50 children have died from malnutrition and lack of medicine from February to June this year,” the general coordinator of Darfur’s displaced and refugee camps, Yaqoub Fari, told The New Arab. 

Fari lives in South Darfur’s largest camp Kalma which has seen an influx of about 100,000 displaced persons since the war began. 

“The food aid that arrived in June did not cover the needs of the displaced. It was very limited compared to the size of the displaced population, with each family receiving only corn cobs,” said Fari.

Echoing the dire need for support, Abdelazim Hassan from the Neim camp in East Darfur describes the severe shortages. 

“The cessation of humanitarian aid has left us without enough food and medicine,” he told The New Arab.  

According to statistics from the Sudanese Humanitarian Aid Commission, said Fari, the number of displaced families in Neim is 83,846, not including those who arrived after the escalations in Al Fasher, the capital of North Darfur.

The grim reality

Anwar Yusuf Adam, an elder displaced in Zamzam camp in North Darfur, paints a grim picture. 

“The conditions are terrible. We struggle to get water, and food is scarce. The fighting has brought over 20,000 new people to our camp. Eight of 22 water wells are out of service,” he says.

“Two children die every day due to hunger.”

Musa echoes his words.

“The failure of the de facto authorities to take responsibility for providing food, water, and medical care has cost the lives of countless children and the elderly,” says Musa, reflecting the prevailing sentiment of IDPs who are demanding urgent international intervention to put an end to the humanitarian tragedy.

Mothers like Musa are left to watch helplessly as their children waste away. 

In the crowded conditions of Kalma camp, Yaqoub Fari speaks of the heartbreaking scenes he witnesses daily. 

“The situation is unbearable,” says Fari, as he recounts the rising death toll among the camp’s youngest and most vulnerable residents.

“We have people collapsing from hunger. It’s a daily occurrence,” added Hassan from Niem camp.

“The lack of medicine means even treatable illnesses become deadly. We need help, and we need it now.”

Calls for action

Humanitarian organisations are sounding the alarm, but the response from the international community has been sluggish, says Sudan Liberation Army spokesperson, Mohamed Abdul Rahman Al-Nayer.

Al-Nayer is unequivocal in his appeal. 

“The world cannot stand by as Darfur starves,” he says. “We need immediate intervention to prevent a catastrophe.”

The scale of the crisis in Darfur is staggering, but despite the immense hardships, the displaced communities are striving to survive. 

Grassroots efforts within the camps, like the meal preparation by the youth in Zamzam camp, are making a difference, albeit a small one. 

“We do what we can, but it’s not enough,” says Adam. “We need the world to see us, to hear our cries for help.”

Eisa Dafalla is a Sudanese journalist focusing on Darfur’s coverage

This article is published in collaboration with Egab

[drytechengi]

Exporter of Multi Effect Evaporator in Sudan

Drytech Engineering Systems is an Exporter of Multi Effect Evaporator in Sudan. Drytech Engineering Systems is Based in Ahmedabad, Gujarat, India. We specialize in manufacturing, supplying, stocking, and exporting a range of drying equipment including Flash Dryers, Spray Dryers, Spin Flash Dryers, Fluid Bed Dryers, and Evaporator Dryers. Drytech Engineering Systems consistently offers an extensive array of Multi-Effect Evaporators (MEE), tailored to meet diverse quality standards across various applications. With our advanced technological expertise, we specialize in designing Multi-Effect Evaporators (MEEs) that concentrate solutions, typically liquids, by evaporating a portion of their water or solvent content. The process commences with utilizing the heat energy from steam to evaporate water from a solution in the first stage. The vapor generated in this initial effect subsequently heats the next stage, where it evaporates additional water from another solution. This sequential process optimizes the use of heat energy, as vapor from one stage efficiently heats the next. Our system utilizes the latent heat released during evaporation to drive subsequent stages. Thereby optimizing energy consumption and reducing both fuel costs and operational expenses. Our Multi-Effect Evaporators feature customizable configurations and advanced controls, seamlessly integrating into industrial processes to achieve efficient operation. By harnessing latent heat across multiple stages, our Multi-Effect Evaporator maximizes energy efficiency. It excels in concentrating liquids, recovering solvents, and treating industrial effluents, offering versatile and sustainable solutions. Drytech Engineering Systems is an Exporter of Multi Effect Evaporator in Sudan and locations like Khartoum, Kassala, North Darfur, Sennar, Blue Nile, Northern, Red Sea, Al Qadarif, Gezira, North Kordofan, Gedaref, Lakes, Northern Bahr el Ghazal, Omdurman, River Nile, Juba. For detailed information and inquiries, please feel free to contact us. Read the full article

[good-old-gossip]

In Sudan, humanitarian workers face unimagined horrors

Waseem Ahmad, CEO of Islamic Relief, talks to MEE about a 'lost generation' that will take decades to recover

A Sudanese man displaced by the war at a camp in Port Sudan, October 2024 (Islamic Relief)

By Oscar Rickett

Published date: 26 October 2024 10:14 BST | Last update: 6 hours 33 mins ago 

There were about 110 children at the camp in Port Sudan, all of whom had fled their homes because of the war. 

Sitting amid makeshift shelters made from plastic sheets, the children spoke with members of the psychosocial team from the charity Islamic Relief and described what had happened to them. They drew pictures of men with guns, men killing people, houses burning and worlds ending.

One little boy, about six or seven years old, approached Waseem Ahmad, Islamic Relief’s CEO, and asked if he had any sweets. “I could tell he was malnourished,” Ahmad told Middle East Eye. “I asked him what he had been eating and he said he’d eaten whatever he could find on the way – grass and insects.”

Ahmad gave him two sweets. The boy told him he would save one for his sister and brought Ahmed to meet her and their mother. “She said she didn’t know where her husband was,” Ahmad recalled. 

Fighting in her native Sinja, in Sudan's southeastern Sennar state, had forced the woman to flee with her children on foot. With daytime temperatures topping 40C and armed groups along on the roads, she led her children through bush, jungle and forest at night. 

It took the family 12 days to get away from the fighting. Eventually, they made it to Port Sudan, the Red Sea city now hosting the country’s army-aligned government and hundreds of thousands of people displaced by the war that began in April 2023.

The mother shared with Ahmad how, during her 300km journey with her family, she would periodically hear the screams and cries of other women. The Rapid Support Forces (RSF), the paramilitary force that was once connected to the Sudanese army but now fighting against it, has been “ripping women and young girls away from their relatives”, Ahmad explained, recounting conversations he had with some of those women during his recent trip to Port Sudan.

In RSF-controlled areas, abductions and assaults often occur at roadblocks. To avoid this, the boy's mother steered her family away from vehicle-accessible paths. “People are using rape and violence as a weapon of war,” Ahmad said, referring to the RSF. 

Thinking back to his initial encounter with the boy, Ahmad said: “Such an innocent young boy, asking me if I have sweets. At this age, how is that possible?” 

War in Sudan

The humanitarian, who has worked in this field for 24 years, returned to this theme during an interview with MEE a day after he returned from a week-long trip to Sudan. Islamic Relief is currently operating in Port Sudan, Gedaref, Central Darfur, West Kordofan, and North Kordofan.

The war, now 18 months old, has forced nearly 3 million Sudanese to leave the country, while the International Organization for Migration (IOM) reports that almost 11 million people have been internally displaced. 

'What I saw in the eyes of women who went through sexual violence, who had their children killed in front of them... This is not something you want in this century' - Waseem Ahmad, Islamic Relief CEO

No official or reliable statistics are available for the number of people killed in the ongoing conflict, which began in the capital Khartoum, spread to Darfur, and extended into other states. Ahmad says that his team in Sudan estimates the death toll could already be as high as 200,000.

In Darfur, the vast western region that has seen conflict for much of the 21st century, the RSF has been targeting non-Arab groups, especially the Black African Masalit people, in what humanitarian groups have called an ongoing genocide. 

Ahmad spent a year in 2005 working in el-Geneina, the capital of West Darfur, in a camp that housed 20,000 people. 

The Janjaweed militias, deployed by the authoritarian government of former President Omar Hassan al-Bashir, had been charged with crushing rebellion in Darfur. They killed an estimated 300,000 people in the process. 

In 2013, Bashir took the Janjaweed and turned it into the Rapid Support Forces, placing it under the aegis of the state and installing one of its commanders, Mohamed Hamdan Dagalo, the RSF general better known as Hemeti, as his “protection”. 

“I see the conflict of 2005 as nothing compared to what is happening now,” Ahmad told MEE. “This war is going to leave long-term scars. This generation - there’s a need for them to be supported. It will take decades.” 

In el-Geneina, where Ahmad once worked, the current war has taken a brutal toll. Residents describe a city full of rotting corpses and recount to MEE a litany of crimes committed by RSF fighters, including rape, abduction and murder.

Getting aid into Sudan

Throughout the war, aid agencies have been unable to reach large parts of the country. At a meeting in Britain’s parliament in April, Michael Dunford, East Africa director for the World Food Programme, said that convoys of trucks carrying vital aid had taken six weeks to cross Sudan. 

Ahmad said that at checkpoints run by both the Sudanese army and the RSF, some commanders will not let trucks carrying aid go through and that fighters are looking to extract bribes. Islamic Relief has handed over 6 tonnes of medicine, but as Ahmad says, “children cannot wait weeks for antibiotics”, which have a shelf life.

Ahmad arrived in Port Sudan via Nairobi and Ethiopia, where the small plane he was on had to stop for refuelling. The Red Sea city is a small place and is not built to handle the number of people now living there. Prices in the city have soared, with a small lunch now costing as much as $20, leaving locals struggling to make ends meet.

Waseem Ahmad, CEO of Islamic Relief, in Port Sudan, in October 2024 (Supplied)

“Every day, I could see buses and cars queuing up and entering Port Sudan,” Ahmad said. He could also see the flags of Turkey, Egypt and Russia flying on buildings – all three have embassies or consulates in Port Sudan and have close relationships with Sudan’s army-aligned government.

At Alsinaeya camp and school on the outskirts of Sudan, Islamic Relief provides food, water, shelter, cash distribution and a psychosocial programme for children.

“We are providing $200 per family when they arrive in the camp,” Ahmad said. “We do this every month to give them some dignity. Some of the donors are reluctant to provide this cash, but it’s not easy to deliver the food that’s needed.”

The charity’s Sudan headquarters was previously in Khartoum, but the war forced it to relocate to Port Sudan, where it spends $5,000 a month on renting a building. Islamic Relief has reached 1.1 million people and hopes to reach 2 million in the next few months. 

One member of the Khartoum team described seeing a disabled, elderly woman shot dead by RSF fighters, who then took over her home. Another survivor in the camp described fighters shooting people indiscriminately. 

“They found children left on their own in the jungle,” Ahmad said. “Neighbours are taking care of children because they don’t know where the parents are. We don’t know what happens. We have heard reports of mass burial.” One child described people being buried alive, simply being thrown in a hole and tried to depict this in a drawing.

'A nightmare'

Ahmad spoke to three women in Port Sudan who had been sexually assaulted. “What I saw in the eyes of women who went through sexual violence, had their children killed in front of them, who had guns put to their heads. This is not something you want in this century,” he said.

With all this happening in Central Darfur, Islamic Relief’s team, which is from the local community, is having to work with the RSF, which controls the vast majority of Darfur. 

“The relationship with the RSF is a nightmare,” Ahmad said. The phone connection in Sudan is dreadful, too. Across the country, Islamic Relief has been held back by the fact that Microsoft, whose products the charity uses, is blocked due to sanctions.

When he landed back in London, Ahmad found it hard to describe what he had seen in Sudan. “I would say, as a humanitarian worker, the last four or five days really impacted me. It hit my brain hard,” he said. “I was speaking to my wife and I can’t describe the situation.”

With the war in Sudan, Israel’s wars in Lebanon and Gaza and Russia's invasion of Ukraine, this may be one of the bleakest times that many seasoned humanitarians have ever witnessed.

Ahmad thinks back to the children he met in Darfur in 2005. “They were born in the camp and now they are back there. Is this the world that we all dream of,” he asks.

“There needs to be political intervention. There needs to be an end to the violence. People need to be held accountable for doing all this to innocent people,” Ahmad says.

“How can we let this happen? And for how long? The cost will be a lost generation. A generation that will want to take revenge.”

[rmechmachines]

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[thxnews]

Sudan Famine Crisis Demands Urgent Aid

The scale of the famine in Sudan is staggering. Over 18 million people are acutely hungry, and 3.6 million children are acutely malnourished. These children are at extreme risk, being 10 to 11 times more likely to die than those who have enough to eat. Despite the soaring needs, humanitarian aid efforts are hampered by systematic obstructions and deliberate denials of access by parties to the conflict. According to a joint statement from 19 global humanitarian organizations, without rapid and large-scale aid, more people will die.  

Obstacles to Aid Delivery

The delivery of humanitarian aid in Sudan is fraught with challenges. Aid workers face significant dangers, including being killed, injured, and harassed. Humanitarian supplies are often looted, and access to key areas has been severely restricted. For instance, movements across conflict lines to parts of Khartoum, Darfur, Aj Jazirah, and Kordofan have been cut off since mid-December. In March and April alone, nearly 860,000 people were denied humanitarian aid in these regions.   Region Population Denied Aid (March-April) Khartoum 300,000 Darfur 250,000 Aj Jazirah 180,000 Kordofan 130,000 The situation is particularly dire in North Darfur’s capital, El Fasher, where intensified fighting has left around 800,000 civilians bracing for an imminent large-scale attack. Medical facilities, displacement camps, and critical civilian infrastructure have been targeted, leaving parts of the city without electricity and water.  

Impact of the Conflict on Famine

The ongoing conflict in Sudan has exacerbated the famine crisis. Disruptions to food production and distribution systems have left millions without access to basic necessities. The warring factions' control over key areas further impedes aid efforts, making it incredibly difficult to reach those in desperate need.   Efforts and Successes in Aid Delivery Despite these challenges, there have been some positive developments in aid delivery. The UN World Food Programme (WFP) recently managed to transport 1,200 metric tonnes of food supplies for 116,000 people across the Darfur region from Chad through the Tine border crossing. This success underscores the critical importance of maintaining and expanding access points for humanitarian aid. In Central Darfur, WFP convoys have successfully delivered aid to Umshalaya and Rongatas, while convoys destined for South Darfur, including displacement camps in Nyala, are still in transit. These efforts provide a glimmer of hope amid the broader crisis.   Calls for Action Humanitarian organizations are urging the warring parties to protect civilians and facilitate humanitarian access. However, they have called for a nationwide ceasefire to ensure that aid can be delivered safely and effectively. Furthermore, the heads of these organizations have emphasized the need for the Sudanese Armed Forces (SAF) and the Rapid Support Forces (RSF) to resolve their differences without resorting to violence, which continues to kill, maim, and displace hundreds of thousands of people. Moreover, they have stressed that a peaceful resolution is crucial to prevent the situation from deteriorating further. Additionally, they have urged both sides to prioritize the safety and well-being of civilians, who are bearing the brunt of the conflict. Consequently, humanitarian organizations are calling for immediate and unfettered access to provide essential aid and assistance to those in need.   Pledges at the International Humanitarian Conference Additionally, there is an urgent need for increased international support. At the International Humanitarian Conference for Sudan and its Neighbors held in Paris on April 15, pledges were made to support the crisis. However, nearly five months into the year, the humanitarian appeal for Sudan remains only 16 percent funded. Humanitarians are calling on donors to urgently disburse the pledged funds to address the growing needs.   International Response and Funding Needs The international community’s response has been crucial but insufficient. With the humanitarian appeal for Sudan at a mere 16 percent of the required $2.7 billion, the shortfall in funding is alarming. This gap severely limits the ability to scale up aid operations and meet the urgent needs of millions of Sudanese. To achieve sustainable solutions and mitigate the crisis, the international community must: - Increase funding for humanitarian efforts. - Support conflict resolution initiatives. - Strengthen institutions to facilitate aid delivery.   Conclusion The situation in Sudan is dire, with millions at risk of famine due to ongoing conflict and restricted aid access. Immediate and concerted efforts from the international community, combined with a commitment from the warring parties to cease hostilities and allow humanitarian access, are essential to prevent further catastrophe. The time to act is now, and the world must not ignore the suffering in Sudan.   Sources: THX News, Wikipedia,  & United Nations. Read the full article

[travelella]

Northern Giraffe in Murchison Falls National Park, Pakwach, Uganda

Sam Balye

Habitat: East Africa 

Conservation status: Vulnerable (Population decreasing) 

Family: Giraffids

Length: 14 ft. (Adult)

Lower classifications: Nubian giraffe, West African giraffe, Thornicroft's giraffe, Kordofan giraffe

Scientific name: Giraffa camelopardalis

Mass: 1,800 – 4,300 lbs (Male, Adult), 1,200 – 2,600 lbs (Female, Adult)

Speed: 35 miles an hour

Life Cycle: Giraffes can live as long as 25 years.

The northern giraffe, also known as three-horned giraffe, is the type species of giraffe, G. camelopardalis, and is native to North Africa, although alternative taxonomic hypotheses have proposed the northern giraffe as a separate species.

Northern giraffes live in savannahs, shrublands, and woodlands. After numerous local extinctions, Northern giraffes are the least numerous giraffe species, and the most endangered.

Females give birth throughout the year and usually reach sexual maturity between the ages of five and seven years. Males reach sexual maturity between seven and eight years of age and travel extensively to detect and investigate females receptive to mating.

The Northern Giraffe feeds on shoots, grains, nuts, leaves, flowers, and fruits. They also eat soil to obtain minerals.