It’s great to see the world taking notice of the routine abuse and violence perpetrated by the Sudanese state. This stuff happens all the time, but the case of Meriam Ibrahim – a Christian woman sentenced to death for “apostasy” – has managed to shine a light on the hidden corners of a brutal regime. … More Free Meriam
South Sudan born with makings of crisis – http://www.ft.com/cms/s/8c3b610c-76f6-11e3-a253-00144feabdc0.html William Wallis nails the way a short-sighted advocacy campaign – largely driven by a blame Khartoum agenda – failed to prepare the ground for a new country… This time the blame lies squarely within the southern leadership and a power struggle between the president, Salva Kiir, … More South Sudan born with makings of crisis
On one of my final visits to Khartoum I was discussing the gnarly old peace-versus-justice debate with a diplomat, who used a comparison with a peace process closer to home. She was making a point about the utility of issuing a warrant for the arrest of President Omar al-Bashir even as negotiations continued for independence … More Peace v Justice: Lessons from Northern Ireland
It’s a couple of years since I left Nairobi. I spent five years living there and travelling around east Africa. And this past week I’ve watched (for the umpteenth time) Pole to Pole, Michael Palin’s trip from north to south, taking him through Sudan, Ethiopia, Kenya and Tanzania filmed in 1991 which made me a … More Saving Darfur is now available for kindle
Interesting analysis of Facebook’s seamless sharing by the FT last week. Hat tip @mikewhills Apparently, old stories are being rediscovered as they go viral for the first time… Throughout this week, most or all of the “most shared” and, by extension, “most viewed” stories on Independent.co.uk have been from the late 1990s. Most are oddball … More Man Marries Goat (again)
George Clooney’s Satellite Sentinel Project is beaming back information from the border between north and south Sudan. The first details provide a vivid insight into what is happening there that could have been obtained by, er, just asking someone who knows about Sudan SAF deployments near Muglad, Kadugli, Kharassana and other areas appear to be … More A Fool and His Money
So Hassan al-Turabi is once more back in prison, something of a home from home for him since he fell out of bed with President Omar al Bashir. Still, it gives him a chance to catch up on his reading. What got him into trouble was an interview with AFP in which he suggested that … More Turabi’s Web
Sometimes, even I get sick of my own cyncism. Sometimes I make a deliberate effort to be more positive. I bite my tongue when a well-meaning gap year student tells me they’ll be digging latrines in Uganda, where manual labour is not in short supply. Or I applaud the notion of sending goats to a … More Stick to Basketball George
Al Jazeera’s interview with President Omar al Bashir of Sudan just a couple of days before the South votes on secession is making headlines. In it he says that the South will face instability if it chooses independence from Khartoum “The south suffers from many problems. It’s been at war since 1959. The south does … More Sometimes Bashir Knows What He’s Talking About
Only a few days now to the referendum in South Sudan. Here’s a few things that I have been reading… Clooney Falling into Bin Laden’s Trap – aside from the hysterical and silly language, there is a serious point here about US intervention. Something I’ll return to, I think Peaceful Vote on Sudan Appears More … More Referendum Reading
