---------- Forwarded message ---------- From: Eric Reeves <[email protected]> Date: Sun, Aug 2, 2015 at 6:59 PM Subject: Darfur: Radio Dabanga News Digest Number 22 | 2 August 2015 To: Eric Reeves <[email protected]>
This *twenty-first installment *of* Darfur: Radio Dabanga News Digest* focuses on events of the *past two weeks*, including violence and insecurity in North Darfur and the continuing deterioration in humanitarian conditions. Several dispatches give further evidence of the accelerating collapse of the Sudanese economy, kept afloat by rumor, repression, corruption, and outright mendacity. In all this the Khartoum regime is assisted by an absurdly uncritical International Monetary Fund, which should long ago have ceased giving credibility to the “data” promulgated by the regime’s Central Bureau of Statistics [Because the *News Digest* *now appears* *on a* *biweekly basis, *dispatches will often be reduced further in editing—most appearing with only the title, the URL (always embedded in the title), and perhaps a key sentence—and commentary will typically be briefer.] *TOPIC HEADINGS* *[1] Humanitarian indicators and concerns, focusing particularly on the consequences of recent rains (this is the very height of the rainy season in Darfur)* *[2] Continuing violence against civilians: taking all forms in all areas of Darfur* *[3] Political failure of the “Darfur Regional Authority” created by the worthless Doha (Qatar) Document for Peace in Darfur* *[4]* *Broader political issues, economic developments, including recent additional reports of shortages: water and food shortages have reached a crisis point* <http://sudanreeves.org/wp-content/uploads/2015/06/5582816bf1e12.jpeg> [For *previous Radio Dabanga Digests*, see: Darfur: Radio Dabanga Digest, Number 1 | http://wp.me/p45rOG-1CD Darfur: Radio Dabanga Digest, Number 2 | http://wp.me/p45rOG-1De Darfur: Radio Dabanga Digest, Number 3 | http://wp.me/p45rOG-1Dt Darfur: Radio Dabanga Digest, Number 4 | http://wp.me/p45rOG-1Ei Darfur: Radio Dabanga Digest, Number 5 | http://wp.me/p45rOG-1EL Darfur: Radio Dabanga Digest, Number 6 | http://wp.me/p45rOG-1Fp Darfur: Radio Dabanga Digest, Number 7 | http://wp.me/p45rOG-1FL Darfur: Radio Dabanga Digest, Number 8 | http://wp.me/s45rOG-6452 Darfur: Radio Dabanga Digest, Number 9 | http://wp.me/p45rOG-1Gi Darfur: Radio Dabanga Digest, Number 10 | http://wp.me/p45rOG-1Gt Darfur: Radio Dabanga Digest, Number 11 | http://wp.me/p45rOG-1Hq Darfur: Radio Dabanga Digest, Number 12 | http://wp.me/p45rOG-1HY Darfur: Radio Dabanga Digest, Number 13 | http://wp.me/p45rOG-1Ia Darfur: Radio Dabanga Digest, Number 14 | http://wp.me/p45rOG-1II Darfur: Radio Dabanga Digest, Number 15 | http://wp.me/p45rOG-1Ji Darfur: Radio Dabanga Digest, Number 16 | http://wp.me/p45rOG-1JU Darfur: Radio Dabanga Digest, Number 17 | http://wp.me/p45rOG-1Kp Darfur: Radio Dabanga Digest, Number 18 | http://wp.me/p45rOG-1L7 Darfur: Radio Dabanga Digest, Number 19 | http://wp.me/p45rOG-1Lm Darfur: Radio Dabanga Digest, Number 20 | http://wp.me/p45rOG-1LM Darfur: Radio Dabanga Digest, Number 21 | *http://wp.me/p45rOG-1Mv <http://wp.me/p45rOG-1Mv> * *Sudan Tribune* has again been the source of several key reports on Darfur and the growing political crisis. All emphases in all quoted material (in *bold)* have been added; all editorial comments are in *italics,* in blue, with my initials following; a useful and quite recent administrative map of Darfur appears here <http://unamid.unmissions.org/LinkClick.aspx?fileticket=SOZJ9VBg2Ag%3D&tabid=11744&language=en-US> . *A brief glossing of terms as typically used in Radio Dabanga dispatches:* *herders*—typically refers to nomadic Arab pastoralists, herding camels and/or cattle; *settlers*—typically refers to Arab pastoralists or farmers, from Sudan and further west, who have settled on lands that belong to African tribal populations; *militia / militiamen*—typically refers to armed militia forces, sometimes part of the paramilitary infrastructure Khartoum has created, sometimes simply thugs with guns who attack African (and Arab) civilians for self-enrichment; many Darfuris still refer to these varying groups as *“Janjaweed”*; *camels*—inevitably, when described as a means of transport, a signal that those riding them are Arab militiamen; *Rapid Support Forces (RSF)*—the *RSF* is organized and well-supported and supplied by the regime---openly embraced by the NIF.NCP regime. This was not true of the *"Janjaweed,"* which Khartoum denied was part of its military operations in Darfur. The RSF might be seen as a successor to the various forces known collectively as the *Janjaweed*; the *RSF* is now distinctly the dominant militia forces working in concert with Khartoum’s regular military, the *Sudan Armed Forces (SAF*); *Abu Tira—*Central Reserve Police; while still active, this paramilitary force has now been subordinated to the Rapid Response Forces; *Border Intelligence Guards*—another competing element in the militia structure that Khartoum has allowed to develop in Darfur; *Popular Defense Forces*—a substantial paramilitary force of longstanding that has been deployed throughout Sudan (they were responsible for some of the worst atrocities in the North/South civil war, particularly under the *leadership of current Foreign Minister Ali Karti*); *East Darfur*—represents a contrived re-configuration of Darfur’s geography for political purposes by Khartoum; the designation has no basis in history; *“East Darfur” *refers to what was formerly almost entirely part of *South Darfur*; *Central Darfur*—like *South Darfur*, this designation represents a contrived re-configuration of Darfur’s geography for political purposes by Khartoum; the designation has no basis in history; *“Central Darfur”* refers to what was formerly almost entirely part of *West Darfur*; *Further reports on ArabSat’s removal of Radio Dabanga from its news line-up:* *“Sudan targets Radio Dabanga through ArabSat removal”: journalists <https://www.dabangasudan.org/en/all-news/article/sudan-targets-radio-dabanga-through-arabsat-removal-journalists> | *July 21, 2015 | Khartoum *Sudanese opposition condemns Arabsat’s removal of Radio Dabanga <https://www.dabangasudan.org/en/all-news/article/sudanese-opposition-condemns-arabsat-s-removal-of-radio-dabanga> | *July 20, 2015 | Khartoum ] *Eric Reeves, 2 August 2015* What may prove to be the most notable story of the past two weeks is the seizure of the gold mines by former *Janjaweed *leader Musa Hilal in the Jebel ‘Amer region of North Darfur. This puts Hilal’s “Revolutionary Awakening Council” (RAC) on a collision course with Khartoum’s National Islamic Front/National Congress Party (NIF/NCP) regime, which is focusing ever more insistently on gold as a source of foreign exchange currency. Jebel ‘Amer has already been the site of very considerable fighting between Arab groups in the region; Hilal’s actions portend a good deal more violence, with civilians in the region the primary victims as insecurity escalates to the point that humanitarian access is suspended. *• **“Revolutionary Council takes control of North Darfur gold mine”* *| *July 23, 2015 | El Sereif Beni Hussein *The Revolutionary Awakening Council (RAC), headed by former Janjaweed leader Musa Hilal, claim that its combatants have taken control of the Jebel ‘Amer gold mining area in North Darfur. *The *RAC’s military commanders reportedly stated that access to the gold mine is not allowed to “any company or government institution,” except with their permission.* Multiple sources in El Sereif Beni Hussein locality explained to Radio Dabanga that the RAC took this step after the leader of the paramilitary Rapid Support Forces (RSF), Mohamed Hamdan, nicknamed *Hemeti*, paid a visit to the gold mine some days ago. *[Tension between Hemeti and the RSF and Hilal’s RAC is extremely high, with much bad blood between them; Hemeti has the support of the powerful National Intelligence and Security Services (NISS) and Military Intelligence, Khartoum’s dominant intelligence power in Darfur—ER]* *The leader of the RSF militia, commanded by the National intelligence and Security Service (NISS), visited Jebel ‘Amer together with representatives of a NISS-owned gold mining company. “Hemeti met with leading sheikhs of the area, and told them that the Jebel ‘Amer gold mine will be protected by the RSF, as a number of gold mining companies will start operating in the area,”* one of the sources said. “The militia leader also told the sheikhs that the entire mining area will be fenced off with barbed wire.” *[A new civil war would seem to be in the making—ER]* *Hemeti reportedly also told the sheikhs that an agreement has been signed that provides for the equal distribution of the mining profits between the Sudanese government, North Darfur state, and himself. In response, Musa Hilal and his commanders took control of the area, the sources said*. The independent Sudanese electronic newspaper *El Tareeg* stated today that the governor of North Darfur denied hearing about the occupation of Jebel ‘Amer by RAC fighters… Hilal established the RAC, together with North Darfuri tribal leaders, in the beginning of 2014. In December <https://www.dabangasudan.org/en/all-news/article/musa-hilal-s-council-forms-jebel-amer-administration-calls-for-intifada-in-sudan> last year, the RAC announced the formation of a new management board for the Jebel ‘Amer gold mining area. *The RAC spokesman told Radio Dabanga that the management board, and not the Sudanese regular forces, would be responsible for the protection of the gold mine.* The spokesman also said that *Musa Hilal called on all Darfuris to “stand up against the National Congress Party and its corrupt regime.”* *• North Darfur tribal leaders agree to restore social fabric <https://www.dabangasudan.org/en/all-news/article/north-darfur-tribal-leaders-agree-to-restore-social-fabric> *| July 30, 2015 | Kutum, North Darfur *[Such efforts are certain to be undermined by fighting between Khartoum’s allies and Hilal’s RAC; moreover, there are no signs that Khartoum has altered its policies of extreme violence as a means of subduing North Darfur—ER]* *• Largest gold mining deal in Sudan's history <https://www.dabangasudan.org/en/all-news/article/largest-gold-mining-deal-in-sudan-s-history> *| July 30, 2015 | Khartoum *Khartoum has granted a Russian gold mining group concession to explore for gold in northern and eastern Sudan. *On Wednesday, the Minister of Minerals, Ahmed El Karori, and company director Vladimir Zhukov signed the agreement at the presidential palace in Khartoum, in the presence of President Omar Al Bashir. El Karori said in a press conference held after the signing ceremony that the contract covers nine blocks, equivalent to some 8,000 ton, in the Red Sea and the River Nile. The total of gold reserves in the two regions has been estimated at 46,000 ton, with a value of more than one trillion dollar. The production stage will be reached within the coming six months. It is expected that the first year will produce up to 33 tons, to reach 53 tons in two years. “These quantities will contribute to an economic boom and change the status of the country,” the Minister predicted. *[While all of these statistics are highly suspect, there can be no doubt about the motives behind the deal, and the high-profile announcement: without a great deal of additional income from exports, the regime cannot survive the current economic collapse. The message being sent here is meant to dampen raging inflation and to create uncertainty in the black market for hard currency. This is clear evidence that the regime believes that with sufficient time, and sufficiently severe repressive measures, it can survive. Recent moves by the Obama administration encourage Khartoum’s génocidaires in this belief—ER* Full New Digest, with all links and photographs, at | *http://wp.me/p45rOG-1Mv <http://wp.me/p45rOG-1Mv> * -- Eric Reeves Smith College Northampton, MA 01063 413-585-3326 [email protected] Skype: ReevesSudan Website: www.sudanreeves.org *Compromising With Evil: An archival history of greater Sudan, 2007-2012 * www.CompromisingWithEvil.org -- To post to this group, send email to [email protected] To unsubscribe from this group, send email to [email protected] Visit this group at https://groups.google.com/d/forum/southsudankob View this message at https://groups.google.com/d/msg/southsudankob/topic-id/message-id For more options, visit https://groups.google.com/d/optout --- You received this message because you are subscribed to the Google Groups "South Sudan Info - The Kob" group. To unsubscribe from this group and stop receiving emails from it, send an email to [email protected]. 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