Sudan’s Looming War · Global Voices
SudaneseDrima

Sudan's Comprehensive Peace Agreement may possibly collapse if the bad pile up of misfortunes continues, but before we go into that, let's proceed with the good news first.
Drima is ecstatic about a new book by the Sudanese Muslim scholar Abdullahi An-Na'im whom Irshad Manji hosted as a guest recently at her latest initiative, the Moral Courage Project. An-Na'im's book is called “Islam and the Secular State” and here's what Drima had to say:
… from what I’ve read so far I know it will be super juicy.
These are some of the ideas Abdullahi presents in it:
* “I do believe that it is possible, indeed necessary, to reinterpret Islamic sources in order to affirm and protect freedom of religion and belief. This is my position as a Muslim, speaking from an Islamic perspective, and not simply because freedom of religion and belief is a universal human rights norm…”
* “The possibility of belief in anything logically requires choice in the matter, as one cannot believe in anything without the freedom and ability to disbelieve it.”
I don’t know about you but this certainly excites me – a book full of concrete Islamic arguments challenging the current Islamist status-quo of the Muslim world.
Amjad, a Sudanese student in Texas is impressed by the strict enforcement of rules on his university campus:
Our university police department is very strict regarding the speed limit on campus and parking at places you are not permitted to park at.
… I saw this car in front of my dorm with a locked wheel and a notice from the police department stuck in the window warning the owner of the car NOT to attempt to move his car
… Now this is really harsh but still great.
He's also amused by vending machines selling iPods.
On a totally random note, Zoulcolm X posted pictures of a Nubian pyramid in Northern Sudan and the burial place of a famous Sudanese Muslim religious leader. He seems to imply a relationship between the two photos:
Pyramids of The Royal City of Meroe (North Sudan) – Period: “Zaman lil deen” (too freakin old)
“Maqam” of Shikh Kabashy (Shrine) – A Sudanese Sufi Sheikh
what do you see?
And now for the bad news and worried sentiments.
Sudanese Returnee explains the dangerous situation eloquently:
Abyei, that oil rich region in the North-South border, is arguably one of the most sticky issues that threatens the CPA and could possibly draw the country back to the cycles of war!
Today, Northern troops entered Abyei after the NCP expressed their objection to the appointment of an SPLM Administrator for Abyei.
… Recently, SPLA soldiers were reportedly attacked by heavily armed Misseriya gunmen and fingers are being pointed at the NCP in Khartoum for arming them. Now the northern army is building up in Abyei and who knows what will happen tomorrow!
In case you're wondering, the Misseriya are a nomadic tribe regarded as ‘Arabs’ by Southern Sudanese. As for the potentially deadly situation, Kizzie has an idea:
Dear government of Sudan and SPLM,
If you are planning to  start another bloody civil war, evacuate a few villages and kill each other there.
Meanwhile John Akec isn't happy over Southern Sudan's seeming trend towards what he refers to as ‘assassination politics':
A well known South Sudanese secondary school teacher from Greater Bhar El Ghazal by name Mathon Mathon often said under Abakr Tree (The Wau's answer for London's Trafalgar Square):
“When a war breaks out in a county, it is not the earth that gets destroyed but people's morals.” In the South Sudan's war against the North, they did.
… Now, how far would you expect our morals to sink. All that because of our lust for power and feeling of extreme insecurity once in power. And a manner akin to King David of old, many of our leaders commit the sin and then murder to cover it up. Assassination is a virus once it infects, it spread like a wild fire and. Once started, it is hard to be stopped.
We now end this round up with another lovely short poem by Ras Babi:
she keeps her eyes down and whispers to me:
ras babi…
ras babi…
do you see this dressed in green and red man?
I feel her shaking from the in
I hold her hand in mine
she explodes crying
and crying
This man raped me with others
he killed my child
cut the head of my tent
that man is a devil son
do not buy their news
do something
tell the world