Sudan Divided

The 2011 secession of South Sudan spurred hopes for a more just, democratic Sudan, but was followed by new wars and growing unrest. This book examines how the Islamist project has shaped these developments in Sudan, with a particular focus on how divisive policies have driven regional violence as well as the fight against continued marginalization.

Do you wonder how the past affects today’s violent conflict? Tragic turmoil in Sudan and South Sudan reminds us how fragile peace can be. Sudanese civil wars were not ended by formation of a new state. Violence has continued in South Sudan and we see today that the North is by no means peaceful. Current politics matter. Yet the origins of today’s violence stretch back into past centuries. And much of Sudanese history has been about intervention and domination by foreigners. By telling the stories of some of these outsiders, Divided by History digs out the historical roots of Sudanese conflicts. Along the way, we meet - The 2,300 BC pioneer who braved the dangers of Egypt’s 'Wild South’ - The ambitious Albanian 'Turk’ who connived his way to becoming ruler of Egypt and Sudan - The devout Christian who was sent to relieve a besieged city - and gave his life - The meticulous general whose superior weaponry proved an unstoppable force - The adventurers, soldiers and even Olympic oarsmen who ruled a vast land while still young And we recognise the difficulty of escaping from our past and the importance of understanding it.

Many people know that war has devastated Sudan’s people, killing millions over the past 30 years. However, they may not know the causes and motivations behind the many factions of Africa’s largest country. While these topics are discussed, a glimpse of the civil war through the eyes of a girl in northern Sudan and a boy in the south are also provided. As letters are exchanged between the two, one in the city of Khartoum and the other in a refugee camp, they relate how differently their lives are affected by the conflict. Readers will gain a thorough understanding of the profound cost of this war through age-appropriate language and striking photographs.

The 2011 secession of South Sudan spurred hopes for a more just, democratic Sudan, but was followed by new wars and growing unrest. This book examines how the Islamist project has shaped these developments in Sudan, with a particular focus on how divisive policies have driven regional violence as well as the fight against continued marginalization.

Many people know that war has devastated Sudans people, killing millions over the past 30 years. However, they may not know the causes and motivations behind the many factions of Africas largest country. While these topics are discussed, a glimpse of the civil war through the eyes of a girl in northern Sudan and a boy in the south are also provided. As letters are exchanged between the two, one in the city of Khartoum and the other in a refugee camp, they relate how differently their lives are affected by the conflict. Readers will gain a thorough understanding of the profound cost of this war through age-appropriate language and striking photographs.

The Sudanese peace agreement reached a crisis point in its final year. This book offers an analysis of the impact of the implementation of the agreement on different Sudanese communities and neighbouring regions. After a long process of peace negotiations the Comprehensive Peace Agreement (CPA) was signed on 9 January 2005 between the Government of Sudan (GOS) and the Sudan People's Liberation Movement/Army (SPLM/A). The CPA raised initialhopes that it would be the foundation block for lasting peace in Sudan. This book compiles scholarly analyses of the implementation of the power sharing agreement of the CPA, of ongoing conflicts with particular respect to land issues, of the challenges of the reintegration of internally displaced people and refugees, and of the repercussions of the CPA in other regions of Sudan as well as in neighbouring countries. Elke Grawert is SeniorLecturer at the Institute for Intercultural & International Studies (InIIS), Faculty of Social Sciences, University of Bremen, Germany.

The different peoples making up Sudan have a long history of ethnic conflict. There has been civil war between the north and the south, as well as conflict among the various ethnic communities and nomadic groups living within these regions. Readers examine the civil unrest that has divided the country for decades, as well as the rebellion and massacres of the Darfur region. Factors contributing to the area's ongoing conflicts, including clashes over oil, water, land, and human rights, are also explored. In addition, future prospects for Sudan and the new Republic of South Sudan, which seceded in July 2011, are discussed.

Sudan's post-independence history has been dominated by political and civil strife. Most commentators have attributed the country's recurring civil war either to an age-old racial divide between Arabs and Africans, or to recent colonially constructed inequalities. This book attempts a more complex analysis, briefly examining the historical, political, economic and social factors which have contributed to periodic outbreaks of violence between the state and its peripheries. In tracing historical continuities, it outlines the essential differences between the modern Sudan's first civil war in the 1960s and the current war. It also looks at the series of minor civil wars generated by, and contained within, the major conflict, as well as the regional and international factors - including humanitarian aid - which have exacerbated civil violence. This introduction is aimed at students of North-East Africa, and of conflict and ethnicity. It should be useful for people in aid and international organizations who need a straightforward analytical survey which will help them assess the prospects for a lasting peace in Sudan. Douglas H. Johnson is an independent scholar and former international expert on the Abyei Boundaries Commission.