UNAMID’s publication for the people of Darfur
FEBRUARY 2012
Darfur peace process ramps up in 2012 UNAMID Chief discusses Mission’s priorities, way forward AFRICAN UNION - UNITED NATIONS MISSION IN DARFUR (UNAMID)
IN THIS ISSUE
February 2012 | Vol III • No.1
TIMELINE 03 | January at a glance
Acting Director of Communications and Public Information Susan Manuel
PEACE 04 | Darfur peace process ramps up in 2012 06 | New Darfur authority gives top priority to returns of
Editor-in-Chief Sharon McPherson
displaced people
UNAMID 08 | UNAMID Chief discusses Mission’s priorities, way forward
COMMUNITY 10 | Civil society brings Doha Document to Darfuris 11 | Prisoners take steps to become farmers
CULTURE 12 | Interview with the Sudanese artist Salah Abu Sel
HEALTH CARE
Staff Editors/Writers Ala Mayyahi Sharon Lukunka Contributors John Chiahemen Lucy Mungai Photographers Olivier Chassot Albert Gonzalez Farran Graphic Designer Arie Cahyadi Santoso
14 | Photo story: Rooms for life
Studying the contents of the Doha Document
A man tends his camel in Abu Shouk IDP camp
Front Cover Photo : Albert Gonzalez Farran
Back Cover Photo: Albert Gonzalez Farran
PUBLISHED BY : UNAMID Communications and Public Information Division (CPID) Phone: +249 92 244 7705 or 3415 Email: unamid-publicinformation@un.org Website: http://unamid.unmissions.org facebook.com/UNAMID twitter.com/unamidnews The designations employed and the presentation of the material in this publication do not imply the expression of any opinion whatsoever on the part of UNAMID concerning the legal status of any country, territory, city or area, or of its authorities, or concerning the delimitation of its frontiers or boundaries. Material contained in this publication may be freely quoted or reprinted, provided credit is attributed to UNAMID.
2
VOICES OF DARFUR
TIMELINE
JANUARY AT A GLANCE The Pakistani contingent in South Darfur presents to the Nyala teaching hospital medical drugs worth more than US $20,000, which comprises mainly anti-malaria drugs, antibiotics and other medicines for the treatment of common illnesses in the area. JANUARY
3
UNAMID Deputy Joint Special Representative (DJSR) for Operations and Management, Mohamed Yonis, meets the Minister for Water Resources of Sudan, Dr. Seifeldin H. Abdalla, in Khartoum to discuss follow-up action for the implementation of decisions stemming from the June 2011 Darfur International Water Conference. Darfur Regional Authority (DRA) Chairman, Eltigani Seisi, welcomes the initiative and pledges to facilitate practical actions in support of its implementation.
Commission takes place at UNAMID headquarters in El Fasher. Chaired by the state of Qatar, the Commission is the mechanism established by the DDPD to assess its implementation.
JANUARY
4
Sudanese President Omar al Bashir appoints new Walis (Governors) for four of Darfur’s five states -- East, Central, South and West. East and Central are two new states recently created by President Al Bashir. JANUARY
10
UNAMID Joint Special Representative (JSR) Ibrahim Gambari meets with UN High Commissioner for Refugees Antonio Guterres in Khartoum to discuss UNHCR’s active engagement with UNAMID in finding durable solutions for returnees and possible cooperation on ways to assist nomadic communities in dealing with migration challenges in Darfur.
Independent Expert on the situation of Human Rights in Sudan, Mr. Mohammad Chande Othman, visits Darfur within the framework of a working visit to Sudan. Mr. Chande meets with local authorities and civil society groups in the area. He also meets with UNAMID’s senior leadership and exchanges views on the human rights situation in Darfur. JANUARY
23
Dissemination workshops for the DDPD begin among North Darfur’s communities. The exercise is organized by the civil society follow-up mechanism and supported logistically and technically by UNAMID. The dissemination process is a key element for promoting the understanding of the Doha Document and creating an enabling environment for its implementation. JANUARY
18
JANUARY
11
JSR Ibrahim Gambari visits Kutum and meets with IDPs to reaffirm UNAMID’s continued committment to implement its core mandate and support the peace process. Mr. Gambari also visits Zalingei on 22 and Graida on 23 January as part of the Mission’s ongoing efforts to support the peace process. JANUARY
19
An ambush on a UNAMID patrol about 60 kilometres northwest of El Daein, East Darfur, by unidentified armed persons, leaves one peacekeeper dead and three injured. JANUARY
JANUARY
16
The second meeting of the Doha Document for Peace in Darfur (DDPD) Implementation Follow-up
United Nations Assistant Secretary-General of the Department of Peacekeeping Operations for the Rule of Law and Security Institutions, Dmitry Titov, begins a six-day visit to Sudan, including Darfur. The priorities of the trip are to review UNAMID’s activities in the areas of justice and security, and to discuss the implementation of the DDPD. JANUARY
21
24
The JSR participates in the African Union summit in Addis Ababa as part of the UN Secretary-General’s delegation to the conference. JANUARY
29
VOICES OF DARFUR
3
PEACE
The DDPD Implementation Follow-up Commission held its second meeting on 16 January 2012 at UNAMID Headquarters in El Fasher, North Darfur.
Photo: Albert Gonzalez Farran
Darfur peace process ramps up in 2012 by Susan Manuel
A
fter delays that threatened to set back the Darfur peace process in latter half of 2011, the first weeks of 2012 brought a rush of activity in support of the Doha Document for Peace in Darfur, adopted by the Government of Sudan and the Liberation and Justice Movement (LJM). “Darfur is closer to comprehensive peace today than it has ever been before,” African Union-United Nations Mission in Darfur (UNAMID) Joint Special Representative, Ibrahim Gambari, told staff assembled for the year’s first town hall meeting on 18 January. The establishment of the Darfur Regional Authority (DRA) including the appointment of members of its Executive Organ, was announced by the Government of Sudan on 27 December, and the DRA held its inaugural meeting
4
VOICES OF DARFUR
under the guidance of its Chairperson, Eltigani Seisi, the LJM leader. The DRA was officially launched in Darfur on 8 February. The Darfur Regional Authority has the primary responsibility for coordinating the implementation of the DDPD stipulations as well as all post-conflict development activities and projects.
DRA headquarters—a large steel-frame complex now under construction in El Fasher--and to establish its presence elsewhere in Darfur.
Its 12-member Executive Organ includes the governors of the now five states of Darfur, 10 ministers, four commissioners and the chair of a Darfur Reconstruction and Development Fund. The members, appointed by the President of Sudan upon nomination by the DRA chairperson, have the status of State Minister: five of them are members of the LJM.
On 10 January 2012, President Al-Bashir issued decrees appointing and removing Governors (Walis) to Darfur’s five states, including the newly created states. This is in accordance with Article 12 of the Doha Document for Peace (DDPD), where the Parties agreed that movements will be represented at all levels of the Darfur state governments. Zalingei, which is home to many of the Fur ethnic group, is the capital of the new Central Darfur State. And El Daein, which is home to several Arab tribes, is the capital of the new East Darfur State.
The DRA has set up two operational teams—one to handle budgetary issues and another to complete the
UNAMID has provided technical and logistical support to the peace process and currently chairs the Ceasefire Commission
set up by the DDPD, which has been meeting periodically in El Fasher. UNAMID was also to oversee the verification of forces exercise which was to precede other ceasefire and final security arrangements set out by the Doha document. The peacekeeping mission has also been working across Darfur with local authorities and civil society organizations to launch nearly 100 public workshops in order to explain and disseminate the peace document to the public. The DDPD dissemination began on 18 January in El Fasher and Mellit, North Darfur. Other sectors are currently in discussion with local authorities and plan to begin workshops soon in their respective areas. Representatives of the Government of Sudan and the LJM—as well as the leadership of the new Darfur Regional Authority--gathered with international envoys in the second meeting of the Implementation Follow–up Commission at UNAMID headquarters on 16 January and declared their support for the DDPD process thus far. “As provided for in the agreement, this forum is tasked with overseeing the implementation of the DDPD through monitoring, through assessing and through providing assistance in mobilizing resources for its implementation. We must strengthen this mechanism,” said JSR Gambari in opening the 16 January meeting.
focus on gross violations of human rights and serious violations of international humanitarian law committed in Darfur since February 2003. However, progress has been limited on other provisions in the DDPD such as wealth-sharing and the return of and compensation to internally displaced persons and refugees. And JSR Gambari reported to the IFC that delays, particularly in setting up the DRA, “could have a negative effect in consolidating the peace at the grassroots level.” In addition, criminality and volatility involving the hold-out movements continued to threaten the overall implementation of the peace plan, as well as the peacekeepers’ ability to fully support the peace process throughout Darfur. However, the security situation, which was tense around the 24 December killing of JEM leader Khalil Ibrahim in North Kordofan, was unusually quiet in January when violence largely abated.
Hervé Ladsous, protested to the Security Council on 11 January that restrictions on UNAMID were hindering the Mission’s ability to monitor and protect civilians. The importance of access was stressed at the 16 January IFC meeting in El Fasher, when for the first time in nearly a year, international media were authorized to visit Darfur in order to cover the event. All speakers at the IFC continued to exhort the non-signatory movements to join the evolving peace plan. “This agreement will not be implemented unless the fighting is completely stopped,” said Commission chair, Qatar Deputy Prime Minister Ahmed Bin Abdullah A’alMahmood. Mr. Al Mahmoud noted the importance now of development efforts in Darfur, and he announced a major donors conference to be held soon in Doha to raise funds to implement the DDPD.
The United Nations Under-SecretaryGeneral for Peacekeeping Operations,
A man reads a DDPD at a workshop organized for its dissemination in El Fasher. Photo: Albert Gonzalez Farran
Two days later he told staff, “It was a historic moment to have six months after the signing of the DDPD, the parties and the international community discussing implementation of the peace agreement here in Darfur with UNAMID as host.” The Commission, which held its inaugural meeting in Doha in September, is chaired by the State of Qatar and includes the Government of Sudan, LJM, representatives of Burkina Faso, Canada, Chad, China, Egypt, France, Japan, Russia, the United Kingdom, United States, African Union, European Union, the Organization of Islamic Cooperation and UNAMID. The Government also announced the establishment of a National Commission for Human Rights which in turn should set up human rights committees in Darfur’s five states. Also, as called for by the Doha Document, a Special Court for Darfur has been established and will VOICES OF DARFUR
5
PEACE
New Darfur authority gives top priority to returns of displaced people Interview with Eltigani Seisi by John Chiahemen
Seisi addresses participants at the adoption of the Doha Document for Peace in Darfur in Qatar on 14 July 2011 Photo by Olivier Chassot
T
he head of the Darfur Regional Authority (DRA), established under the terms of a peace agreement to end conflict in the Sudanese region, said implementation of the deal was firmly on track and the DRA would give priority to rolling out development projects that would encourage the return of displaced people. DRA Chairman Eltigani Seisi, leader of the Liberation and Justice Movement (LJM), which agreed to peace with the Sudanese Government last July, said
6
VOICES OF DARFUR
both the Government and the LJM had demonstrated their total committment to the full implementation of the Doha Document for Peace in Darfur (DDPD). The key institutions provided for in DDPD have now been established and budgetary provisions made to fund the DRA and its programmes, Seisi said in a UNAMID media interview as he prepared to move to Darfur to take up his role as head of the new Darfur governance structure. “Members of the DRA executive body have been named. They are being sworn in. The
Special Court (to hear Darfur war crimes) has been set up, the Special Prosecutor was appointed, and then the National Commission for Human Rights has also been set up. And so we think things have started to move in a very good manner,” Seisi said. “If things go at this pace then we’ll have a very good chance of achieving a very high rate of implementation of the agreement, without a doubt. We believe that the partner has been very cooperative. There’s very good mutual understanding between both of us,” he added.
Seisi was speaking on the eve of a meeting of the DDPD’s Implementation Follow-up Committee (IFC) at UNAMID headquarters, which is supporting implementation of the DDPD including ceasefire monitoring. UNAMID’s work in protecting civilians in Darfur and opening up access to humanitarian workers has resulted in a substantial reduction in combat-related violence in the territory and allowed more displaced people to return to their homes. But an estimated 1.78 million people are still sheltering in camps for internally displaced persons (IDPs).
to provide these areas with the necessary services, including water, education, health and so forth. Without these I don’t think we’ll be able to tempt anybody to return.” He said a fund set up to compensate displaced Darfuris and some $100 million pledged by international donors would help provide the incentives for IDP residents to go home.
Seisi said the main challenge to the DDPD was securing the areas of return so these people can move back.
“There is already some money that has been allocated in the Compensation Fund, and I think the Commission for Returns will start setting up the specialised committees on the assessment of the compensation, and this will also persuade the refugees and IDPs to go back to their areas of origin.”
“There is a need to secure the area of origin before they go back, and then also
“There are a lot of challenges on the ground,” the veteran Sudan politician said.
“Challenges relating to implementation of the agreement, challenges relating to the return of refugees and IDPs to their area of origin, and challenges relating to reconstruction and development in the areas that have been affected by the conflict. But the real challenge is whether we have the ability to address these challenges rather than shying away from them.” This is the time for all Darfur movements who have not joined the peace process Seisi is leading to do so. He said, “I call on all of them, I call on the people of Darfur to continue supporting the peace effort on the ground and at the same time to talk to those who have yet to accept the peace process to come and join.”
Seisi at the adoption of the Doha Document in Qatar on 14 July 2011 (second from right) is flanked by (left to right) former Chief Negotiator - Djibril Bassolé, Qatari State Minister Ahmed Bin Abdulla Al Mahmoud, Sudanese Presidential Advisor Ghazi Salah Al-Deen, and UNAMID JSR Gambari (extreme right) Photo by Olivier Chassot
VOICES OF DARFUR
7
UNAMID
UNAMID Chief discusses Mission’s priorities, way forward by Sharon Lukunka
A
frican Union - United Nations Mission In Darfur (UNAMID) Joint Special Representative (JSR) and Joint Chief Mediator (JCM) a.i., Ibrahim Gambari, in his first interview this year with Voices of Darfur, spoke of the main priorities of the Mission and the Mediation, the latest developments following the signing of the Doha Document for Peace in Darfur (DDPD), progress made and the challenges ahead affecting both the Mission and the peace process.
Voices of Darfur (VoD) What are
the main priorities set out for UNAMID, the Mediation team and for Darfur in 2012?
JSR Ibrahim Gambari In the past two years, my priorities for UNAMID and Darfur have been the protection of 8
VOICES OF DARFUR
civilians; the facilitation of the delivery of humanitarian assistance; to be proactive in the peace process; and to work with other partners and actors in promoting early recovery and development, particularly in support of conditions that would be conducive to voluntary returns of IDPs [internally displaced persons] and refugees to their places of origin or places of their choice. However, 2012 has presented new opportunities. We now have a peace agreement to implement, which was adopted by the Government of Sudan and the Liberation and Justice Movement (LJM) on 14 July 2011, so, clearly, another priority for the Mediation this year would be to kick start the process and identify credible
partners with whom the Mediation can engage with a view to improving the text and provisions of the DDPD. The second priority for UNAMID is that, with the establishment of the Darfur Regional Authority (DRA), the Mission has a partner for peace to be based in El Fasher with whom to work and ensure implementation of the DDPD. Dr. Eltigani Seisi has publicly stated that he wants to work with us because UNAMID is on the ground and the headquarters for the DRA will be in El Fasher. We have a presence throughout Darfur and will work very closely with him.
VoD What is the progress report six months after the signing of the DDPD?
Ceasefire Commission (CFC) chaired by the UNAMID Force Commander, which was set up by the DDPD, has held several meetings. The Joint Commission under the DDPD also had its first meeting. This is a higher and political level institution dealing with the implementation of the DDPD. The idea is to receive issues and concerns that cannot be resolved at the technical level by the CFC. All the issues that were brought by the CFC to the Joint Commission were satisfactorily resolved by both sides. The third is that the International Implementation Follow-up Committee (IFC) which was established to monitor and encourage the implementation of the DDPD has met twice now. But the most significant one in my view is the fact that the second meeting of the IFC took place in Darfur. It’s the first time that we have an agreement for peace in Darfur being discussed in terms of its implementation by the international partners and the parties in Darfur. We think these are significant developments.
The JSR in a meeting with IDPs in Kutum, North Darfur, on 19 January 2012 Photo: Albert Gonzalez Farran
JSR There have been delays on the downside in the implementation of the DDPD because we are not really where we should be now according to the deadlines and the timelines provided by the DDPD. Secondly it’s still not clear how many resources will be made available by the Government of Sudan to enable the DRA to operationalize; and the third is the commitment of the international community to the DDPD. On the positive side is the fact that despite the unfortunate delays, the Government has signed the decrees establishing the DRA, they have appointed the Chairman of the DRA, their Ministers have been appointed and some of the commissions have been established. Furthermore, the
VoD Since taking on your additional role of JCM, you have sought the support of the international community for the peace process. How would you characterize their response? How is the killing of Justice and Equality Movement (JEM) leader Khalil Ibrahim likely to affect your efforts of engaging with those who did not adopt the DDPD? JSR I think the overall response is positive, but everyone is in a wait and see in terms of what JEM will do with regards to the peace process because with the death of Khalil Ibrahim, there seems to be the prospect of more fragmentation of JEM. However as JCM, I will focus on engaging with the JEM splinter group that split even before Khalil Ibrahim died to access the strength on the ground to be considered as a credible partner, as well as any other groups that want to join the peace process. They should encourage them to do so, and most importantly the international community has to be very firm in terms of their message to the spoilers, those who want to spoil the peace process, those who have not showed up at all and those who support regime change. All of that is not going to be helpful to the peace process in Doha.
those who want to come into the process, so I think the international community needs to encourage those groups that want to come in and to be prepared to consider taking measures against those who have decided to become permanent spoilers in the peace process. The message from the international community has been very clear with regard to the support of the DDPD, opposing spoilers to the peace process, saying that there should be no military solution to this conflict and that rhetoric about regime change is not helpful.
VoD What are the most pressing challenges UNAMID will have to overcome in 2012 in carrying out its mandate and in its support role in the implementation of the DDPD? JSR One is the increase of criminality, carjacking, breaking into houses, attacks on UNAMID peacekeepers and others. Those are the kind of things that have been a major challenge particularly as the military conflict, direct confrontation between the Government forces and those of the armed movements is on the decline. The second, the international community, the key stakeholders of UNAMID, have called for a review of military personnel of UNAMID, so really we have to think of how to do more with less, which is going to be a major challenge. And the third major challenge I see is this situation of uncertainty about what the armed movements will or will not do in Darfur. We have to take another look at our protection of civilian strategy in an uncertain environment, because, as we saw last December, there was actually an increase in activities that led to some restrictions in our patrols. So we have to really prepare to deal with similar instances of possible spikes in the level of violence, leading to more difficulties of access and complicating the implementation of UNAMID’s core mandate in terms of protection of civilians and facilitation of delivery of humanitarian assistance to those in need.
Nonetheless, the positive thing is that the Government has said the door is open for VOICES OF DARFUR
9
COMMUNITY
Participants at a workshop for the dissemination of the DDPD in El Fasher on 18 January 2012
Photo: Albert Gonzalez Farran
Civil society brings Doha Document to Darfuris by Sharon Lukunka
“W
e have lost so much -our brothers, sons, and husbands -- we want this Agreement to pave the way for real peace on the ground. Women in particular have been affected by this conflict and it is time to end the crisis and promote development in the region,” said Ms. Fatima Adam Mohamed. Since the adoption of the Doha Document for Peace in Darfur (DDPD), Fatima has represented women from her area of El Fasher in several sessions organized on the Document’s implementation, which Fatima would like to see done in full to enable peace in the region. More than six months after the adoption of the Doha Document, The Followup Mechanism, a group of community representatives, with the support of UNAMID began disseminating copies among Darfur’s communities. More than 50 workshops are planned as part of the exercise in North Darfur, as well as in South and West Darfur states. Representatives of civil society organizations will work as
10
VOICES OF DARFUR
facilitators to reach out to the community and inform them about the Document. Fifteen members, including women, youth, and internally displaced persons, representing various civil society groups, are currently serving as part of the Follow-up Mechanism in North Darfur. South and West Darfur states have their own members. The members will be responsible for raising awareness of the Document to communities in the region and workshops will be conducted throughout Darfur to sensitize the Darfuri population on the outcome of the Doha peace talks. “Civil society organizations in Darfur play an important role in the peace process by contributing positively and engaging the communities and the parties in direct negotiations because they do not represent any political party,” said Dr. Khalil Adam, a member of the Darfur civil society forum. “Despite the insufficient participation of all Darfuris, civil society representatives
are ready to disseminate the document to all localities throughout the region. We are keen for a comprehensive solution for Darfur, and we call upon the parties to join the agreement,” stated another civil society representative, Ms. Abdul Naem. Darfur civil society representatives have had extensive experience in internal and external consultations and are reiterating the call of the Sudanese Government and international community for other parties to join the process. Abdulazim Adam Abakar, a member of the civil society group in El Fasher, stressed the need for all parties to come together with the hope of securing peace. “We have met some members of nonsignatory groups in Doha, as well as during the Washington forum and hope to have a chance to sit with others to urge them to join the negotiations. We are calling on the mediation team to create a platform that will allow negotiation with the nonsignatories,” Ms. Abdul Naem said.
UNAMID officers visit the farm being cultivated by prisoners at Kass prison, South Darfur
UNAMID PHOTO
Prisoners take steps to join farmers by Lucy Mungai
M
uch of the Darfur region relies on agriculture production for their livelihood. But a few of the subsistence farmers have made the leap into commercial farming with the support of United Nations programmes which work to connect farmers to the markets. Agriculture has been used as one of the rehabilitation strategies targeting prisoners in many African countries, particularly those serving short-term sentences. The main objective is to provide alternative economic activities to empower them and to assist in their reintegration in society with skills that can be used on their release. This is the case of 200 inmates at Kass prison in South Darfur, who are innovating cost-effective and sustainable ways to improve productivity in the prison’s farm on approximately 2,000 acres of agricultural land managed by staff and prisoners. The farm receives the assistance of a new programme run by UNAMID in collaboration with UN agencies and Darfur local authorities to support the
local economy through community development initiatives and priorities that are in line with peace building. The initiative will also revitalize the land for livelihood recovery through improved vegetable and cereal crop production. As part of the common project in Kass prison, the Food and Agriculture Organization (FAO) distributes seeds and offers job training. UNAMID’s support includes the provision of an irrigation pump, transportation of agricultural tools, installation of a water pump, as well as monitoring tasks. South Darfur’s State Ministry of Agriculture provides tractors for ploughing and the Forest National Corporation assists in nursery construction. Agriculture is the backbone of the Darfur economy and this enterprise will not only benefit the prison community, but also contribute to the general food security in South Darfur State. Crops produced during the training of the prisoners will provide food for them that would otherwise have been procured from the local market. The farm will also be used as a demonstration
site for new varieties of cereals and vegetables, where other farmers from the community will visit to acquire skills and technical knowledge in modern farming technology. This will also serve to link the community and the farming activities at the prison farm, thus creating further linkages to the community and the market through other farmers. The project is noble and will greatly help in the rehabilitation and reintegration of prisoners into the community. As part of the initiative, UNAMID and its UN partners will help farmers grow more and higher quality food in order to sell them at a fair price. This gives them an economic boost while helping them to be players in the more sustainable local market. Lucy Mungai is one of UNAMID’s Corrections Officers
VOICES OF DARFUR
11
CULTURE
Paintings and writings capture imagination: Interview with Sudanese artist Salah Abu Sel by Ala Mayyahi
S
alah Eldin Ibrahim Adam, known as Salah Abu Sel, is one of the most prominent artists in Sudan. Born in Kutum, North Darfur, in 1958, he has been dedicating his time to drawing and academic studies since his youth. He has held several individual exhibitions as well as joint exhibitions with other artists inside and outside Sudan. His paintings are distinguished by the attractive colorful combination of images and stories of mythology. He has held several jobs related to art in Khartoum, Libya, as well as Chad and worked as a lecturer at the University of El Fasher. He also won a silver medal in the Noma award for children›s books in Tokyo, Japan, in 2004.
Salah Eldin Ibrahim Adam
12
VOICES OF DARFUR
Artist Abu Sel holds a Bachelor of Arts degree with specialization in coloring, a Master of Fine Arts from the University of Juba, and is currently preparing for a
Ph.D. in Fine Arts at the Sudan University of Science and Technology in Khartoum. He is married and father of three children.
Voices of Darfur Mr. Salah, tell us about your start with art and who encouraged you? Salah Abu Sel I started drawing in primary school, and I remember that I was encouraged by my teachers at various stages of my education, such as Mr. Ibrahim Mohamed Mokhtar, Professor Suleiman Yahya and Mr. Mustafa Alshafia. I always extend to them all gratitude and appreciation for encouraging me to proceed with my drawing. VoD Some of your paintings combine the impressionist and abstract styles: how do you describe this method and express yourself through them?
far left. The story of Taia left. The wedding top. Motherhood
SAL Actually I do not belong to any
school or globally-known style. I draw in my own way and create my special style. Sometimes a story of myths or of wide imagination stimulates me to draw it, and I love to combine this with images of reality. The painting would then be like a trip in a unique world for the viewers.
VoD Do you have other creative activities in addition to painting? SAL I’ve written many literary texts and published some of them. They don’t belong to poetry or story-writing, I just call them creative writing in order to be fair to those specialized in literature.
VoD How did the conflict in Darfur
affect you as an artist, and did you express it in some of your paintings?
Of course I was affected as a human being in the first place and I wish conflict would not occur not only in Darfur but anywhere else in the world as I consider myself an advocate for unity of mankind. And yes certainly, I devoted a lot of my works to express what happened in Darfur, because what’s in the heart is revealed by the hands, despite the fact that art is not a direct way of expressing it.
VoD How do you see the current role of artists and intellectuals among Darfuris in spreading messages of peace? SAL I see they are, in all their sorts of art, providing good efforts, and I think if intellectual works are utilized well, recognized and respected, they would bring solutions to resolve conflicts.
VoD Do you paint currently or dedicate your time fully to your Ph.D. study? SAL For me, drawing happens in parallel with any other activity, I am now preparing for an exhibition along with my PhD. The exhibition is inspired by nonfiction stories for children from the Nuba Mountains. And I’m also very much focused on the PhD thesis, which is nearing completion. It is the “African human image in European art.” VoD How would you advise young artists in Darfur?
SAL I advise them to overcome difficulties by having the right awareness.
VOICES OF DARFUR
13
HEALTH CARE
ROOMS FOR LIFE Story and photos by Albert GonzĂĄlez Farran
W
orking in a hospital is never easy, especially when the resources are quite limited, like in Darfur. But working in a hospital where there are more than 20 newborn babies delivered each day is even more difficult. The El Fasher Women’s Hospital counts on the expertise of 18 midwives who face the challenge that maternity brings from the very first day. And, as caregivers say, all the efforts are worth it when you see the smile of a mother with her baby in her arms.
A midwife washes her hands before starting her duties.
14
VOICES OF DARFUR
top left. A woman with her newborn baby at El Fasher Women’s Hospital. top.Doctors and nurses assist a woman with delivery difficulties. right. A nurse prepares herself for a new delivery. far right. Three midwives assist a mother after the delivery.
VOICES OF DARFUR
15
PUBLISHED BY : UNAMID Communications and Public Information Division Phone: +249 92 244 7705 or 3415 Email: unamid-publicinformation@un.org Website: http://unamid.unmissions.org facebook.com/UNAMID twitter.com/unamidnews