The European Tribune is a forum for thoughtful dialogue of European and international issues. You are invited to post comments and your own articles.
Please REGISTER to post.
The existence of big oilfields in Sudan's war-ravaged Darfur region has added a new twist to a bloody, two-year-old conflict, potentially turning the quest for peace into tussle over resources. Sudan announced in April that its ABCO corporation (which is 37 percent owned by Swiss company Clivenden) had begun drilling for oil in Darfur, where preliminary studies showed there were "abundant" quantities of oil. The news has prompted some humanitarian experts to wonder whether oil could be guiding Khartoum's actions in Darfur, where a scorched-earth policy against rebels' communities has left tens of thousands dead and forced at least 2 million from their homes.
Sudan announced in April that its ABCO corporation (which is 37 percent owned by Swiss company Clivenden) had begun drilling for oil in Darfur, where preliminary studies showed there were "abundant" quantities of oil.
The news has prompted some humanitarian experts to wonder whether oil could be guiding Khartoum's actions in Darfur, where a scorched-earth policy against rebels' communities has left tens of thousands dead and forced at least 2 million from their homes.
But of course that can also be achieved by letting the current genocide play out. Hopefully the Chinese will buy the oil fields so we'll feel we have to take them for ourselves, and stop the genocide as we happen to be around. Peak oil is not an energy crisis. It is a liquid fuel crisis.
You sound awfully cynical - although I always have troubles conflating cynism with realism.
Last time I checked the Janjaweed were still playing "kill the men and rape the women".
Some interesting, ah, cultural differences.
Turns out that while the Janjaweed Arab militia is raping the women in black villages, these Janjaweed women, sort of backup singers, sing songs making fun of the women getting raped. Some of the insults in the songs are a little surprising. For example, one song goes, "You are gorillas, you are black, and you are badly dressed." Who would've thought these Sudanese peasants were such fashion snobs? It's not bad enough being raped and killed, but insulting somebody's clothes -- that's a low blow, ladies. Somebody better call the UN about this.
Some of the insults in the songs are a little surprising. For example, one song goes, "You are gorillas, you are black, and you are badly dressed." Who would've thought these Sudanese peasants were such fashion snobs? It's not bad enough being raped and killed, but insulting somebody's clothes -- that's a low blow, ladies. Somebody better call the UN about this.
I'd appreciate it if you'd drop the disparaging tone considering the valiant efforts of the AU. How do you know so certain that the situation would not be worse (as hard as that is to imagine) without them? At least they try - something the western nations have utterly failed to do (again), even support the AU financially.
Sadly, your anecdote is nothing new: "They Sing When They Rape".
I haven't reached depressed yet. Darfur still kindles me to white hot rage.
by Frank Schnittger - Feb 7 2 comments
by Oui - Feb 4 46 comments
by Frank Schnittger - Feb 2 8 comments
by Frank Schnittger - Jan 26 3 comments
by Frank Schnittger - Jan 31 3 comments
by Frank Schnittger - Jan 22 3 comments
by Cat - Jan 25 63 comments
by Oui - Jan 9 21 comments
by Oui - Feb 7
by Frank Schnittger - Feb 72 comments
by Oui - Feb 446 comments
by Oui - Feb 318 comments
by Frank Schnittger - Feb 28 comments
by Oui - Feb 2114 comments
by Oui - Feb 16 comments
by Frank Schnittger - Jan 313 comments
by gmoke - Jan 29
by Oui - Jan 2736 comments
by Frank Schnittger - Jan 263 comments
by Cat - Jan 2563 comments
by Frank Schnittger - Jan 223 comments
by Oui - Jan 2110 comments
by Oui - Jan 21
by Oui - Jan 20
by gmoke - Jan 20
by Oui - Jan 1841 comments
by Oui - Jan 1591 comments
by Oui - Jan 145 comments