Moral Deterioration

Look at what happened to us (Sudanese). 20 years ago we were praised and referred to as the prototype of morality, decency, honesty, and all the other virtues. What happened to us?

Someone explain it to me!!!

Gibbons plans for 2008

According to the Telegraph, Gibbons is contemplating China.

And this article, on the Buzzle enumerates a number of advices to the notorious teacher, should she venture to cause another wave of my culture is holier than thou's :-)


Quite funny

John Granville, Rest in Peace

My heart goes out to Granville's family in Buffalo, NY and elsewhere. May his soul rest in peace.

At the wee hours of the first day of the first month of 2008, John, aged 33, was shot as he was driven home by his Sudanese driver, Allah yihamu, returning from a New Year's party. Most articles on the net rehash the same information.

Some of those could be read here, here and here.

A compendium to this CV and his radio distribution project in the Sudan could be found at the USAID website

John’s fellowship focuses on community participation in government and NGO capacity building in South Sudan. Using tools such as community needs assessments and interactive problem solving models, John works to create collaboration and cooperation between citizens and government. Currently he is working to bring radios to the population of South Sudan in order to maximize the impact of USAID’s broadcasting initiatives in the region.
John is a former Peace Corps volunteer and has worked in Sudan as a consultant for USAID and GOAL-Ireland. With GOAL, he designed and implemented an HIV/AIDS Participatory Action Assessment. He has studied as a Fulbright Fellow and received an MA in International Development and Social Change from Clark University in 2003.

In my humble opinion the perpetrator(s) could be

- Sudanese: which I wouldn't entirely dismiss given the latest surge of hardcore Islamist sentiments towards anything and everything Western.
- Al-Qaeda: regardless of what's portrayed in the media about that organizations elements in the Sudan, I do not find a direct causal relationship between John and his activities in particular and their resentment other than him being an American diplomat.
- Non-Sudanese: After my last visit to the Sudan I was dumbfounded by the aggrandizing infiltration of Ninja non-Sudanese women in my very neighbourhood who were married to mid-calf jilabiya wearing, bear growing followers of the Prophet from Syria, Somalia and Iraq. Those did not hide their scornful stares at ME, in my own court, for my non-Islamic appearance.


Whoever the perpetrator is, they fill me with opprobrium for their heinous act of shedding the blood of an innocent soul (I do not care if he was a CIA agent working undercover as an USAID worker). This assassination is an act of shame!!!


Condolences to AbdulRaham Abbas' family too. Inna lillah wa innah ilayhi raji3oon.

Back to Sudan; two men, five years, infinite agony

Finally after more than five years, two Sudanese detainees were released from Guantanamo. Adel Hassan Hamad and Salim Mahmoud Adam .

Watching their brief interviews on TV, filled me with a rush of immense anger that was only attenuated by my sense of helplessness. One of the detainees described his detention as being buried while being alive. Sad indeed.

But, I am very glad they've reached their loved ones in the Sudan

Read about it here, and please have a look at the ridiculous comments which reflect the opinions of a majority, rather than a minority in the US of A.


related site : Project Hamad

وااااااه فضيحتاه

ياخوانا لي متين إحنا حنكون مفضوحين قدام الخلق والعالم ؟؟؟

يعني اللي يسوا وما يسواش بقى شايفنا ناس متطرفين اللي في أقل حاجة بنادوا بالإعدام. وحسي جات المقالة دي عشان توري الناس أن الشعب السوداني شعب مهوس بالجنس منذ الأزل. يعني ما معقول الأجانب بقوا دايرن يعرفوا سر الطلح وحفرة الدخان
!!
ما معقول ما معقول؟ يعني هي دي الحاجات اللي بتميزنا عن باقي الشعوب؟ الطلح والدخان؟ أها والحاجة الجاية شنو؟ التمباك والسعوط؟

يعني وين العادات والتقاليد والممارسات التانية؟ ولا هو بس الختان؟ وقطع الرحط؟

أنا متأكدة إنو المقال ده ما إتكتب إلا عشان واحد سوادني ولا سودانية وروا الحاجة دي ، اللي بتحصل جو البيوت، للخواجة. ده شنو القرف ده؟؟؟؟

وواااااه فضيحتاه

Perfunctory yet inciting remarks!

Words must be well thought about before uttered. I did sympathize with Ms Gibbons when she was jailed in Sudan, but I do not understand her when she expressed fear of being raped in prison.

"I had no justification for thinking that. But that was my worst terror - that they would come in and teach me a lesson by raping me or that they would hit me."

That would have been an interesting headlines "Raped for defaming religion". Shouldn't Ms Gibbons as an academic refrain from throwing such remarks in such a perfunctory fashion?


More here

شُفع الزمن ده

طبعاً كباقي السودانيين أنا حريصة جداً على إنو أفراد أسرتي الصغار يتعلموا العربي. كان ما تعليم مدرسي بكل تفاصيل النحو والقواعد والبلاغة ، إن شاء الله كلامنا العامي ده.
شخصياً ما بفوت فرصة إلاَ وأحاول إن أقلب الونسة عربي قح.

الليلة بقى النتيجة ظهرت! بعد ما في شافعة بعرفها متربية هنا وبتتكلم عربي مكسر سوت ليها مصيبة، أبوها جا جاري. قلت بالعربي السوداني حقنا ده لزول جنبي "الليلة البت دي دقست".


البت إتلفتت علي وقالت ليك بي لهجة عامية صرفة "أنا أصلي دقست لمن إتولدت" وضحكت وفكت الجرية


والله شفع الزمن ده

Conspiracy Theory in Unity High School?

If surveyed, the world's most popular name would be Muhammad, I'm certain.
The most recent "one" to be named was a teddy bear, in Khartoum, Sudan, of all the places. Don't fret, the decision has been arrived at in the most democratic fashion one could imagine; by voting.

23 students decided the teddy bear should be named Muhammad. Not Ali, not Bobby, but Muhammad. Their teacher, however, one Ms Gibbons, was taken into custody by the Sudanese authorities and jailed. According to State media she could be charged with blasphemy. Serious charge indeed! Interestingly enough, the complainers were the parents who brought their grievance to the Ministry of Education.

Now, I have two questions?
1- Was the Ministry of Education hibernating back in the day when we had "Taha Al-Qurashi" series? For those of you who do not know who Taha Al-Qurashi is, he is the Prophet Mohammed (PBUH) and the series, though not referring to the protagonist as the Prophet, but a regular student who kept getting diarrhea and getting admitted to hospital. *All I could remember*
2- What's the sudden interest in school activities by parents and State alike?


I guess they have exposed themselves to one of my favourite articles by Fareed Zakaria, "The Rise of Illiberal Democracy".

Sudanese Festival in NY

UPDATE
I know I kinda lag behind, but I uploaded a couple of pics on flickr from the Sudanese Festival. More will be coming up


check those for now

Men who gossip

A dear friend of mine says all the good men died in WTO on the 11th of Sept, and today I have to agree with her.

What's up with men who gossip and backbite and get their noses in some other people's businesses? How would you categorize those?

And now I have to switch to Arabic!

يعني بالله بذمتكم الرجال ديل رجال؟ وقت بتناقلوا الكلام وبتعاوروا وهي كان شوفتوا فلانة ما قالوا سافرت هناك و علانة ما عرسوها وشنفلانة ما طلع عندها ورم.
هل دي هي طبايع الرجال؟ القطيعة والنميمة؟ وبالمناسبة يعني المشكلة إنو مافي زول بيوقفوم عند حدهم بل بالعكس النسوان اللي ما عندهم شغلة بصفقوا ليهم ويقولوا ليهم هل من مزيد!

ظاهرة مقززة للغاية والمقرف فيها إنها منتشرة عند السودانيين بطريقة بشعة! يعني من دون العرب إحنا رجالنا الفايقين بحبو يتقصوا أخبار الناس ويتشمشروا في الرايح والجاي. ياخ مافي سوداني إلا ويسألك سؤال منكر ونكير. بت منو؟ ساكنة وين؟ جنسك شنو؟ قريتي وين؟ وحتى كان حاولتي وبطريقة واضحة توريه إنك ما دايرة ونسة يقلب الهوبة عشان يوريك إنو زول مهم ومتحضر وما أدراك،، وبكرة ناس الولاية كلها تعرف اللي عرفوا بكل التفاصيل زايد الشمار والفلفل وبقية البهارات.

ياخ أبقوا رجال وسيبوا حركات النسوان ليهم! إتقوا الله!!!!!!!!


سلام عليكم

Censored Report on Darfur

It is up to you to take a position, or not. My co-blogger, Drima, posted on a documentary prepared by Nabil Kassem, from Al-Arabiya News Channel two years ago but never broadcasted it, not to my knowledge at least.


Watch part 1

Watch part 2

UPDATE on Sudanese Concert in New York

I went, I sat, I stood, I ate, I chatted, I met acquaintances, I clicked pictures, I danced, I gossiped, I flirted, I enjoyed the beautiful songs and singers and BOOOM! as usual my Sudanese people acted in the most irresponsible manner. Well, first of all and right in front of the stage two guys just decided to throw a couple of punches at each other and not stopping it until the security had to intervene to pull these two cocks from each other while one of them was shouting out the most common Sudanese swear expression "3alai al6alag ma ba'7ali!"




This will sound alright if you compare it to this sign ! The whole objective of the festival is to bring Sudanese people irrespective of their creed, color, ethnicity or race together to attempt as people express our unity, and just that! Our dream is to live in a unified and peaceful Sudan! And there they were, those who cannot stick to the message intended and just had to fling political messages in. It was, and is a shameful act to mix politics with cultural and social events!

You two, who were carrying those signs, must be very ashamed of yourselves!

1st Annual Sudanese Music and Dance Festival

It is more than what I thought it was.
Apparently what I had assumed a humble attempt of Sudanese artists to sponsor the idea of a "Unified Sudan" is actually the 1ST ANNUAL SUDANESE MUSIC AND DANCE FESTIVAL.

Check what afropop published! It will even be broadcasted on www.staytunedtv.tv

Dawn Elder, the Director of Programming for the Internet all-music and dance site said that the channel will be producing the concert video of the event for a worldwide streaming as a "Recorded Live' event.

Sudanese laws and Rape victims

a recent report by Refugees International, a well known NGO based in Washington DC, has exposed the loopholes existent within the Sudanese laws that expose rape victims to more abuse and trauma.

The report is titled Laws Without Justice: An Assessment of Sudanese Laws Affecting Survivors of Rape; which can be downloaded and read in full at their website.

I have not had the chance to read it all, and many of you would not have it either. An introductory to the report could also be read in this article at Refugees International newsletter.


Let me know what you think

Salam

Sudanese Concert in Central Park, New York

If you're in New York, or the surrounding areas and are Sudanese, interested in the Sudan, or simply wanting to hear a different sort of music, here is an event, actually a concert by prominent Sudanese singers among which is Sharhabil Ahmed (photo) and Al Balabil taking place on Saturday, July 21, 2007
from 3:00 PM to 7:00 PM in Central Park SummerStage. The complete list of the singers is found here

It stays that the event is supported by the Sudanese Information Center, which I was not able to find information on, but if you do, do let me know, I'll appreciate it

Come and enjoy the beautiful culture of the Sudan

Ranking FIRST, disputed

The Failed States Index of 2007 caused a commotion, among my fellow citizens, who are also skeptical but with different approaches.

Read my query, and also take a look at Sudanese thinker and Black Kush.

متلازمة بنات دول مجلس التعاون الخليجي

لا ده ما مرض. ولا أقول لكم حاجة؟ حالة، وحالة مرضية كمان

معظم بناتنا السودانيات اللي إتربو في الخليج بيعانوا من المتلازمة دي. والأعراض كالتالي:
1- الدلع الفائض واللي بيتمثل في مجموعة من امراض أخرى سمها صديق لي بأمراض الدلع (كالجلد الحساس، المعدة الحساسة، الأزمة، الأنيميا، وغيرهم)

2-الطلبات و التوقعات الغير واقعية من الوالدين، الأخوة، والعجب من "الجكس" يعني ما ممكن يا بنات الناس تكونوا دايرين أي حاجة شوفتوها مرة واحدة في مسلسل أسترالي عرضوه في قناة الشارقة، خصوصاً لو المطلوب منه عايش في قارة تانية.

3- حب السيطرة: وبالعامية كده "فاكنها في روحم" لي يعني معظم بنات الخليج مقتنعات إنهم بنات كول وراقيات وفاهمات في كل شي في الدنيا وبالتالي بيظنوا إنهم أدرى وأي زول يتجرأ يناقش النقطة دي ولا أي من النقاط المذكورة أعلاه بياخد على راسو وبيعيش ليهو في مسلسل خليجي اللي الأحداث فيهو بتجر أيام طويلة وبيكون فيهو لغة مشفرة ما بيفهما الطرف الثاني لأنو البنت ذاتا ما فاهمها وبتكون بتواصل فيها بس عشان المسلسل ما يخلص

أفتكر كده كفاية
ومن دون زعل لأني بس بحاول أعمل نقد ذاتي :-)

Sudanese talent

I heard about this competitor, Khalid Hassan, but never got a chance to hear him until today. Not bad at all

wish him good luck

Yay! my country is ranking FIRST!

My country, the Republic of the Sudan, has again ranked the First. But I am not proud at all, and somewhat skeptical. According to the Failed States Index for 2007, Sudan is the most susceptible state in the world to failure.
Based on social, economic and political indicators, these rankings, by the Foreign Policy Association and the Fund for Peace organization, are from unclassified statistical data.


Very disheartening and embarrassing, but as I previously said I'm skeptical. Who gathered these data? If it's the state then wouldn't it doctor these statistics to its own advantage. If non-state actors conducted the research and gathered the data, which politically failed state will allow strangers do so to harm it?

The Foreign Policy Association answers this question rather ambiguously

Q: What methodology was used for the ratings?

A: The Fund for Peace used its Conflict Assessment System Tool (CAST), an original methodology it has developed and tested over the past decade. CAST is a flexible model that has the capability to employ a four-step trend-line analysis, consisting of (1) rating 12 social, economic, and political/military indicators; (2) assessing the capabilities of five core state institutions considered essential for sustaining security; (3) identifying idiosyncratic factors and surprises; and (4) placing countries on a conflict map that shows the risk history of countries being analyzed.

For the Failed States Index, FfP focused solely on the first step, which provides snapshots of state vulnerability or risk of violence during a window in time. The CAST software indexed and scanned tens of thousands of open-source articles and reports using Boolean logic. The data are electronically gathered using Thomson Dialog, a powerful data-collection system that includes international and local media reports and other public documents, including U.S. State Department reports, independent studies, and even corporate financial filings. The data used in each index are collected from May to December of the preceding year. The software calculates the number of positive and negative “hits” for the 12 indicators. Internal and external experts then review the scores as well as the articles themselves, when necessary, to confirm the scores and ensure accuracy.

Italicized red clauses are the ones that boggled my mind, they shouldn't have the same effect on you.

Well, I don't need all this to tell me that life is hard in Sudan and that WE NEED A LOT OF CHANGE AND REFORM!!!!!!