Sudan

There is a saying that darkness is nothing more than the absence of light. A greater example to illustrate relativity I can't find. But sometimes I think that relativity is used to minimize some problems that persist. For instance, the problems in Africa are so severe that even though we can use relativity to ease our minds, the problems won't go away or become any less grave. How much of a dose of relativity is necessary to see Africa in a more positive way?

There is something about Africa that no scholar or theorist can understand, no matter how many long years they've studied the continent. How can some of the richest countries in natural resources and minerals (oil, nickel, diamonds, gold) stay so poor? Over the years different theories have been presented, but none have truly answered the question.

When I was in university I read two opposing views on the problems of Africa. One was the theory that the problems emanated from an external source, colonialism, and that it will take centuries before the negative effects of colonialism wear off. The other theory was that the problems had an internal reason, the corruption of the governments that ruled the African countries.

I am not going to argue which one is the right theory because I think it is not a question with a definitive black and white answer. Even though the roots of a problem are worth considering, the current situation and future consequences are much more important.

And the consequences are significant. To tell you the truth, I don't even know which country in Africa to start with because it seems to me that almost all of them suffer from economic, natural, political or human disasters.

For this time I will focus on Africa's largest country: Sudan. The size of its problems seem to match the size of its square mileage: extra large . Sudan proclaimed self-government on the first of January in 1956. At this point it became independent from British and Egyptian rulers. You would think that getting rid of colonial entities would bring a country more freedom and hence lead to better conditions in all areas of life. Unfortunately the opposite is true for Sudan and many other countries in Africa.

By the time Sudan gained independence there was already a big schism between the two groups of inhabitants in Sudan. They not only differed in ethnicity but differed also in language, religion and political power. In the north were the Arabs with the Muslim faith. They were close to the seat of the government, which gave them more power by proxy. Inn the south were the black Africans with animistic or Christian faith. Their differences clashed and turned the whole country upside down when they started a civil war with their main political parties, the National Islamic Front (NIF) and the Sudan People's Liberation Army (SPLA).

Everything associated with a civil war was happening in Sudan: violations of human rights such as rapes, murders and looting as well as religious persecution. Sudan was also alleged to harbour terrorists and there was evidence that slavery was a common practise throughout the whole of the country.

In 2002, there was a temporary cease-fire and the civil war seemed to come to an end. But here the adagium was applicable that if one problem disappears another one rears its uglier head.

Another war started in Sudan, this time in the Darfur region which is widely covered in the media. This time, it was not the black Christians and animists that were the target but black Muslims. You would have thought that by having the same religion one source of conflict would end but the war proves otherwise.

This civil war has been condemned by the European Union and the United States has called it genocide. This year on the 9th of January a peace deal was signed, but I am convinced it is only a matter of time before another civil war is at hand. Even if I am wrong, the country has enough problems to deal with.

At this moment, I cannot think of anything that would make me see Sudan or any other African country with more relativity. Besides civil wars, AIDS has become such a huge problem that more people are dying from it than from any other disease. I could go on and on with what problems Africa has, unfortunately, but I rest my case. In the heart of darkness there is just too much absence of light.