History reveals how nations and men struggle to act cohesively, set aside their differences and live harmoniously at peace. War has become an inevitable phenomenon. From the dawn of time, man had endured the hardships and sufferings brought about by the rising conflicts and misunderstandings among them. Land disputes, the difference in beliefs, religion and search of honor triggered some of the most devastating and frustrating chaos known to men. To this day however, these conflicts never seem to waiver and in fact have taken a new form. They have presented a new twist. Just as the case of the civil war in Sudan.
Sudan’s civil war began in 1983, when the non Arab inhabitant, mostly non Muslim, from the south, consistently being discriminated by the Muslims who inhabited the north and deprived of economic help from the government took up arms and started an armed resistance. From there, the Sudan People’s Liberation Army/Movement (SPLA) was formed. In 1991 however, SPLA split into two different rival factions resulting to a deeper conflict: a South-South conflict in addition to North-South misunderstanding (Ryle, April 2002). In 1999, tension rises to a new a level when oil drilling and exploration in western Upper Nile for a new pipeline for extraction of crude oil for export was completed and first export began. Since then, Western Upper Nile has been the site of the many fiercest battle in the history of Sudan War. SPLA members have become more determined to fight and drive foreign investors and workers away, to disrupt oil extraction and protect their interest.
The war has undergone a massive transformation; it’s not just a fight for what people believe is right and just. Sudan’s government in an effort to put an end to the long standing conflict between the south and north are not taking diplomatic measures to resolve the issues. Instead, reports said that the money earned from the extraction of crude oil is used in purchasing armaments and weapons used in the war raged by the southerners. People from the south said, that even farmers who inhabit near the extraction sites are being driven away, bombed and fire at by military personnel. For fear of security reasons, they are being displaced away from their land. In fact, one of every seven person of Sudan’s population is a refugee. The government is keen on ending the horrible situation, but not because of the lives that are about to be lost or the damage that is about to be done. They are determined to end it, since they want investors to flow, and for the oil to flow. Flowing oil means money. Wealth! Wealth which the government said will be utilized to help the people economically. Considering the quality of crude oil Sudan’s offer and the potential it brings, the sound and look of it is promising.
The war has become commercially driven. The involvement of western corporations and investors has covered the complexity of the war in Sudan. The root of the Sudan conflict is much deeper than what “the extraction of crude oil” seems. Alliance are made and unmade for years. Some even agreed that the war is best understood as a series of interlocking civil war and conflicts between the north and south, south and south and even north and north. It seems that at the expense of money, or power itself, ideas and beliefs are being thrown away, and even lives!
The article “Sudan oil, fuels the conflict” by Milan Vesely published in African Business on June 1, 2001, discloses several of the poor aspect of behavior men possess. Men tends to be greedy, they will stop at nothing until they have finally realized their dreams. But, that will never be enough, men will never be contented. He will search for more, and more and more. Men seem to have never learned, after the sufferings during the great world wars and enduring their post traumatic effect, we still haven’t found a universal solution in resolving the fighting and avoiding the violent actions. Worse, the reason for dispute and bloodshed has become vague.
It’s understandable for men to fight in order to protect his loved ones, it’s a must. Then, he should fight for what he believes in, his dreams and oppose those who are taking advantage of his existence. But to fight, and resolved conflicts through violent means and eventually shedding blood, because of wealth and power should never happened. During a time of war or conflicts, great confusions arise. It is during this troubling time that men should summon all his strength and gather his character, and should not be blinded by greed. They should think of the consequences, think of the welfare of the others and act rationally.
There was a quote, Plato once said. It states “Only the dead have seen the end of war.” It sounds true. Those who are living will forever witness the continuing struggle man will undertake to resolve the misunderstandings and conflicts among each other. Hopes are not lost at all, because men are trying, talks and peace forums are being done. There are parties sacrificing to achieve the harmony anyone will want to have. Though, the article never mentions of possible diplomatic solutions, being taken by the government or both parties, the world has started to take notice of the grave problems at hand. That’s why through the articles, readers are informed how the long standing conflict in Sudan are starting to reshape and how private institutions have affected the present situation. Furthermore, it prepares the readers of what to expect in the coming days and years, not only in Sudan but the world itself.
Lastly, it reveals how oil, has become a valuable commodity and an important player in decision making policy of a government. That, sometimes for our leaders, they consider it could be far more important than the lives of our poor farmer brothers caught in between the crossfire.
Ryle, J. (April 2002). Sudan: Africa’s Endless War The Burden of History [Electronic Version]. Crimes of War Project. Retrieved June 27, 2007 from www.crimesofwar.org/sudan-mag/sudan-overview.html.
