About the Sudanese Civil War:
The Sudanese Civil War has not only happened once, as there have been repeated instances. The instances started with the First Sudanese Civil War (1955-1972), then the Second Sudanese Civil War (1983-2005), and then the ongoing conflict that started in 2011. (mytholyoke, date unknown) This inquiry will highlight the civil war’s effect on the Sudanese people, environment, and economy, as well as what the rest of the world can do to stop the conflict.
Factors and indicators contributing to variations of Human Well-being:
The Sudanese Civil War has damaged the economy of Sudan significantly as it has diverted spending from creating jobs to warfare. The economy of Sudan is highly dependent on the oil that was found in Southern Sudan, which affected the war by adding an extra incentive to fighting. The North decided to burn villages and drive people away from their homes, so that they could explore the oil underneath. (Journeyman, 2007) The war was funded by the oil wealth that was supposed to be used to fix the economy, as there is no other way that Sudan could fund the purchase of aircraft and so on. (Journeyman, 2007)
The Sudanese Civil War has not only happened once, as there have been repeated instances. The instances started with the First Sudanese Civil War (1955-1972), then the Second Sudanese Civil War (1983-2005), and then the ongoing conflict that started in 2011. (mytholyoke, date unknown) This inquiry will highlight the civil war’s effect on the Sudanese people, environment, and economy, as well as what the rest of the world can do to stop the conflict.
Factors and indicators contributing to variations of Human Well-being:
The Sudanese Civil War has damaged the economy of Sudan significantly as it has diverted spending from creating jobs to warfare. The economy of Sudan is highly dependent on the oil that was found in Southern Sudan, which affected the war by adding an extra incentive to fighting. The North decided to burn villages and drive people away from their homes, so that they could explore the oil underneath. (Journeyman, 2007) The war was funded by the oil wealth that was supposed to be used to fix the economy, as there is no other way that Sudan could fund the purchase of aircraft and so on. (Journeyman, 2007)
The fertility rate of a country is an average of the amount of children a woman has. The conflict in Sudan has affected the fertility rate as the men going off to war, and the women running to neighbouring countries for refuge means that there are no people to have children. The fertility rate has gone down as both sides commit atrocities, which results in the lives of civilians and soldiers. In 2002 there were 464 war deaths in Sudan, which some of whom were civilians. (Worldmapper, 2002) In the cartogram to the right it is made obvious that there was a high amount of war deaths in Sudan which would suggest a large war was happening there.
In the cartogram above it is obvious that a significant amount of people died in Sudan as in this time period there were other gruesome wars being fought like the Korean War, and the Vietnam War. This cartogram shows that in this large 55 year time period, there has been a large amount of deaths, in fact it shows that Sudan suffered the fourth most amount of war deaths in that period. (Worldmapper, 2000) This amount of death has affected the fertility rate as there has to be a lot less people having children; the lowering birth rate has been demonstrated in the graph to the left.
Impacts on Human Well-being
North and South Sudan discriminate against each other because of different religious beliefs, and ethnic groups. The war has caused a lot of immigration into other countries; in fact 200,000 immigrants have been created by this conflict. (Journeyman, 2013) To prove this a cartogram has been provided to show the origin of refugees. There has also been a large amount of hatred among people because of rape, as well as child soldiers. There was a story that was discovered that told of how 3000-6000 children tried to flee Sudan to avoid being used as child soldiers, and to avoid being raped; many of these were killed by dehydration, starvation, or even wild animals. (mytholyoke, date unknown)
North and South Sudan discriminate against each other because of different religious beliefs, and ethnic groups. The war has caused a lot of immigration into other countries; in fact 200,000 immigrants have been created by this conflict. (Journeyman, 2013) To prove this a cartogram has been provided to show the origin of refugees. There has also been a large amount of hatred among people because of rape, as well as child soldiers. There was a story that was discovered that told of how 3000-6000 children tried to flee Sudan to avoid being used as child soldiers, and to avoid being raped; many of these were killed by dehydration, starvation, or even wild animals. (mytholyoke, date unknown)
The fighting in Sudan has caused much destruction and theft of food. Sudanese soldiers from the north burned food stores in villages that had oil underneath them, as well as stealing the harvested crop in the fields. (Journeyman, 2007) As a result of events like this there are 5 million people in famine, and the USA is struggling to raise enough money to feed them. (Journeyman, 2013)
Future patterns:
The religions and ethnic groups of North and South Sudan will affect the peace between them as there has been a lot of tension between the two sides as South Sudan is made of up of small ethnic groups while North Sudan are made up of Arabs that are Islamic. (Journeyman, 2013) The people of South Sudan do not like the North Sudanese Government as they think that the Arabs are trying to wipe out the native African population. (Journeyman, 2013)
Sudan’s conflict in the south is affecting the environment as the forests in the south have now become populated with people hiding from the war. (Journeyman, 2007) War in the south has also affected the environment as people that have been forced from their homes must find and clear more land to make a settlement, which will destroy habitat as they have to cut down trees to clear the area, and make houses. Another massive impact on the environment is that the farmers will have to move their fields. Clearing this land will cause the destruction of native flora, and destroy the habitats of native fauna.
Responses at varying scales by government and non-government organisations:
Foreign powers affected the war for better and for worse, as the British government decided to make a different governing state in the south of Sudan, which started the idea of the north and south of Sudan being different. (Journeyman, 2013) The British later fought to end the war because of the oil found in the south, which was also why America later wanted to end the war. The USA supported the southern rebels for a while as they were hostile to the northern government. (Journeyman, 2013) The USA was hostile to the northern government as the latest military coup was run by a leader that was supported by a communist party. (Journeyman, 2013) The USA was also worried about rumours that Osama Bin Laden had been hiding in North Sudan. Later the USA, UK, and Norway managed to make a treaty to end the Second Sudanese Civil War.
We could help end this war by fighting to get our government involved, which can be done through making a non-government organisation. Making a non-government organisation could get the government involved as it will represent the needs of the people of Sudan, therefore getting the government to invest in ending the Sudan Civil War through the organisation. We could also make it public that the rest of the world supports the northern government, which could make the rebels loose hope.
Plan of Action:
The United Nations has been vital in helping to end the conflict as they started getting the two sides to talk, by hosting negotiations. (Journeyman, 2013) The UN has also helped by threatening to end funding to Sudan, which is pressuring the country to make peace. (Josh Rogin, 2013) The UN has also caused temporary ceasefires.
The Government of Sudan gives almost no information on what they plan to do, but judging by the information gathered it is obvious that the government is trying to quell the rebellion by using their military. (Josh Rogin, 2013) The government is also obviously trying to quell the rebels using the strategy of Sun Tzu to cut the Rebels from their resources. (Josh Rogin)
The religions and ethnic groups of North and South Sudan will affect the peace between them as there has been a lot of tension between the two sides as South Sudan is made of up of small ethnic groups while North Sudan are made up of Arabs that are Islamic. (Journeyman, 2013) The people of South Sudan do not like the North Sudanese Government as they think that the Arabs are trying to wipe out the native African population. (Journeyman, 2013)
Sudan’s conflict in the south is affecting the environment as the forests in the south have now become populated with people hiding from the war. (Journeyman, 2007) War in the south has also affected the environment as people that have been forced from their homes must find and clear more land to make a settlement, which will destroy habitat as they have to cut down trees to clear the area, and make houses. Another massive impact on the environment is that the farmers will have to move their fields. Clearing this land will cause the destruction of native flora, and destroy the habitats of native fauna.
Responses at varying scales by government and non-government organisations:
Foreign powers affected the war for better and for worse, as the British government decided to make a different governing state in the south of Sudan, which started the idea of the north and south of Sudan being different. (Journeyman, 2013) The British later fought to end the war because of the oil found in the south, which was also why America later wanted to end the war. The USA supported the southern rebels for a while as they were hostile to the northern government. (Journeyman, 2013) The USA was hostile to the northern government as the latest military coup was run by a leader that was supported by a communist party. (Journeyman, 2013) The USA was also worried about rumours that Osama Bin Laden had been hiding in North Sudan. Later the USA, UK, and Norway managed to make a treaty to end the Second Sudanese Civil War.
We could help end this war by fighting to get our government involved, which can be done through making a non-government organisation. Making a non-government organisation could get the government involved as it will represent the needs of the people of Sudan, therefore getting the government to invest in ending the Sudan Civil War through the organisation. We could also make it public that the rest of the world supports the northern government, which could make the rebels loose hope.
Plan of Action:
The United Nations has been vital in helping to end the conflict as they started getting the two sides to talk, by hosting negotiations. (Journeyman, 2013) The UN has also helped by threatening to end funding to Sudan, which is pressuring the country to make peace. (Josh Rogin, 2013) The UN has also caused temporary ceasefires.
The Government of Sudan gives almost no information on what they plan to do, but judging by the information gathered it is obvious that the government is trying to quell the rebellion by using their military. (Josh Rogin, 2013) The government is also obviously trying to quell the rebels using the strategy of Sun Tzu to cut the Rebels from their resources. (Josh Rogin)
References:
War Deaths 1945-2000, 2012, Cartogram, Worldmapper, accessed 17 March 2014, <http://www.worldmapper.org/display.php?selected=287>.
War Deaths 1945-2000, 2012 Worldmapper, accessed 1 April 2014, <War Deaths 1945-2000, 2012, Cartogram, Worldmapper, accessed 17 March 2014, .>
Moorcraft, P 2013 Sudan's 22 year war: the longest conflict in Africa, online video, 20 December, accessed 1 April 2014, <http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=nKzpUCv5Olo>.
Lost Boys, n.d. Mtholyoke, accessed 24 March 2014, <https://www.mtholyoke.edu/~czerw20m/lostboys/lostboys.html>.
Flint, J 2007 These Sudanese Soldiers Were Fighting For Oil Money They'll Never see, online video, 30 November, accessed 26 March 2014, <http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=rgZ1aal478s>.
Sudan-Fertility Rate, 2011 Indexmundi, accessed 28 March 2014, <http://www.indexmundi.com/facts/sudan/fertility-rate>.
Rogin, J 2014, ‘Can the U.S. Stop Civil War in South Sudan?’, The Daily Beast, 1 April, accessed 1 April 2014, <http://www.thedailybeast.com/articles/2014/01/04/can-the-u-s-stop-civil-war-in-south-sudan.html>.
Refugee Origin, 2003, Cartogram, Worldmapper, accessed 23 March 2014, <http://www.worldmapper.org/display.php?selected=14>.
Sudan Soldiers March, 2011, Photograph, Stipmson, accessed 2 April 2014, <http://www.stimson.org/spotlight/innovative-investments-in-expeditionary-diplomacy-could-save-lives-in-sudan/>.
Refugee Women, 2011, Photograph, Al Arabiya News, accessed 3 April 2014, <http://www.alarabiya.net/articles/2011/01/19/134104.html>.
War Deaths 1945-2000, 2012, Cartogram, Worldmapper, accessed 17 March 2014, <http://www.worldmapper.org/display.php?selected=287>.
War Deaths 1945-2000, 2012 Worldmapper, accessed 1 April 2014, <War Deaths 1945-2000, 2012, Cartogram, Worldmapper, accessed 17 March 2014, .>
Moorcraft, P 2013 Sudan's 22 year war: the longest conflict in Africa, online video, 20 December, accessed 1 April 2014, <http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=nKzpUCv5Olo>.
Lost Boys, n.d. Mtholyoke, accessed 24 March 2014, <https://www.mtholyoke.edu/~czerw20m/lostboys/lostboys.html>.
Flint, J 2007 These Sudanese Soldiers Were Fighting For Oil Money They'll Never see, online video, 30 November, accessed 26 March 2014, <http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=rgZ1aal478s>.
Sudan-Fertility Rate, 2011 Indexmundi, accessed 28 March 2014, <http://www.indexmundi.com/facts/sudan/fertility-rate>.
Rogin, J 2014, ‘Can the U.S. Stop Civil War in South Sudan?’, The Daily Beast, 1 April, accessed 1 April 2014, <http://www.thedailybeast.com/articles/2014/01/04/can-the-u-s-stop-civil-war-in-south-sudan.html>.
Refugee Origin, 2003, Cartogram, Worldmapper, accessed 23 March 2014, <http://www.worldmapper.org/display.php?selected=14>.
Sudan Soldiers March, 2011, Photograph, Stipmson, accessed 2 April 2014, <http://www.stimson.org/spotlight/innovative-investments-in-expeditionary-diplomacy-could-save-lives-in-sudan/>.
Refugee Women, 2011, Photograph, Al Arabiya News, accessed 3 April 2014, <http://www.alarabiya.net/articles/2011/01/19/134104.html>.