Darfur: in Search of Peace Exploring Viable Solutions to the Darfur Crisis
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human rights & human welfare a forum for works in progress working paper no. 50 Darfur: In Search of Peace Exploring Viable Solutions to the Darfur Crisis Prepared and Presented by: Dr. George Shepherd Dr. Peter Van Arsdale Negin Sobhani Nicole Tanner Frederick Agyeman‐Duah Please direct all feedback to: [email protected] Posted on 5 January 2009 http://www.du.edu/korbel/hrhw/working/2009/50‐ATADarfur‐2009.pdf © Africa Today Associates, Inc. All rights reserved. This paper may be freely circulated in electronic or hard copy provided it is not modified in any way, the rights of the author not infringed, and the paper is not quoted or cited without express permission of the author. The editors cannot guarantee a stable URL for any paper posted here, nor will they be responsible for notifying others if the URL is changed or the paper is taken off the site. Electronic copies of this paper may not be posted on any other website without express permission of the author. The posting of this paper on the hrhw working papers website does not constitute any position of opinion or judgment about the contents, arguments or claims made in the paper by the editors. For more information about the hrhw working papers series or website, please visit the site online at http://www.du.edu/gsis/hrhw/working Darfur: In Search of Peace 2 DDAARRFFUURR:: IINN SSEEAARRCCHH OOFF PPEEAACCEE EExxpplloorriinngg VViiaabbllee SSoolluuttiioonnss ttoo tthhee DDaarrffuurr CCrriissiiss REPORT OF A CONSULTATION HELD IN NAIROBI, KENYA, EAST AFRICA JUNE 911, 2008 PREPARED & PRESENTED BY: Dr. George Shepherd Dr. Peter Van Arsdale Negin Sobhani Nicole Tanner Frederick AgyemanDuah AFRICA TODAY ASSOCIATES, INC. In affiliation with: University of Denver Josef Korbel School of International Studies 2201 South Gaylord Street Denver, CO 80208 USA www.africatodayassociates.org Darfur: In Search of Peace 3 Acknowledgements Special thanks to our researchers, Frederick Agyeman‐Duah, Crystal Harris, Negin Sobhani, and Nicole Tanner of Africa Today Associates for their commitment and hard work; to Dr. Willy Mutunga and Dr. Joe Gitari of the Ford Foundation for sharing in our vision and for their financial and logistical support; to the ladies of the Orange Company for their administrative and logistical assistance; to our colleagues in Africa for sharing their participation and for sharing their views; to the University of Denver’s Students for Africa, for their volunteer work with ATA; to the Institute of International Education and all those who participated in our previous Consultations on 14 September 2007 in Denver and 11‐12 December 2007 in Abuja; to the Fairview Hotel, Nairobi, and to the many dedicated and committed people who continue to work in search of peace in Darfur. And finally, we would like to acknowledge those who presented papers at the Nairobi Consultation: Dr. Peter Kagwanja, Prof. Chris Maina Peter, Dr. Usman Bugaje, Mr. Apollos Machira, Prof. Abdalla Bujra, and Prof. Dani Nabudere for his insightul keynote address; we greatly appreciate everyone’s contribution to this consultation. Darfur: In Search of Peace 4 Preface The following is a report for the Consultation on Darfur carried out in Nairobi, Kenya by Africa Today Associates, Inc. The event took place June 9‐11, 2008 and was made possible with support from Ford Foundation, Kenya (in collaboration with the Institute of International Education). This report aims to build upon, not replace, the findings of our Consultation in Abuja, Nigeria. It is for this purpose that the findings and points addressed in this report are solely those discussed in Nairobi. Although it is inevitable that the two consultations reflected some overlap on the core issues and discussion points, especially in context of the presentations, this report attempts to synthesize and present the findings of the Consultation in Nairobi, Kenya. As part of ATA’s continued work and mandate to our four‐part consultations, the outcomes of our proceedings in Denver, Abuja, and Nairobi will be the foundation for our final consultation in Washington D.C. in fall 2008. Darfur: In Search of Peace 5 Table of Contents About ATA 5 Mission and Objectives of Consultation 5 Organization of the Consultation 6 Summary of ATA Presentations 6 African Perspectives on Darfur Crisis 11 Recommendations 13 Post‐Consultation Activities 14 Lessons Learned 15 Appendices 16 A: List of Presenters and Participants 17 B: Biographies of the ATA Team 18 C: Consultation Schedule 19 D: Presentations and Findings of Research Sponsored by ATA 20 Amb. Babiker Khalifa “Conflicts in Sudan: Darfur Crisis, War, and Conflict in Southern Sudan” 20 Prof. Peter W. Van Arsdale “Ethnicity as a Basis of Rebellion and Division in Darfur” 30 Prof. Kelechi Kalu “The Role of African States and the African Union in Peace Negotiations in Sudanese Darfur” 41 Mr. Gerald LeMelle “History Repeating: Militarized Foreign Policy in Africa” 61 Prof. Dani Nabudere “Peace and Security in the Sudan: Perspectives for Viable Solutions for Darfur” 69 Prof. George Shepherd “Conflict in Post Colonial Africa 84 Understanding the Origins of Ethnocide and Genocide and What can be Done” Prof. Ved Nanda “ The International Obligation to Protect” 96 Darfur: In Search of Peace 6 ABOUT ATA Africa Today Associates, Inc. (ATA) is a 501 (C) (3) non‐profit organization registered in the United States of America. The organization was created in 1967 to publish the journal Africa Today and to address significant human rights issues involving the African continent. The journal had been launched in 1954 by Professor George Shepherd, the first Director of the American Committee on Africa (ACOA), to educate the public on Africa’s struggle against colonialism. When ACOA could no longer publish the journal, ATA was moved to the University of Denver’s Graduate School of International Studies (recently renamed the Josef Korbel School of International Studies). Since 2000, the journal has been owned and published by the University of Indiana Press. ATA remains headquartered in Denver, Colorado, USA. It continues its original purpose by maintaining the fundamental philosophy of Africa Today through activities that connect academics and activists by working with nongovernmental organizations on projects that address the social, political, and economic needs of the people of Africa, in the context of human rights. MISSION OF THE CONSULTATION From the perspective of Africa Today Associates, Inc., the current discourse in the United States on the Darfur crisis suffers from a lack of African perspectives. The purpose of the Darfur Consultations is to understand the historical background, lay out the contemporary issues, and suggest viable solutions to the crisis in Darfur. While the US has begun to recognize and accept some responsibility, the conflict is still poorly understood by the American public. Ultimately, we aim to help properly educate the American public about the conflict in Darfur, and utilize the consultation outcomes to influence policy of the United States government and other international bodies. Humanitarian intervention in Sudan needs to be informed by the experience and understanding of African NGOs and governments who have long accepted their international responsibility for the needs of displaced people and victims of crimes against humanity. Therefore, it is important to hold an exchange of views between African and American specialists. To fulfill this objective, ATA has launched a four‐part endeavor with our first Consultation on the Darfur crisis held in Denver in September of 2007 and a consultation in Abuja, Nigeria in December of 2007. This consultation in Nairobi on June 9‐11 will be followed by a final gathering in Washington, D.C. in the fall of 2008. The Abuja and Nairobi consultations are the first steps in securing the voice and experience of African academics, leaders, organizations and politicians who are involved in, or knowledgeable about, the ongoing crisis in Darfur. In both Abuja and Nairobi, our focus was on engaging in dialogue with African academics, government representatives, and members of the NGO community. Specifically, we are interested in learning the views of Africans and African governments regarding Darfur: In Search of Peace 7 anticipated roles for the international community, including the US, in bringing peace to Darfur. We hope to achieve a broader perspective on ongoing work by various African‐based NGOs (such as those from the Darfur Consortium) that will help us identify gaps in understanding, service, and policy. Strategies for humanitarian intervention also will be considered. ORGANIZATION OF THE CONSULTATION The consultation took place June 9‐11, 2008 at the Fairview Hotel in Nairobi, Kenya and was organized into several sessions. Open forums preceded and followed a series of presentations and debates. Discussions were structured around research carried out by several ATA members as well as academics from the University of Denver.1 Research findings2 were also presented during our consultations in Denver and Abuja. Topics explored included a review of current and historical political and economic aspects of the Darfur crisis, interpretations of ethnicity and identity in Darfur and how these contribute to the difficulties of attaining a viable peace, legal perspectives on the international obligation to protect, the role of African states and the African Union in peace negotiations, and the militarization of foreign policy in Africa. Discussions and