Genocide in Sudan: Urbanization as a key for early recovery.

Recent events in Sudan in which violence inter-tribal violence has evolved enormously call out attention to realize that beyond the global confrontations that mobilize people all around the world, like Ukraine, Palestine or Taiwan, it also exists a lot of humanitarian crises that has been among us from long time and keep running unresolved. A short chronology unveils the fact that in March 2009, in the middle of the humanitarian crisis in Darfur, the Sudan president Omar El Basher was indicted by the International Criminal Court (ICC) in an historical move to judge the president of a sovereign country in exercise. Next move was the split of the country in 2011, Sudan and South Sudan, sharing the strategic oil reserves located in the Nuba mountains dividing the two nations. 22 years later, Sudan continues facing difficulties to stabilize from multiple reasons, some of them related to the geopolitical international puzzle, some other reasons related to historical internal unresolved tensions related to the use and control of natural resources. Particularly, the case of water availability and infrastructure need for a proper management trigger conflicts among tribal groups and political factions in a way that results very difficult for national governments to keep under some kind of control.

Between 2007, when I arrived first to Khartoum and 2010, after working in the three states of Darfur; UN-Habitat (United Nations Human Settlements Programme) with the generous contribution of Japan International Cooperation Agency (JICA) and brilliant collages like Ali El-Faramawy Abdel Rahman Mustafa and Jaana Mioch carried out two ambitious projects very much interlinked, in which I have the honour to serve. State territorial planning, analyzing roles and locations of human settlements from the perspective of an urban system capable to support the on-going humanitarian operation, at that time, and early recovery trends, considering commercial routes and the necessary exploration of natural resources generating income generation perspective for local residents. Some publication on this can be found at 1501667898wpdm_Urban Sector Studies and Capacity Building for Khartoum State.pdf (unhabitat.org); Rapid Urbanization in Sudan - UNhabitat Challenges.pdf ; among many others. Later on, Mathias Spaliviero will join and expand the program developing a very relevant methodology on spatial development published at 1501667492wpdm_Regional Spatial Planning Strategy of Darfur.pdf (unhabitat.org)

On the other hand, and aligned with the objective to facilitate rooting communities in their place of origin using environmentally friendly materials, it was introduced as a building technique, stabilized soil blocks. Such building technique in the context of Darfur results fundamental to replace the fired bricks that requires firewood, triggering deforestation, in addition of excesive water, another natural resource under stress. The introduction of simple hand-press machines that displaced populations can operates by themselves together with a long-term plan for human settlement results a powerful pincer to encourage rooting communities. Solomon Mwangi plays a critical role here bringing his expertise to train displaced populations on how to do it, and how to erect walls matching the housing scheme projected with the sudanese team Mutaz Nugud program Projects in Nyala, El Fasher and El Geneina demostrarte that placing pilot demonstration buildings in the right locations generate the proper synergies among local populations in learning how to use the hand-press machines to build the blocks for their public's buildings and their own self-build houses; and on the other hand, participate in defining the "big plans" shaping the urban system in the complex geography of Darfur states. Some good reading very much produced by the team on the ground was Darfur Early Recovery.pdf (unhabitat.org)

As it happens in the global south, the issue of urbanization is a difficult one. On one hand, the traditional way of living in remote areas, in the case of Darfur, make a lot of small communities extremely vulnerable to the hardship of climate and rebels of the region. On the other hand, social cohesion among rural communities without urban background results also very difficult. However, the availability of a building technique that empower communities, save water and the forest and encourage people to root in their place of origin have been the basics for adequate progressive housing and affordable urbanization. Nothing more, but nothing less than the first step towards early recovery and stabilization of the region. The UN as a whole cooperate to ensure that several urban expansion and new towns projects flourish as a clear and transparent, efficient and value for money foundation for human right protection.

Sometimes, the shadow of genocide triggers a lot of fear and skepticism on what is possible to achieve through the humanitarian work. The experience teaches that of course, you need to have all geo-political pieces placed in the right location, and political discussion properly settled. But even having all this always, crisis can be ignited by "minor" local factors, such as misunderstanding among communities and its leaders, or even more evident, shortage of precious resources like water or soil. Urbanization in such contexts created environments in which the presence of humanitarian actors with rules and regulations that make possible not only to survive receiving food and shelter; but even receiving encouragement to repair communities to work again together. This is exactly what is needed to convince the youngster that learning basic principles to fight for peace is better than joining a guerrilla movement or a new rebel political party or any other kind of magic solution always based on the hate and blame of someone else.

What happened with the 117 pilot demonstration buildings, the three new neighborhoods built in Nyala and El Fasher and the regional planning strategy? I keep communication with Sudanese colleagues and friends and as far as I know are still serving the people. Not only as physical infrastructure, but as evidence of the people′s power to build together and plan a future for their coming generations. As UN people and international NGOs, we cannot afford to forget what we have learned collectively in so many humanitarian crises and reinvent the theories and protocols for early recovery every time that happens again. We learn that urbanization is a powerful complimentary action to military responses to stabilized populations gathering there seeking for refuge. Aligning humanitarian settlements with security measures are paramount to create the socio and cultural safety net where emergency response and early recovery must happen. Also, addressing urbanization through simple planning and building techniques is a way to cope with the root of the problems rather than with just the consequences.

We, world citizens, should keep in mind that while the great chess-game is on-going, a lot of crises like Sudan are becoming worse and worse and deserve our attention in thinking and cooperation. At the end of the day, something so simple as solidarity will save us. From the one that extend a free coffee and soup under a roof for a homeless in New Your City or Buenos Aires, to those mobilize by sympathy with those who lost their lives in wars and violence in the middle east; we all will survive or disappear completely depending of what happens with solidarity and the very basic human feeling of empathy with those that are suffering.

More available information on El Fasher and Abu Shouk Profile.pdf (unhabitat.org)