Sudanese Copy-Talk

I have just returned to Moyo from Adjumani, fighting an odd keyboard in the Internet place. I had my latest shower on Sunday, and will probably not get one untill late tomorrow. Moyo is dry. On top there is also no power. We have crossed 40 degrees today. My body is lathered in a fine mix of crunchy red dust and my own sweat, evaporating a smell I have gotten used to by now. I just had my third coke today, all sweetly hot.

I don't really know what to think of the day. Strange conclusions enter my head after a day in the Sudanese refugee settlements. Listening all day to the women's versions of human rights, watching the men get drunk from the local brew, the children being neglected, and people over and over again giving the same answers no matter how much I twist the questions. The men stating 'that our civic education programme now has brought modernisation, and equity'. I failed to see that today. I have listened to so much crap copy-talk, that I want to forget.

Maybe we should leave it to the Sudanese to sort out their stuff themselves?

Comments

[Black Kush]

I now understand your predicament. That is the difference between relief and development organization. While the former look for urgent and short term solutions, the latter seeks for long term and sustainable intervention.

That said, most devlopment NGOs have money to be spent, not returned to the donor. They don't prepare hte people for what happen when they leave etc. For most of the Sudanese refugees in Uganda, they have not known of any other life. Taking back without good preparation is the challenge. Well I guess you will be having your job a for long time still!

[P]

Hi Black Kush and Aron,

Apologies for being unclear. I was extremely tired that day. But I will try to explain:

If you take an area like West Nile, which has catered for about 200,000 Sudanese refugees for about 20 years, it is a very unusual and recommendable example of how refugees are being hosted by another nation. Unfortunately, you also have an artificial situation, because the NGOs and the UNHCR have made the set-up, now they are gradually pulling out, without having secured a structure which will enable these people - menthally or physically – themselves - to either move to Sudan or to get a decent life in Uganda.

Because all along someone else took the decisions for the refugees. Many refugees are not used to take charge, maybe there are not able to. That's what I mentioned about the copy-talk, people don't speak out, they don't know if they have an opinion and if, how it suits the donor. I don't blame them, I blame it on the way the donors work. Too often choosing the easy way out. Not cooperating among each others. Not demanding participation from the people they are here to help.

In general, I believe many more things should be left to the Africans. Also if it means joblessness for people like me. No one should make a whole life living out of other people's misery. As I see it – a lot of NGOs lack internal self-criticism and reflexion. Huh – I started something I am not sure myself how to answer. There are many dimensions within and many questions I don't know the answer to; If all the international aid/development/relief work left, woldn't a country like Uganda get so much under pressure that they would sort it out themselves? How big part of the aid/development/relief business is here for the wrong reasons (careers, jobs...)? And how much money and resources are waisted because aid/development/relief projects so often are build on conincidences, lack of cooperation, adjusted to corrupt leaders etc. etc.??

What I write in the folllowing are MY experience, and the way I put it might seem a bit too black and white. I am aware that there are really good examples of the opposite. And I am aware that there is a huge difference between relief and development work regarding these questions. And I didn't even involve the churches regarding their overtake of Africa...

Hope it makes a bit sense...

Pernille

[Black Kush]

I failed to grasp your comment. What do you mean? I guess leaving it to them will mean joblessness for some of you lot? lol!

[aaron]

I doubt that would be the best solution.