The Nuba Vision
Volume 1, Issue 1, June 2001
Dear reader
You might have noticed that the last issue of NAFIR Newsletter, volume 6 (January 2001) did not reach you and you may be wondering why? We sincerely apologized for this unusual delay which is out of our control. Suleiman Rahhal, Director of the International Nuba Coordination Centre (INCC) has edited NAFIR for the past six years. For reasons beyond INCC control the Leadership Council in the Nuba Mountains took the decision to replace him as editor and arranged for NAFIR to be produced by another person. This was due to a significant difference of opinion between the editor and some members of the Leadership Council, centred on three main issues; self-determination for the Nuba Mountains, the way this is handled by the SPLA leadership and the direction in which the Nuba struggle is heading for. The view maintained by the Editor was that the political rights of the Nuba people had not been sufficiently addressed neither by the National Democratic Alliance (NDA) nor by the Sudan People's Liberation Army.
The Nuba Vision
Volume 1, Issue 1, June 2001
In recent years we have been voicing our concern internationally, demanding acknowledgement of the Nuba right to self-determination. Because we believe the long historical record of neglect, discrimination and marginalisation of the people of the Nuba Mountains give them a right to decide for themselves, that they have an irrefutable claim to self-determination. They should have the full right to exercise their right to self-determination similar to that being acknowledged for the people of Southern Sudan by the NDA, GoS and IGAD. That is because a fair and a lasting peace for Sudan can never be achieved while the great majority of the Sudanese people still continue to feel the pinch of injustice.
The Nuba Vision
Volume 1, Issue 1, June 2001
By Peter Moszynski
Outside the scrutiny of the international community and the jurisdiction of the UN's Operation Lifeline Sudan, government forces appear to feel free to treat the Nuba Mountains as a "free fire zone" conducting military operations regardless of the cost to civilians. The government's forced villagisation policy attempts to depopulate the land and keep the people in "peace villages" both through blockade and scorched earth tactics, of which the continuing use of banned anti-personnel mines form an integral part.
The Nuba Vision
Volume 1, Issue 1, June 2001
Over the past twelve months the Sudanese Government armed forces have launched series of attacks targeting civilians in Buram, Hiban and Nagurban County. Earlier attacks started on 17 March 2000 and many civilians were killed and others were captured and taken to Kadugli. Several houses were burnt and Nuba properties were looted, including foodstores and many livestock. An estimated 15,000 civilians from Tabanya Payam were displaced. On 6th May attacks were carried out in Fama, Shatt Safiya and Lado, causing much destruction to the villages. These military attacks were carried out and supported by aerial bombardment and shelling at villages in and around Buram.
The Nuba Vision
Volume 1, Issue 1, June 2001
By Julie Flint
On 10 April, Commander Yousif Kuwa Mekke, the man who led the Nuba's struggle for survival for 16 years, was buried in a secret location in the Nuba mountains with a 21-gun salute and a pledge to uphold the principles of fairness and justice that informed his life. He was dressed as he liked to be dressed in the mountains - in unadorned military uniform, with nothing to set him apart from the men under his command.