help need it for Canadian Reader's Digest

Dear all,
Mohamed Osman has just contacted me regarding answers to the questions Canadian Reader's Digest requested and I will answer those questions whose answers I know without going back to the documents which I wrote or collected. The documents are dispersed and some of them are even in Calgary because two of my bags returned from Airport to Asmara and later brought to Calgary by a Darfurian who has been resettled there. However, I will ask Darfurians from North Darfur for help.
Yes, there is a local tree known as "kitra" and not "katera" in Darfur's Arabic dialects. It has different names in Darfur's other languages. For example, the Fur call it "saye dikko" and it must be referred to by other terms in other languages. In general "kitra" or "kitir" is for singular and its plural is "kitir". This tree is from acacia family and its home is Savanna and semi desert areas. In Darfur people use it to fence their farms and even family compounds because it is thorny and animals do not penetrate it. The primary school where I studied in 1970s consumed all the kitir forest nearby where used to play and revise our lessons.

The April 2004 humanitarian agreement is continuously violated by the government of Sudan and most of the death in the rebel held areas is caused by famine and famine related diseases. And about three weeks ago the janjaweed announced that their target was now going to be humanitarian vehicles and people working for relief organizations. Also in December 2004 the government commander who supervised the destruction of the villages to the east, south, southeast, and northeast of the city of Nyala blatantly told the African Union cease-fire monitors that he does not know African Union or cease-fire monitors and pushed them back from visiting the villages on fire. Examples are many but no need for further details.

Umda is unellected mayor because it is a hereditary position that is often passed from the father to one of his sons, his brothers, cousins and any other member of patri-lineage. Above Umda there are Shartaye and Magdum or Dimingawi and under him there are several sheiks. Sheiks are like councillors. All these people inherit their positions from member of their patrilineage.

The current situation is worse UN recent reports document that over 10 000 are dying every month and UN estimations mostly include the areas which are the control of the government and rarely those that are under the control of the rebel movements. According to our own estimates the number of the people killed is by far higher than what was estimated by UN. The number of the people arrested and detained incommunicado is steadily increasing and the authorities have since February added a new tactic to the atrocities which they commit. They murder individuals in the city which repeatedly happened both in Nyala (capital city of South Darfur) and Fashir (capital city of North Darfur). I hope that the UN will immediately proceed with the trial of criminals or else Ali Osman and his people will transform Sudan to another Somalia.

I hope that the executive of Canadian Reader’s Digest will help Darfur Association of Canada and Darfur Diaspora Association urge all levels of governments and our fellow Canadians to play more role in Darfur.
Gamal Adam
Darfur Association of Canada
Sudan Human Rights Organization (chapter of Canada)
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The Canadian Reader's Digestis preparing an article about the situation in Darfur. I wonder if you could assist me with the following information:

Where is the village of Shegek Karo located? What has happened to this area?

What has pappened to the village known as Bashimi? Was it burned and looted in 2003 by the Sudanese army and janjaweed?Is Bashimi and much of Northern Darfur under the tenuous control of the SLA and other rebels? Are people returning to their villages. If not, why?

Is there a local tree known as katera?

Under the agreement negotiated in April 8, 2004, the government forces were suppose to allow humanitarian assistance into rebel-held territories? Is this occurring? regulary? sporadically?Is water a problem?

What has happened to a village called Farawieh? Was it attacked in January 2004? What happened to the village wells?How many inhabitants did the village have ? What happened to the school, the infirmiry?

What happened to the village Tangarara on June 17,2004?

What does umda mean?

What is the current situation in Darfur?

Any assistance you may be able to give me in thus regard will be most appreciated. It is very difficult to document a story in Darfur while being resident in Montreal, Canada.

I appreciate your help.

Gladys Pollack
Associate Editor
Research
[email protected]

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