Angelina Jolie's Sudan Journal - UNHCR

More documents

Recommendations

Info

We run into another group of kids. They want to shake our hands. Some girlsshake, then run away giggling. It seems like a game. ‘Who’s crazy enough to goand meet the strange white ladies?’ It is a reminder of how new internationals stillare to this area.Back at INTERSOS guest quarters Jean-Bernard is trying to edit the footage ofthe last few days to release to news agencies. Everyone keeps stepping on thewires and it keeps cutting out. Looking around it seems crazy what he is trying todo.A generator. Small water pump. Brick and cement building with a straw roof.Pebbles, rocks, in fact, are on much of the floor. Mosquito nets or old USAIDtarps are used for curtains. There are chairs and benches to work on and in fact Ienjoy it here but I am only passing through. To live and work here for months onend dealing on a daily basis with the stress and surrounded by a people so inneed and without proper security and access to some areas. The ability to helpand find solutions is not easy. I admire aid workers so much. They are a specialbreed of people.Layla form INTERSOS explains that Habila may seem calm but just last weekfour women were killed. Rape of thousands of women is worse than just affectingthe women, worse than the actual horror of rape. Here it seems almost plannedto systematically undermine the community and culture and break relationsbetween all people and tribes. In these cultures a rape is a shame on the familyand community. But also many young girls are raped. The fathers are distraughtbecause they could not protect them. Wives are raped and become pregnant andit is breaking the family apart. If it becomes safe (other than rebuilding theirhomes and starting over with their crops) they will have to address what hashappened. The rape, the murder. Will they suppress anger and be able to helpthe women?The discussion turns. The oil the people are complaining about. I ask? It’sdifferent but WFP is running out of food.Marie-Noelle and I brought out protein bars, extra mosquito nets and cannedfood. Only a few items. We thought they would be what we were eating, but wehand them over. It’s crazy, everybody gets excited about a small can of corn.Everyone shares a protein bar.I lay down to sleep, all night donkeys and dogs.24
October 27, 2004The future of Africa solving African problems is ideal. EU must observe assist ortrain as necessary.Fly to El GeneinaBernard, Irish army officer to observe. Meet the Irish EU advisor for the AU. Hehas been here 3 months (EU and US are supporters). African response to anAfrican problem.The strength of AU (African Union) initiative is that it is coming from Africa. Justyesterday down in the south there was a newly burnt down village. From what Iunderstand a team consisting of representatives from the EU, US, AU, SLA(<strong>Sudan</strong>ese Liberation Army), the <strong>Sudan</strong>ese government and Janjaweed visitedthis location. They are including everyone to ensure peace holds. Jointmonitoring will increase substantially over the next few months. The mainchallenge is logistics. Transport. “It is working because it has to work. The onlyother possibility is chaos. This is the first attempt under the new AU structure. Sofar so good. Need to build on that.”On the plane back to Khartoum. I speak with Elene, head of WFP. She explainsthey are doing well but need constant support. Needs to be more support forNGOs and UN. Aid workers are stretched thin. They work too many hours. Theirown medical health. Everyone is trying to do the best with what they have got.Government would like WFP to deliver food to areas that they want people toreturn but WFP can’t put people in harm’s way. Many areas are unsecured andother humanitarian agencies say it is not safe.Need many people on the ground to see who is getting food and how much.What is being stolen? Solid infrastructure and security need to be in place forproper food delivery. ”Wonderful if we didn’t have to use the planes – they’reexpensive.”Need for returns:1 security2 their ability to sustain themselves.“OCHA has been great at helping coordinate everyone, to avoid overlapping andhelp everyone communicate.”25
Page 1 and 2: Angelina Jolie’s Sudan Journal“
Page 3 and 4: the Darfur region of western Sudan
Page 5 and 6: The biggest problem here is moving
Page 7 and 8: Women are second class citizens. It
Page 9 and 10: We speak with the men gathered unde
Page 11 and 12: “We are late but we’re here. Re
Page 13 and 14: At the helicopter we meet Nick, the
Page 15 and 16: The men tell me about 10 Janjaweed
Page 17 and 18: I meet with a woman who was raped a
Page 19 and 20: UNHCR/ R. EkThey shake hands and to
Page 21 and 22: ills. Feeding center for malnourish
Page 23: We enter the IDP camp. It blends in
Page 27: Presented here are the unedited tho

Angelina Jolie's Sudan Journal - UNHCR

Create successful ePaper yourself

Delete template?

Save as template?