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- Convenors:
-
Ulrike Schultz
(Adventist University of Friedensau)
Mohamed Bakhit (University of Khartoum)
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- Format:
- Panel
- Stream:
- Perspectives on current crises
- Location:
- S40 (RW II)
- Sessions:
- Monday 30 September, -, -
Time zone: Europe/Berlin
Short Abstract:
In the proposed panel we would like to discuss migration processes triggerd by the outbreak of war in in Sudan by looking at the lives and the agency of people on the move and the way national governments and international stakeholders respond to it.
Long Abstract:
Sudanese people are confronted with insecurities, war and economic crisis for decades. They have responded to this by being mobile and creating translocal livelihoods. At the same time, Sudan has been a place where people from neighboring countries such as Ethiopia, Eritrea or South Sudan have found refuge from political instability and economic crisis in their countries. With the outbreak of war in Sudan in April 2023, the situation for many people in the region deteriorated dramatically. People left Khartoum to look for a safe place in neighboring countries or in rural areas in Central and Eastern Sudan. Moreover, the war in Sudan altered the migration policy not only of the neighboring countries but also of the European Union and International Organization. In the proposed panel we would like to look at the these processes by looking at the lives of people and their agency on the one side and on the way national governments, communities and international stakeholders respond to it.. We look for papers who address questions such as:
How do neighboring countries such as Egypt, Chad, South Sudan, Uganda and Eritrea respond to the influx of refugees from Sudan? How does the European Union and national governments respond to these migration processes? How is the ‘refugee system’ affecting refugee populations’ experiences and identifications? How have NGOs’ policies and practices affected Sudanese refugees’ practices of settlement, self-identification, and planning for the future? How does Sudanese communities outside the war zone respond to the people on the move?
Accepted papers:
Session 1 Monday 30 September, 2024, -Paper short abstract:
This paper delves into Sudanese migrants' narratives from Khartoum to Cairo, exploring memories tied to urban spaces, homes, and transit. Unraveling complexities, it emphasizes the dynamic interplay between memory, identity, and migration.
Paper long abstract:
This paper delves into the intricate narratives of Sudanese migrants, specifically exploring the construction of memories and the imaged urban landscape as they traverse from Khartoum to Cairo. Through qualitative analysis of individual accounts, we unravel the multifaceted layers of their experiences, emphasizing the significance of memories tied to urban spaces, homes, and transit routes.
The research adopts a qualitative approach, employing in-depth interviews and visual documentation to capture the richness of personal narratives. By examining the memories associated with urban areas, homes, and travel, the study elucidates the profound impact of migration on individuals' sense of self, identity, and belonging.
Furthermore, the paper scrutinizes the role of imaged urban landscapes in shaping the migrants' collective memory. It delves into the ways in which individuals craft, preserve, and reinterpret memories through images, highlighting the dynamic interplay between personal recollections and the broader urban context. The study also explores the influence of these imaged memories on the migrants' sense of place and belonging in both Khartoum and Cairo.
As the narratives unfold, the paper critically analyzes the complexities of memory construction in the context of migration, shedding light on the resilience and adaptability of individuals in the face of upheaval. The findings contribute to a deeper understanding of the intricate relationship between memory, urban landscapes, and the migrant experience, offering insights that extend beyond individual stories to inform broader discussions on migration, identity, and the imprints of war on the human psyche.
Paper short abstract:
This paper discusses the interrelations of class, ethnicity and education of young Sudanese refugees in Egypt after fleeing the war in Sudan. It sheds light on how these factors influence social navigation of surviving or building a life in Egypt and how young people reflect upon it themselves.
Paper long abstract:
Based on one month of ethnographic fieldwork in the cities of Aswan and Cairo in Egypt between mid-January and mid-February 2024, this paper discusses the different experiences of young Sudanese refugees escaping the war in Sudan and their various attempts to build a new life in Egypt. The results of this field research are brought into connection with the results of one year of ethnographic data collection in Sudan between October 2021 and February 2023, which was part of a Ph.D. research project on Khartoum’s revolutionary movement and their resistance to the military coup d’état in 2021.
This paper relates individual narratives of escaping war and ways of navigating the self through the requirements of the new context in Egypt. It further analyzes them with their embeddedness in the socio-political contexts of Sudan and Egypt, drawing out the different power relations, especially class relations, that are manifested in the ways people escape the war and the possibilities they have of settling in Egypt. How do young people reflect on their escape? How do they judge the situation of refugees in Egypt? For this, it particularly puts the narratives of people from Darfur and people from Khartoum into analytical comparison.
Paper short abstract:
Sudan's democracy movement faces profound risks. Despite their pivotal roles, war and displacement severely impacted their mobilisation for democracy. Sparse international support risks losing Sudan's democracy movement forever. Yet, sustainable peace in Sudan requires prioritizing democratisation.
Paper long abstract:
This paper explores the profound consequences of war and displacement on Sudan's pro-democracy movement. The ongoing conflict in Sudan has wrought immense human suffering, claimed over 12,000 lives, triggered a dire humanitarian crisis, and led to the displacement of 7.6 million people, both internally and externally. This mass displacement has disrupted not only the lives of Sudanese citizens and their democratic aspirations, but also jeopardizes the country’s unity and the region’s security.
Sudan's post-war landscape is marred by an unprecedented level of displacement, with millions of people having fled their homes. These millions include members of the resistance committees, the backbone of Sudan’s democracy movement. Displaced internally, they face dire conditions and targeting by warring factions. Displaced externally, they face difficulties in settling ‘legally’ and struggle financially.
Building on Sudan’s long history of pro-democracy movement, the resistance committees played a pivotal role in shaping the country's political landscape throughout volatile events, while sustaining their mobilisation and advocacy, and maintaining their legitimacy and credibility. However, the horrendous circumstances of the war have impacted the movement’s mobilisation for democracy and shifted their focus toward humanitarian relief.
The international community have failed Sudan’s democracy movement, as no support was extended to preserve the movement, which risks losing the movement forever. Comparatively, Ukraine's civil society and pro-democracy actors received comprehensive support. In contrast, the narrative of Sudan's war is framed differently, despite its undeniable connection to the broader democratic aspirations of the nation. This is Perilous, as sustainable peace in Sudan necessitates prioritising democratisation.
Paper short abstract:
In Cairo, Sudanese women resist the 'refugee' label, feeling it erases their histories. This opposes the host nation's use for aid, sometimes urging unethical acts for support. My presentation emphasizes their refusal to be seen as passive, challenging the reductive refugee view.
Paper long abstract:
At the end of 2023, I was in Cairo doing follow-up research for my project. In my interaction with my female interlocutors, I sensed an aversion towards the label refugee. For them, refugee is “a shadow that masks [their] true essence". It symbolises passivity, dependence and the denial of one’s humanity. It signifies discrimination; contradicts their resilience and self-sufficiency but above all, their history. The women’s rejection of the label goes beyond semantics. They affirm their identity as women who have been active citizens in their country as teachers, activists, professors, etc. To be reduced to refugee downplays their complex subjectivity as well as their lingering sense of rootedness in what they once called home. There is also a monetary interest in constituting humans as refugees even when they refuse it. A close relative’s experience illuminates this. She was asked to falsely claim that she had been raped by Rapid Support Forces (RSF) so that she can get access to financial, psychological, and legal support. Because she is seen as a mere number among a desperate bunch of refugees, she is pressured to commit an unethical act. This imposition is informed by the view that a host country gets more financial support to host many refugees. In the presentation, I want to juxtapose the women’s resistance against the political economy of commodifying human suffering. In so doing, I challenge the political, socio-cultural and economic dimensions of refugee labeling and the perception of displaced people as passive and reducible to numbers.
Paper short abstract:
This paper tries to put forward the personal comprehensions of war narratives among Sudanese activists in Egypt and Uganda. The paper tries to answer questions from war narratives, such as shifting agencies, experiences, coping, and future aspirations of the current war refugees/migrants in exile.
Paper long abstract:
Each person experienced and perceived the war differently. This paper explores the personal comprehension of war narratives among Sudanese activists in Egypt and Uganda. The paper tries to answer specific questions from war narratives: shifting agencies, experiences, coping, and future aspirations of the current war refugees/migrants in exile. There are specific differences between people that shape the experiences differently. These are, gender, age and class, that the paper is investigating regarding how people experienced war. It is about everyday navigation and negotiations with uncertainty, (un)belonging, and temporality. As much as war is a political and militarized act, it can be very personal and intimate. It disrupts and forces people to shift not only their lives but also their outlook on life. Thus, here I try to reflect on the war narratives from the perspective narrated by civil society activists. Those who did not choose to fight and those who were the subjects of this war without a choice. It is such everyday people’s experiences and stories which are largely missed and rendered invisible by hegemonic discourses and actions of powerful actors and eventually ignored. Thus, the current paper is about how ordinary Sudanese have experienced the war and its repercussions. Being aware of the socioeconomic background of those who were able to flee the country, the paper cannot claim inclusivity. Rather, it is a reflection of some experiences of ruptures and belonging.
Paper short abstract:
This paper explores the ways in which the Sudanese art scene expresses experiences of war and displacement. As a site of knowledge production and the (re-)building of transnational networks, these practices are an attempt to re-establish life and work under the constraints of displacement.
Paper long abstract:
After the fall of al-Bashir’s regime in 2019, the marginalised Sudanese arts community underwent a transformation, evolving into a thriving scene. New galleries and community art centres emerged in the capital, shaping public life. However, the outbreak of war in April 2023 led to a mass exodus of artists and curators to neighbouring countries. In response to these experiences of violence, loss, and displacement, the artists utilised various forms of artistic expression such as paintings, photographs, and music to document their ordeals. This artistic response served as a means to heal the wounds of war and convey the distressing experiences of individuals affected by displacement.
Sudanese artists have also engaged in discussions about the role of arts in the revolution and its aftermath, highlighting the impact of art on displaced communities and vice versa. Furthermore, contemporary art has addressed the theme of displacement, depicting the barriers and challenges faced by those affected by war and forced migration. These artistic endeavours not only serve as a means for the artists to process their experiences but also create testimonies of the war.
Despite being scattered across several countries, curators and artists have begun to establish support networks, create new art spaces, and organise exhibitions. In this paper, the focus will be on discussing artistic practices as a site of knowledge production and community building by examining emerging networks in Egypt, Kenya, and Uganda. This will involve tracing the evolution of the art scene and discussing the challenges of (re-)building life in exile.
Paper short abstract:
the paper presents an analysis of the impacts of Sudan’s war on Sudan-South Sudan borderland’s livelihoods, and socioeconomic and political systems. the paper also examines the implications of the war in Sudan on the refugees and host relations and the future of the borderland's livelihood.
Paper long abstract:
This policy update paper discusses, first, the backgrounds of the influx of refugees and returnees into the region; second, the paper examines the impacts of Sudan’s war on the Northern Bahr el Ghazal borderland region’s economy and security systems; and then discusses the key beneficiaries of war and displacements in Sudan; third, it discusses how the borderland operated before the outbreak of war in Khartoum and what has changed. It also discusses the trends in refugees' and returnees’ movements across the border since the war began and the factors that affect their movements and choice of routes; finally, the paper discusses the possible long-term implications of war and displacements in Sudan on the borderland’s economy, livelihood, security and on the future elections.