Photo : Africanews
NIAS Area Studies
AFRICA MONITOR
Photo : Africanews
IN BRIEF
by Jerry Franklin and Immaculine Joy Paul
Sudan: 16 dead in ethnic clashes followed by imposition of curfew
On 9 May, Sudan’s Suna news agency reported the death of at least 16 people in the ethnic clashes that broke out on 8 May between the two groups, Hausa and Nuba. The governor declared a curfew in the White Nile state. The clashes are not related to the ongoing power tussle; rather, a regular brawl between farmers and herders over access to water and land. The Hausa group claimed that they are discriminated against on the basis of an ancestral law which prohibits them from owning lands. Access to land is a crucial issue as agriculture and livestock account for 43 per cent of jobs and 30 per cent of GDP. With less administration of security due to the coup since 2021, there are recurring instances of inter-ethnic and inter-tribal conflicts. (“Sudan: 16 dead in ethnic clashes, curfew imposed,” Africanews, 9 May 2023)
Democratic Republic of Congo: Devastating flood affects dozens
On 9 May, Africanews reported the ongoing search for countless people missing in the floods caused by heavy downpours in the eastern Democratic Republic of Congo. The villages are destroyed and bodies are being retrieved from the lake. A Congolese government spokesperson, Patrick Muyaya, confirmed that the latest death toll in the affected villages has reached 401, mostly in Lake Kivu. Greenpeace Africa emphasised on “the necessity for the authorities to work on a national development plan focusing strongly on the risk of flooding in certain areas of the country.” The recurring downpours resulting in deadly floods and other extreme weather conditions are attributed to climate change by the experts. On 6 May, UN Secretary-General Antonio Guterres noted the grave implications of climate change and its impact on countries that have little contribution to global warming. (“Search for countless missing goes on in DR Congo,” Africanews, 9 May 2023)