04 Khartoum 0075 -- Darfur Policy Recommendations

04 Khartoum 0065 - Meeting Jaafar Nimeiri

Journal note for January 20: Been back one week. I called on former President Nimeri today. He was most cordial and we had breakfast and talked.

Journal Entry for January 17, 2004

Got up early this morning after another night sleeping with the windows open. (It is gradually warming but still in lower 60s during night.) Went down to the shore of the Blue Nile to take a waterbus across to Tuti Island. Tuti sits in the middle of the conjunction of the Blue and White Niles. Until 20 years ago, the three Arab tribes that lived there didn't let anyone visit their island, not even other Sudanese. It is easy to understand why. In the middle of a desert, they have great soil (silt carried down the Nile) and a steady supply of water. They grow fruits, vegetables and sorghum year round. They only "import" from Khartoum cooking and motor oil and a few other things like softdrinks. They even make their own bricks from river mud, dung and Nile water. (I saw several places where people were making bricks by hand as they would have thousands of years ago. One of them appeared drunk, as I might well be too making bricks all day. Expert brick makers can make up to $8 a day.)

They now let people onto their island and there are a large number of southern and western Sudanese that do much of the labor. I walked around with my bodyguard Hashim. He had scouted ahead and led me across the whole place. The sun was a winter sun but intense nevertheless. We walked for fours hours steady. I returned beat and still am. But I had to do an interview with the editor of a local Arabic newspaper this afternoon. He asked me questions for 1 1/2 hours. He started by telling me be was invited to be with the US Marines in Lebanon many years ago and ended by assuring me he likes America. We'll see what he does with my answers.

Note:  I had spent the holidays back home with my family and returned after the New Year.

03 Khartoum 1091

Note: Cardinal Wako was the target of a failed assassination attempt in Khartoum on October 14, 2010.

Jounral Entry for December 12, 2003

Just got back from the Kenyan National Day reception. Picked up some useful info, a lot of rumor and saw from only a few feet the infamous Hasan Al Turabi. Chatted with my colleagues from Kenya, Uganda and Ethiopia and also Egyptian intelligence. At the end, I complemented the Kenyan Ambassador for not doing a speech. He looked crestfallen as he told me he had prepared a speech, a long one, but had been been prevailed upon not to deliver it since no one would listen. I suggested he email it to me and he assured me that he already had. I love these Africans, the real ones I mean.

The young kittens appear to be growing increasingly comfortable with their possession of my front yard and patio. Moma guards them carefully and they are so cute that during Happy Hour here, several people gave serious thought to stealing one or the other. But they seem to have already decided that I am of little account and need not pay me much heed.

Got warm enough here this week to return to AC. But not bad. Started work on my Xmas puzzle. It'll be here when I return.*

*Note: I would be leaving later in the month for home leave.

03 Khartoum 1061

03 Khartoum 1060

Journal Entry for December 10, 2003

Just back from a British reception. (Last night it was German.) Spent a good deal of it talking about Darfur with colleagues. We are all growing concerned about the conflict there. The government is using the same tactics of bombing civilians and arming militias that they used in the south. We westerners have been holding back from confronting the government because of the peace process with the SPLM but the west is getting bad and escalating. UN estimates 600,000 displaced and another 400,000 affected by the war, such as not having food because they could not plant or harvest this year. We have been reporting this but have not been alarmist. We're thinking that maybe we now need to sound some alarms or risk having stood by during genocide.

Back to Sudan: 03 Khartoum 1049 plus journal entry

From my December 8 journal entry: Well, on top of the historic visit of the (Christian/animist) SPLM to Khartoum now unfolding, Franklin Graham (son of Billy) is here to give out Xmas gifts. The Christians have landed. Just came back from dinner in his honor given by the (Islamic) government. Rev. Graham gave a very nice speech at dinner showing faith, cultural sensitivity and understanding. Very sincere man. I told him that I saw his father preach in Madison Square Garden many years ago. He said his father will give his last "talk" there next year. (Must mean he is retiring, not ascending.) Tomorrow morn, I go with him to the airport to see the big Russian plane deliver the presents. So far no one has asked me to actually pray.

Cuban Interlude Three: Some Photos

These are photos from my 1983 trip to Cuba discussed in my previous posting. They include views of Havana (including street scenes), the Moncada (check out the bullet holes), and the interior.