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Sudan: a Failed State

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What happens to a country when a rich and expensive fossil fuel like oil is discovered? Many people may assume that a nation with a significant amount of oil can bring growth, development, and prosperity because the price of oil is high bringing upon economic growth that can be invested to do numerous excellent things to a country. The cash flow going into an underprivileged state like Sudan should be invested towards infrastructure, education, and businesses to develop and improve living conditions to their populace. However, Sudan has become a failed state due to three decades of oil exploration that lead to conflict for political power, famine, and violence. In 1978, large discoveries of oil are found in Southern Sudan that initiated trouble between the North and South. In addition, President Numeiri launches the Islamic Sharia Law in Sudan, and develops the Unity State for oil exploration in the South without Southern representation. Moreover, he removes the native inhabitants of the Unity State which leads to outrage in Southern Sudan. As a result, the Sudan People’s Liberation Army (SPLA) is created, and a civil war breaks out involving the North central government and South. The civil war is just the beginning of the endless clashes for political power in Sudan. The discovery of oil causes famine and hunger throughout Sudan and affects about three million civilians by March 2001. The central government led by President Al-Bashir engineers famine on areas by Oil reserves and plants to the people. Since Sudan regulation of environmental safety is low, the oil companies contaminate the soil and water that result in deepening environmental scarcity. Therefore, agriculture is affected and it is more difficult for people to grow the food and drink the water in which they depend on to survive. Additionally, the government also limits the amount of aid and food entering the country. People start to flee to refugee camps for resources, and that is exactly what the Sudan Government’s intentions are. Oil greatly influences the never-ending violence in Sudan because oil can finance the conflict; become tactical targets for rebels; cause environmental impacts; assist political disagreement; constitute disagreement of who controls the natural resource. Oil has even led to what many people call genocide in Darfur that consists of mainly Christians. In Darfur, Janjaweed, received paramilitary training from government, kills men with children and women getting abducted to be subjects to rape and assault. The violence is ongoing in areas where oil companies are present to secure the oil, and the oil revenues are believed to be funding the conflicts. Despite various peace treaties and UN interventions, the violence, famine, and conflict for political power are still currently going on. It has been approximately three decades of infinite battles in Sudan. In order for progress, developed nation must intervene for true humanitarian intentions of peace. However, countries like China make it difficult for involvement in Sudan because of their consumption of Sudan’s oil supply. Because of the continual conflicts and issues in Sudan mainly caused by Oil, people consider Sudan to be a failed state.

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