Political and epistemic challenges
Since the signing on 09th January 2005 of the Comprehensive Peace Agreement (CPA) between the Sudanese Government and the SPLM-SPLA, encouraging progress has been made in the area of global peace and institution-building in Sudan. However, serious obstacles still remain to be removed for a satisfactory implementation of the CPA. Those obstacles relate to key issues such as border-demarcation, power-sharing, wealth-sharing, integration of armies and security forces and normalisation of life in disputed areas in Abyei, Southern Blue Nile, Nuba Mountains and Darfur.
It is therefore critical to answer questions such as 'What happened to the CPA since its signature and where is it taking Sudan and Africa?" Within such a context, the date scheduled for the Conference constitutes an appropriate moment as an important milestone to assess both the implementation of the CPA, four years after its signature, as well as preparations for the February 2010 General elections aimed at furthering the democratic transformation of State institutions in the country.
Despite a number of challenges, the AU and several African countries, particularly South Africa, have been playing a significant role in the quest for peace, stability, justice, reconciliation and unity in Sudan. South Africa is also chair of the AU Commission for the Reconstruction of Southern Sudan. A fair and thorough implementation of the CPA in its spirit and content, would undoubtedly pave the way for lasting peace, stability and reconciliation in Sudan and in the region. However the challenges and stakes of the Sudan situation extend beyond the framework of the implementation of the CPA. Sudan as a whole, faces many challenges if it is to achieve internal peace and stability together with justice and prosperity for all and peace with its neighbours.
As a consequence, the 2009 International Sudan Studies Conference must address in a holistic manner, structural and more global issues equally relevant to the entire Sudan situation and to the future of its peoples and other neighbouring peoples, in connection with Africa's situation and future as a whole. In the opinion of one Sudanese scholar, "what divides us is what we don't talk about". Another Sudanese scholar explains that "what we don't talk about is in effect a taboo" that has stifled debate and prevented true discussion among past and current Sudanese scholars. This situation has made it impossible to debate certain issues whose examination is crucial to solving the most obstinate of Sudan's problems.
In response to this challenge, the November 2009 Sudan Studies Conference, although an essentially academic endeavour, will seek to involve major role-players and actors in the Sudan situation. They include: major role-players from and “authorised voices” on Abyei, Darfur, Nuba Mountains and Southern Blue Nile as well as political parties and organisations such as the National Congress Party, SPLM, the Umma Party, the Democratic Unionist Party, the National Popular Congress Party and the Sudan Communist Party, amongst others.
Strong participation of Sudanese academics, irrespective of their political affiliation, place of residence or creed, will be key to the success of the Conference.
The Conference will also provide a unique platform for a direct exchange between Southern African academics and scholars and sudanists from Africa, the African Diaspora, the Arab world and the international community. It will be critical to assess the African Union's and South Africa's involvement and commitment to the search for a lasting peace, stability, justice and unity in Sudan; whilst bringing into Southern Africa, a well established academic and scholarly expertise that will help broaden the understanding of the many complexities and intricacies of the Sudan situation. These complexities include: challenges in managing the varied identities of, and relationships between the peoples and communities of the Sudan, whilst harnessing the driving factors, underlying causes and modalities of such relationships.
Responsibilities of academia
This conference must not be "yet another conference". It aims to provide a forum for constructive dialogue and a starting point for a new process in raising awareness about the Sudan situation; thus paving the way for a future of lasting peace, stability, justice and prosperity for all in Sudan and in the region. To achieve that objective, the Conference will endeavour to tell the truth, all the truth and only the truth about the whole Sudan narrative. Participants will have to unpack Sudan's history, assess the current reality facing its peoples and possibly scrutinise the virtual images of what the future holds for them. As it is, the Conference aims at positioning itself within the framework of a medium and long term vision of a unitary, peaceful, stable and prosperous Sudan within which the rights of all communities will be equally guaranteed.
Thus far, more often than not, the presentation of many critical aspects of Sudan's history and reality have been occulted or biased in the dominant mainstream discourses and epistemologies associated with them. Therefore, beyond unavoidable diversity of approaches and opinions of participants that, for democratic debate's sake must be saluted and encouraged from an academic and scholarly point of view, the Conference will be looking at the Sudan situation from a different perspective that must be critical, innovative, and fair. Such a perspective must be inward-looking and Africa-centered. Participants will also be urged to think through the current challenges, the past and future of Sudan, bearing in mind that this is an inter- and trans-disciplinary conference.
Only then will it be possible to avoid falling again into the trap of the double gap syndrome that has characterised so far African scholarship and politics i.e.: on the one hand the perpetuation of the dominant paradigm of research for research's sake, what Prof. T. Obenga would call the "non intentional social sciences" paradigm - i.e.: scholarship mostly disconnected with and unresponsive to African peoples' problems, aspirations and interests; and on the other hand, the prevalence in most decision-making bodies and instances, of another gap due to ignorance or lack of appropriate information and knowledge about Africa's historical, sociological, anthropological and cultural realities.
Without undertaking such an intellectual task as a precondition for transformative action, it will not be possible to fully take advantage of the immense potential of the country and its peoples, united in their diversity in order to build a better future for themselves; nor to mobilise governments, civil society, private sector, progressive forces and other strategic partners at the service of such a noble objective.
Expected outcomes and follow-up
Follow-up to the Conference will be as relevant as the Conference itself. To that effect, the publication of the Conference's acts under the form of a book of high scholarly quality together with a special issue of the International Journal for African Renaissance Studies (IJARS), will contribute in a significant manner, to the process of building awareness about the Sudan in Africa and the Arab world, throughout the African Diaspora and internationally including within grassroots communities; with eyes set on major stakes and challenges for the possible futures of the Sudan as a State and for the future of its peoples.
These include: the creation of conditions for a fair and thorough implementation of the CPA as well as an enabling environment for the realisation of the 2011 Referenda in Southern Sudan and Abyei and the Popular Consultations in Southern Blue Nile and Nuba Mountains.
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