Eritrea and the Southern Sudan: Aspects of some wider African problems
Across Africa from the Red Sea coast of Ethiopia’s Eritrea Province to the west coast of Mauritania there runs a human fissure. In a fluctuating line through Ethiopia, Sudan, Chad, Niger, Mali, and Mauritania the black and brown races of Africa meet. In several cases ethnic differences are aggravated by the clash of Islam with Christianity and various pagan beliefs.
In some of the countries the tensions are under control. But in others, notably the Sudan and Ethiopia, they have flared into armed conflict. These conflicts are relatively forgotten.
This study looks at them. The Sudanese problem is dealt with at greatest length: it is the most serious and has cost the most lives. The problem of Eritrea is examined more briefly. Finally the international implications of both conflicts are considered.
Please note that the terminology in the fields of minority rights and indigenous peoples’ rights has changed over time. MRG strives to reflect these changes as well as respect the right to self-identification on the part of minorities and indigenous peoples. At the same time, after over 50 years’ work, we know that our archive is of considerable interest to activists and researchers. Therefore, we make available as much of our back catalogue as possible, while being aware that the language used may not reflect current thinking on these issues.