[Original by Ko IMANAKA, Sudan Project (February 3, 2020); Translated by Y. Miki/S. Altman] There has been a significant change in Sudan since 30-years of dictatorship has finally ended in April 2019. The negotiations of a comprehensive peace agreement have been continuing by a new government leader, who considers the dispute settlement to be their top priority, and South Sudan’s president, Salva Kiir, as an arbitrator. South Kordofan, which is JVC’s base of operations is also undergoing to great changes. People were divided into two areas, a government area and anti-government area, since the conflict in 2011. After that, traveling across the border had been strictly controlled, especially in the…
A New Wind Blowing in Sudan
[Original by Ko IMANAKA, Sudan Project (October 1, 2019); Translated by Y. Nakamura/A. Taguchi] As-salamu alaykum! My name is Imanaka. I am working as a resident staff in the JVC Sudan office. Sudan is now drastically changing, so I would like to report on its latest situation. Sudan stepped in making democratic progress, as the Constitutional Declaration was signed by concerned parties with the mediation of Ethiopia and African Union (AU) in August 2019. The Sovereignty Council of Sudan consisting of six civilians and five military representatives was set up. Mr. Abdalla Hamdok was appointed as Prime Minister. He had long work experience in international institutions. For example, he was…
LETTING CHILDREN GO TO SCHOOL
– We’ve Built an Elementary School at a Refugee Camp! – [Original by Reiko KOBAYASHI, Sudan Project (November 27, 2018); Translated by Y. Nakamura/S. Altman] Last time, I reported on one of JVC’s projects for supportingsupporting birth registration in Kadugli, South Kordofan Province. This time, I will write a report on another project for supporting a school, which is planning to take in as many students as possible, including those with their birth registration certified. If he was registered with it, a refugee child would go to an elementary school in his area. However, most schools are already overcrowded. It is not unusual that more than one hundred students are…
LETTING CHILDREN GO TO SCHOOL – On the Support for Birth Registration –
[Original by Reiko KOBAYASHI, Sudan Project (November 20, 2018); Translated by Y. Nakamura/S. Altman] Hello to our regular JVC supporters. The cool season (from December to February) is approaching and it will get colder soon, so I now feel that daily life will become easier in Sudan. It is now around 20 to 25 degrees in the morning and evening in Kadugli, South Kordofan Province in the southern area of Sudan. A local staff member said one morning, “I’ve caught a cold because I slept with the doors open”. She was blowing her nose all day long that day. Now, I would like to report on JVC’s latest activities. More…
THE COUNTRY CALLED SUDAN (4)
[Original by Takahiko HASHIMOTO, Sudan Project (November 2, 2017); Translated by M. Kanai] Hello to everyone who supports JVC. My name is Hashimoto. Recently we have power failures almost every day. We don’t know when it happens or how long it lasts. In the event of a power cut in the daytime while it is bright, we can still carry on our work. But power failures at night cause a lot of problems. Now I want to take a bath, but can I in complete darkness? The fan stops and the room temperature suddenly goes up. But I cannot open the windows lest mosquitoes are encouraged to enter. Hopefully I…
THE COUNTRY CALLED SUDAN (3)
[Original by Takahiko HASHIMOTO, Sudan Project (November 2, 2017); Translated by M. Kanai] Hello to everyone who supports JVC. My name is Hashimoto. Today, I would like to introduce you to the JVC Khartoum office. The JVC Khartoum office is about a 20 minute-taxi ride from the Khartoum International Airport. It is housed in a building located in the Manshiya district. The owner of the building lives with a large family but has some space for rent, and JVC occupies the second floor as a tenant. Entering through the gate, there is a courtyard surrounded by a building where the children of the owner’s family are always enjoying soccer. Going…
THE COUNTRY CALLED SUDAN (2)
[Original by Takahiko HASHIMOTO, Sudan Project (October 10, 2017); Translated by K. Adachi/A. Senkoff] Hello to everyone who are supporting JVC. This is Hashimoto. For the past few days, it has been heavily raining in Khartoum. I had made a mistake in the past by underestimating the rain in Sudan after believing it only rained a little bit. The sky became dark suddenly and it began to rain heavily after lightning. In addition, a blackout happened. Next day the room that was being used as office became flooded. The area around the building was also flooded and was similar to a pond so I couldn’t go out for a while.…
THE COUNTRY CALLED SUDAN (1)
[Original by Takahiko HASHIMOTO, Sudan Project (October 10, 2017); Translated by K. Adachi/A. Senkoff] Hello to everyone who are supporting JVC. My name is Hashimoto and I’ve been working in Sudan since February 2017 for Sudan project. It is not the first time for me to appear on the JVC website. I was introduced in JVC Staff Interview last year. I hope to be able to report on daily life here in Sudan from my own perspective as much as possible. The country that is very likely to leave you with a positive impression From my experiences visiting several countries in the past, I have always had the impression that…
From the place of conflicts in Africa, thinking about of the Right of Collective Self-Defense, “Kaketsuke-Keigo”
* This report was made open to the public on the JVC’s Japanese web site in July, 2014, and had received many accesses in the fiscal year of 2015, when the argument about security legislation became most heated in Japan; [Original by Takaki IMAI, Sudan Project (July 11, 2014); Translated by S. Thapa] On 1st July, 2014, the Japanese cabinet made a decision to approve the use of force overseas in the name of the right of collective self-defense. The Prime Minister of Japan refers to “kaketsuke-keigo” as one of reasons why the right of collective self-defense will be used. It means that when a NGO’s staff like me who…