Under Attack?
No information. And boredom. Together, these two concepts sum up my experience with the rebel attack on Khartoum two weeks ago.
On the afternoon of Saturday May 10, 2008, I had absolutely no idea that rebels from Darfurian rebel group, the Justice and Equality Movement, had advanced on Khartoum. I didn't know that they had clashed with the government 200 kilometers outside of town and had made it all the way to Omdurman, Khartoum's twin city on the other side of the Nile.
Ok, so I had heard at a European Commission party on Friday night that some people had received a security warning by email advising that they restrict their movements, but they were all still at the party, so it couldn't be that big of a deal. Right? And personally I hadn't checked my work email since Thursday evening. Moreover, I hadn't been watching the news because my satellite had been down, due to some construction work being done on the roof of my building. So, oblivious as I was, I went about my day as normal, doing chores and planning my evening's activities. Then, at around six-thirty, I got a call from my friend Joel, who I was planning to meet for dinner. And he says that he just heard on CNN that there is fighting between the JEM and the military outside of Khartoum. This is all he knows. But, because everything seems normal where we are, we decide that we will go ahead and meet for dinner anyway.
Some time passes, and at approximately 7, I get a second call from Joel. Apparently he has been trying to get a taxi and the streets are desserted. So he goes to the Meridian Hotel and asks what's going on. They tell him that many people have been killed and that he should stay put. So much for dinner... But we still don't really know what's going on.
It isn't until much later in the evening that I finally get some useful information from my boss, Massimo. Apparently, Massimo had been trying to call for several hours but could not get through. The information is still vague, but at least it's something. It's from Massimo that I learn that a curfew has been imposed and will be in effect until 10am the next morning. I'm not to leave the house.
At 9:55am on Sunday morning, I receive a call saying that the curfew will remain in effect indefinitely. At this point I'm going stir crazy. I don't have internet access, I don't have TV, I'm all alone in my studio apartment, and about the only thing I can do is read my book. Oh, and to top it off, I've run out of cooking gas, so I can't even make myself something to eat! I was actually wishing I had my UNDP computer with me so that I could at least do some work. So when I hear at 1:30pm that the curfew has been lifted, the first thing I think of doing is going to the office to collect my computer so that I can spend the afternoon productively. But a few minutes after leaving the house to find a taxi, I get another call saying that there are still a number of military checkpoints between my house and the office, and I should just stay put.
Ok fine. I guess.
Fortunately, by Monday morning, things seem to have calmed down. So we go to work. But a little before 11, I'm told that there has been heavy fighting in Omdurman and even a few shots fired in central Khartoum, not too far from the UNDP office. We're grounded. Not supposed to leave the office.
An hour later, we're told we can leave the office, and two hours later I'm told we have to leave the office. So off we go in a caravan, avoiding the main streets in downtown. Fortunately for me, rather than going back to my apartment, I get to go to Massimo's for a "curfew party," or more specifically, a tasty pasta lunch with five of my colleagues and Massimo's wife. This also proves to be a good opportunity to check email and news reports online.
I'm dropped off at home at 5pm. And Joel and I decide we'll try to meet up again. Pushing the limits, I know, but we were hoping for some level of normalcy. Unfortunately, it has not yet arrived. The moment we meet up, we receive a text from Massimo saying another curfew has been imposed, and we need to stay inside until 6am the next morning.
The next morning, things seem calm, and we return to the office, not sure what the day will bring. Fortunately, it proves to be a normal day and despite a continued curfew in Omdurman, the end of the crisis.
So what is the moral of this long story? I'm not sure. But it was an interesting experience. And someday I guess I can tell my grand children that I once lived in a city while it was under attack by rebels. Sure, I never saw any fighting. And really, the only effect it had on me was to make me bored out of my mind. But it's an experience.
I won't try to explain what actually happened during those three days. Rather, I leave that to the experts. If you'd like some understanding of what happened in Khartoum, please refer to the news articles below. And do so quickly, before Reuters decides to take them down.
Sudanese troops hunt for rebels in Khartoum
INTERVIEW-Turabi: Sudan rebel attack could prove positive
Darfur rebel leader vows more attacks on Khartoum
No information. And boredom. Together, these two concepts sum up my experience with the rebel attack on Khartoum two weeks ago.
On the afternoon of Saturday May 10, 2008, I had absolutely no idea that rebels from Darfurian rebel group, the Justice and Equality Movement, had advanced on Khartoum. I didn't know that they had clashed with the government 200 kilometers outside of town and had made it all the way to Omdurman, Khartoum's twin city on the other side of the Nile.
Ok, so I had heard at a European Commission party on Friday night that some people had received a security warning by email advising that they restrict their movements, but they were all still at the party, so it couldn't be that big of a deal. Right? And personally I hadn't checked my work email since Thursday evening. Moreover, I hadn't been watching the news because my satellite had been down, due to some construction work being done on the roof of my building. So, oblivious as I was, I went about my day as normal, doing chores and planning my evening's activities. Then, at around six-thirty, I got a call from my friend Joel, who I was planning to meet for dinner. And he says that he just heard on CNN that there is fighting between the JEM and the military outside of Khartoum. This is all he knows. But, because everything seems normal where we are, we decide that we will go ahead and meet for dinner anyway.
Some time passes, and at approximately 7, I get a second call from Joel. Apparently he has been trying to get a taxi and the streets are desserted. So he goes to the Meridian Hotel and asks what's going on. They tell him that many people have been killed and that he should stay put. So much for dinner... But we still don't really know what's going on.
It isn't until much later in the evening that I finally get some useful information from my boss, Massimo. Apparently, Massimo had been trying to call for several hours but could not get through. The information is still vague, but at least it's something. It's from Massimo that I learn that a curfew has been imposed and will be in effect until 10am the next morning. I'm not to leave the house.
At 9:55am on Sunday morning, I receive a call saying that the curfew will remain in effect indefinitely. At this point I'm going stir crazy. I don't have internet access, I don't have TV, I'm all alone in my studio apartment, and about the only thing I can do is read my book. Oh, and to top it off, I've run out of cooking gas, so I can't even make myself something to eat! I was actually wishing I had my UNDP computer with me so that I could at least do some work. So when I hear at 1:30pm that the curfew has been lifted, the first thing I think of doing is going to the office to collect my computer so that I can spend the afternoon productively. But a few minutes after leaving the house to find a taxi, I get another call saying that there are still a number of military checkpoints between my house and the office, and I should just stay put.
Ok fine. I guess.
Fortunately, by Monday morning, things seem to have calmed down. So we go to work. But a little before 11, I'm told that there has been heavy fighting in Omdurman and even a few shots fired in central Khartoum, not too far from the UNDP office. We're grounded. Not supposed to leave the office.
An hour later, we're told we can leave the office, and two hours later I'm told we have to leave the office. So off we go in a caravan, avoiding the main streets in downtown. Fortunately for me, rather than going back to my apartment, I get to go to Massimo's for a "curfew party," or more specifically, a tasty pasta lunch with five of my colleagues and Massimo's wife. This also proves to be a good opportunity to check email and news reports online.
I'm dropped off at home at 5pm. And Joel and I decide we'll try to meet up again. Pushing the limits, I know, but we were hoping for some level of normalcy. Unfortunately, it has not yet arrived. The moment we meet up, we receive a text from Massimo saying another curfew has been imposed, and we need to stay inside until 6am the next morning.
The next morning, things seem calm, and we return to the office, not sure what the day will bring. Fortunately, it proves to be a normal day and despite a continued curfew in Omdurman, the end of the crisis.
So what is the moral of this long story? I'm not sure. But it was an interesting experience. And someday I guess I can tell my grand children that I once lived in a city while it was under attack by rebels. Sure, I never saw any fighting. And really, the only effect it had on me was to make me bored out of my mind. But it's an experience.
I won't try to explain what actually happened during those three days. Rather, I leave that to the experts. If you'd like some understanding of what happened in Khartoum, please refer to the news articles below. And do so quickly, before Reuters decides to take them down.
Sudanese troops hunt for rebels in Khartoum
INTERVIEW-Turabi: Sudan rebel attack could prove positive
Darfur rebel leader vows more attacks on Khartoum
Labels: Sudan
posted by Hillary | 7:34 AM
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