Living through war: An oral history of civilians in Sudan

Abstract

Civilians in Sudan have been devastated by wars for decades, including civil wars that occurred from 1956 to 1972 and from 1983 to 2005, and wars continuing to this day in certain regions. With this article, we offer the findings of an oral history project that showcases the testimony of 116 Sudanese from the following three regions: Darfur, the Nuba Mountains and the Blue Nile state. We focused on their experiences of war and their vision of a just future for Sudan. After presenting summaries of the wars in these regions (Section 1), we identify the project's methodology (Section 2). The respondents' testimony is then analyzed thematically as follows: (a) life before war, (b) experiences of war, (c) becoming refugees, (d) war's impact, and (e) vision of justice in Sudan (Section 3). We then interpret the respondents' vision of justice as expressions of their agency in striving to overcome the systemic inequalities that have ravaged this war-torn nation. Our analysis reveals the complexity of the respondents' notions of justice as inseparable from peace. Long-term peace necessities the realization of justice that cannot be achieved without long-term peace.