Fwd: Rampant inflation in Nuba | Refugees return to war zone | A Trump administration

[Elisabeth Janaina]

---------- Forwarded message ----------
From: "Nuba Reports" <in...@nubareports.org>
Date: 30 Dec 2016 17:25
Subject: Rampant inflation in Nuba | Refugees return to war zone | A Trump administration
To: <elisabet...@gmail.com>
Cc:

An insider's take on Sudan's big stories. View this email in your browser The Sudan Insider Hi Readers, This is our Sudan Insider, a debrief from Nuba Reports that highlights important developments in Sudan and what they mean. Here's the latest. If you have questions or want more information, don't hesitate to write us at in...@nubareports.org. Thank You, The Nuba Reports Team Read the Analysis    Markets in Sudan’s rebel-held Nuba Mountains have been hit hard by inflation. The price of sorghum in South Sudanese pounds is 10 times the price a year ago. Conflict in neighboring South Sudan is a major factor, contributing not only to currency inflation but a shortage of goods that are felt further north. To make matters worse, scant rainfall led to poor harvests this year for the Nuba people, who face the start of another fighting season in the coming months. Read more. Thousands of refugees from Sudan’s Nuba Mountains are reportedly returning to the war zone from South Sudan, and it’s not because they expect the fighting to end. Returnees told us they are better off in the conflict area than in Pamir camp, where the UN has urged refugees to relocate since the controversial closing of Yida camp. Safety and food security are their biggest concerns, which are certainly not guaranteed in the war-torn Nuba Mountains – a region that may experience even greater food insecurity in the coming months. Read more. Rather than take to the streets, protestors in Sudan stayed off of them in acts of civil disobedience spanning a total of four days in November and December. The protests, stemming from fuel and other subsidy cuts, were met with force by Bashir’s government even as they sought to dismiss them: By the second week of December authorities had detained an estimated 200 people across Sudan, including over 40 opposition party leaders. Organizers – whom Bashir calls “keyboard and Whatsapp activists” – believe the protests were successful in sparking newly found courage. Read more. What will a Trump administration mean for Sudan? With inauguration just weeks away, Sudan watchers are grasping for clues. Some contenders for political posts under Trump have supported U.S. sanctions on Sudan; others have spoken out against them. Then there is the Secretary of State nominee, Rex Tillerson, who as an oil executive did business with African countries with poor human rights records. If you ask Bashir, the clues point in his favour: He has said it will be “much easier” to deal with a businessman like Trump. Read more. Want to change how you receive these emails? You can update your preferences or unsubscribe from this list