The United Nations

Today I got into a discussion about the UN troops that are apparently destined for Sudan. Under the comprehensive peace agreement between the north and the south, and the recent agreement for Darfur there was an understanding that there would be international peace keeping troops. True to form, the government wants to go back on their word. The disagreement of whether to accept troops or not has reached the highest cables of the government. The second vice president Ali Osman, one of the engineers of the comprehensive peace agreement, and who is in support of peacekeeping troops, has taken a leave of absence for an unspecified period of time. It is rumored that he has relocated his entire family to Turkey. I really hope that this peacekeeping troop will be empowered and mandated to engage in combat if the terms of the cease fire and agreement are violated. The president in front of the parliament gave a long impassioned speech about protecting the land from foreign invaders and other such evocative images of religion of Iraq etc. He was asked by one of the MPs whether any of the ordinary citizens were behind him in defending the country, for after all he, the president, had failed them in basic things such as education, health, and security.
I like being at an institution where research is happening. It gives me hope that scholarship can still continue even under duress. There are a small but very dedicated cadre of researchers and scholars and its important for Sudanese in the diaspora to support their work. On a sad note I've discovered, or rather it came to my attention that cancer is now the third leading killer of Sudanese. Its a phenomena common to most of the developing world. Infectious disease are not things of the past, but chronic diseases are getting up there. The problem is there hasn't been extensive epidemiological work on the reasons why cancer rate has sky rocketed, and it certain types of cancer.
I was pleasantly surprised to see advertisements about the importance of safe sex, and AIDS and sexually transmitted diseases. I'm told it is all because of the new health minister, a southern Sudanese doctor, and a woman I might add. She is pushing through this campaign with the help of UNAIDS. I'm not sure how effective its been but its early days yet.
A note about my project God willing I'll be going to the field at the end of the week. But first I'll enjoy pleasantries of my cousin's wedding.