Shield for sale- $675US

As described on Oriental-Arms. com.

Up for sale is this very good and rare hide shield of the Beja people residing in North Sudan and Eritrea, along the shores of the red see. The shield is round, 23 inches in diameter with two semi round recesses and with a 6 ½ inch tall central dome. It is made from heavy hide, most probably buffalo hide. Very good condition. Old repairs on the hide. The carrying leather strap is torn. An authentic rare item.

Buffalo hide?? Any buffalo in Bejaland?? What do you think it's made from??

Sudan and Ethiopia to boost dawa

As north Sudan establishes its vision of a state without the constraints of a large Christian minority, Khartoum is increasing its Islamic emphasis. Dawa is the proselytizing and propagation of Islam. It means to "issue a summons" or invitation.

In Khartoum, Khalil Abdullah, the State Minister at the Ministry of Guidance and Endowments  met with a visiting Ethiopian delegation headed by the Chairman of the Higher Council for Islamic Affairs in Ethiopia, Sheikh Ahmadadin Sheikh Abdullah. They explored ways of boosting joint cooperation between the Sudan and Ethiopia in domains of Hajj, Umra, Endowments, Propagators and pertinent issues.

The Minister affirmed Sudan's readiness to cooperate and exchange expertise with the Higher Council for Islamic Affairs in Ethiopia. 

Director of the Department of International and Public Relations at the Ministry of Guidance and Endowments, Al-Fatih Mukhtar, said the meeting stressed the need to enhance cooperation between the two states in domains of Hajj, Ummrah, Endowments, propagation and Training. Mukhtar added that the Ethiopian delegation will meet with officials at the Higher Council for Islamic Affairs, Endowment Authority, Hajj and Ummrah Administration.

Eritrea celebrates National Day on May 24

President Omar Hassen Al-Beshir of Sudan sent a message of congratulations to President Isaias Afwerki of Eritrea in advance of the occasion of the 20th anniversary of Independence Day celebrations.

President Omar Al-Beshir wished good health to President Isaias, as well as peace and prosperity to the Eritrean people.

Just a week ago, [May 13] Sudan and Eritrea agreed to abolish entry visas, opening their common borders for free movement of peoples and goods both ways. The two countries have also agreed to facilitate goods and commodities traffic, without restrictions, organise inter-trade and remove all border crossing points that hinder the movement of citizens of the two countries.

[COMMENT] May 24 Independence Day is the most significant National Holiday in Eritrea. On May 24 1991 EPLF forces entered Asmara, re-claiming independence, after a bitter 30 years war against Ethiopian military occupation.

Independence Day is celebrated nationwide in Eritrea, but the most spectacular place to be is in Asmara, where the 1991 victory is celebrated with one week of cultural shows in Cinema Odeon and Bahti Meskerem, carnival on the main streets of Asmara, community feasts, live music on Harnet Avenue, and a colorful celebration at the Asmara Stadium on May 24.

Eritrea loves a big show in the stadium!

Red Sea State meets with BC Chairman

Port Sudan - The Governor of the Red Sea State, Dr. Mohamed Tahir Ailla, received in his office Sunday Assistant to President of Republic and Chairman of Beja Congress, Musa Mohamed Ahmed, at the end of his several-day visit to the state.

The meeting discussed the cooperation between the state and the Beja Congress and the need for coordination between all political forces secure the internal front and to confront the challenges facing the country.

Member of the Central Committee of the Beja Congress, Mohamed Al-Hassan Haddab, said following the meeting that the visit dealt with the coordination between the National Congress (NC) and agreed on the need to unite the visions for boosting the development in the Red Sea State.

From Sudan Vision

Report: What do the Beja Congress want?

The historical background, current analysis and requests are described in a 3 page pdf article. Published in the USA.

Titled "The Struggle of the Beja People in Eastern Sudan: An Analysis by the Beja Congress"
Download the file directly.
http://www.theird.org/document.doc?id=132

Read the hosting page. The link is in the words "An analysis" [para 5]
http://www.theird.org/page.aspx?pid=1884

The IRD hosted a discussion in early May about east Sudan. We posted about it a couple of weeks ago.

Egypt and Sudan to discuss Hala'ib region

Sudan's Foreign Minister Ali Karti visited Egypt last week. Discussions covered such topics as water irrigation and views about the International Criminal Court arrest warrant for Sudanese President Bashir.  Karti ended his trip to Egypt with a number of agreements to activate the freedom of movement, trade, ownership and residence.

For readers of Adroub.net, we were pleased to see that a proposal has been established to deal with the Hala'ib triangle.

The Halayib proposal involves setting up a common administration to develop the area for the interest of the two countries, according to a spokesperson at the Sudanese Ministry of Foreign Affairs, Khalid Mousa. The proposal will be discussed in the near future, he adds.

The Sudanese Ministry of Foreign Affairs also disclosed that Egyptian Prime Minister ordered authorities to release 73 Sudanese arrested in Egypt. Mousa explained that those Sudanese had entered the Egyptian territories when they were digging for gold through traditional mining.

From Sudan Vision.

On the mapping of the Halaib Triangle. Does the USA-based National Geographic make correct maps?

This Sudan Tribune article points out that Minister Karti had previously caused tension with the Egyptians. It describes, [from summer 2010,] some of the same issues between Egypt and Sudan. Worth a read.

Eritrean road along Red Sea Coast

The Eritrean Ministry of Information reports that the coastal road construction is progressing. The plan is to eventually link Port Sudan, Sudan  and Massawa, Eritrea by a good quality road.

Q’rora-Massawa route expected to generate significant impact on completion

Massawa, April 24, 2011- The completion of Q’rora-Massawa road is expected to generate significant impact upon tourism, agriculture and commerece, according to the manager of the Red Sea Construction Company, Mr. Mebrahtu Mael.

Speaking to Erina, Mr. Mebrahtu outlined that the construction of the road has reduced the travel time needed between Massawa and Sudan to few hours and that it is expected to increase the trade activities between Sudan and Eritrea.

On his part, Mr.Ogbe Gebreslasie, overseeing the company’s northern projects noted the significance of the route, out of which only 30 Km. are remaining, and that it is expected to raise the access to social services in the villages and towns it goes through.

Hala'ib Triangle rule to be sorted out

In joint meetings between Egypt and Sudan, the Sudanese ambassador to Egypt spoke about the Hala'ib triangle region. Both countries claim rule over the desert region by the Red Sea. It is important because oil companies have wanted to drill in the region. The Beja Bisharin tribe live in the area.

Ambassador Lt. Gen ® Abdul Rahman Sir Al Ketim said that this year will witness opening of three highways that link Sudan with Egypt. He explained that the Halib issue was one of the issues that were not discussed in the past, but at the joint meetings it was being publicly discussed and committees were formed to submit proposals to make Halib an area of bilateral cooperation between the two countries.

Source from  Sudan Vision

Washington thinktank to discuss Beja People

Hudson Institute's Center for Religious Freedom and the Institute on Religion and Democracy cordially invite you to a discussion on...

Eastern Sudan: Threats to the Beja People and Global Security

Wednesday, April 27  4:00 - 5:30 PM  Washington DC.

In January, South Sudan voted overwhelmingly for its independence. But millions of oppressed and marginalized people remain in Sudan, including in Eastern Sudan, home of the Beja people who comprise 15% of Sudan's overall population.

Eastern Sudan possesses gold, oil, and natural gas, and is the site of Sudan's main port city, Port Sudan, a strategic Red Sea harbor. Successive Sudanese governments have attempted to suppress Beja culture and identity, and barred humanitarian relief organizations from the area. As a result, the Beja suffer severe rates of poverty, illiteracy, malnutrition, illness, and high infancy and maternal mortality.

Now Khartoum is displacing the indigenous Beja and replacing them with settlers from the Rashaida tribes originally from Saudi Arabia, who were invited to eastern Sudan decades ago. The Rashaida settlers, particularly the Jihadi elements among them, are already notorious for smuggling Iranian weapons to Hamas. Their actions and alliances with terrorists like Hamas and other Jihadists cause a threat to regional and global security.

Ibrahim Tahir Ahmed, together with Omar Hummadgimi, leads the Washington, DC chapter of the Beja Congress, one of the oldest political parties of Sudan.

Walid Phares is the Co-Secretary General, Transatlantic Legislative Group on Counter Terrorism and Professor of Global Strategies, National Defense University.

Jimmy Mulla is the President of Voices for Sudan, an advocacy organization that represents Sudan's marginalized and oppressed groups.

Faith McDonnell directs the Religious Liberty Program and the Church Alliance for a New Sudan at the Institute on Religion and Democracy.

Paul Marshall is a Senior Fellow with Hudson's Center for Religious Freedom.

This event will be streamed live on Hudson's website: www.hudson.org/WatchLive.

Besty and Walter Stern Conference Center

Hudson Institute

1015 15th Street, NW   Sixth Floor

Washington, DC 20005

[just 4 blocks from the White House]

http://www.hudson.org/index.cfm?fuseaction=hudson_upcoming_events&id=841

UPDATE:  The Institute on Religion and Democracy has written a short review of the event.

Fistula Operations for women in Kassala region

For women in the Kassala region, visiting doctors will perform fistula operations beginning on May 13, 2011. This short term project will last about 10 days, and 50 free operations will be performed.

This "fistula camp" will launch the new fistula centre at Kassala Hospital. Doctors from Egypt and Khartoum-based Dr. Abu Fistula Centre will participate. The Arab Physicians' Union and the Islamic Medical Association are involved.

A fistula operation can change the life of a woman. When a woman gives birth to a baby, the thin wall between the birth canal and the bladder may get broken. The result is that urine constantly dribbles out. The woman may be rejected by her husband, and ostracized by her neighbours. A fistula operation is designed to sew up the breach, thus restoring dignity to the woman. However, more than one operation may be required for successful healing.

Source: Sudan Vision

Learn more about Dr. Abbu, founder of the Dr Abu Fistula Centre. [pdf file]

Beja men killed in car attack

The two victims of the attack were Issa Hamid Mohamed Hussein Hadab from Al-Amrar tribe and Ahmed Jibril from Al-Ababda tribe, according to Sudanese officials.

Their families were visited by the Sudanese Defence Minister and various officials. They had come from Khartoum to Port Sudan to see the site of the attack, and to hear local reports. Gen. Abdul-Rahim Mohamed Hussein met with locally-based marines and the Red Sea State acting governor.

Source 

New money for Kassala water system

Japan has signed an agreement with Sudan to provide $13 million to improve water supplies in the city of Kassala.

The Japanese Ambassador said the grant, which was signed Wednesday April 6, 2011, is the first direct grant by Japan to Sudan since 1990s. He stated that the Japanese International Cooperation Agency will undertake a greater role in Sudan in the areas of transfer of technology, training, maternity, childhood, water and capacity building.

In February, Japan extended $17 million to help provide humanitarian projects in the Kassala region. That technichal cooperation agreement covers development planning, water supply, agriculture and livelihood, maternal and child health and vocational training, for three years beginning in May 2011.

Car destroyed from the air

A small vehicle was destroyed in an attack. Two people in the car were killed. The vehicle was on a local road from the airport to Port Sudan. The event took place at 10pm local time on Tuesday April 5, 2011.

The identity of the airplane is unknown, perhaps a missile, perhaps two helicopters. It apparently flew in from over the Red Sea.

A report comes from AllAfrica.

Reports suggest that the airplane was Israeli in origin, and that one of the people inside the car was a Palestinian [Hamas] military commander.

Beja in Canada? Yes!

Sometimes Beja life sneaks up without noticing. So it was a pleasant discovery to learn that the Beja have set up an organization in Canada. Doesn't look like they are too active, but they hosted a cultural evening in June 2010.

albeja.org