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Peace & Conflict Transformation
Fragile peace
The 2005 Comprehensive Peace Agreement has not yet brought comprehensive peace to Sudan. Conflict flares up regularly over political, economic or cultural inequality, and many parts of the country remain very fragile. Many people live in fear that what little they have will be taken away. Inconsistent rainfall and increasing desertification exacerbate competition for access to water and grazing land. Villages continue to be abandoned by those fleeing conflict. Those who do return home to farm may be forced to pay protection to the people who now occupy their land. More often than not, displacement has forced such rapid urbanisation that provision of basic services and opportunities is severely lacking, locking people in a cycle of poverty that fuels further conflict.
Signs of hope
Yet despite this bleak picture there are encouraging signs of perseverance and creativity. Since 2005 in South Kordofan and 2009 in West Darfur, FAR has been working to capitalise on this perseverance by creating opportunities for positive interaction between those who have been at war. Opportunities to generate income and stimulate small-scale economic development, and to meet and share experiences, build a sense of common interest. And they break the cycle of poverty and conflict.
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