Information on the "Bugara" and "Shoulk" tribes in Sudan (confrontation between them, location of these tribes, persecution of the second son). [SDN3197]

The Bagara (or Baqqarah), a group of Muslim cattlemen who claim Arabic descent, moved into the Sudanese region at the end of the 18th century. [ The Encyclopaedia Britannica, Macropaedia vol. 28, (Chicago et al.: Encyclopaedia Britannica, 1989), p. 265.] The Bagara have been thoroughly arabized and now speak no other language than Arabic. [ Ibid, p. 270.]

The Shilluks (or Shillouks) of Sudan are Western Nilotes and predominantly pastoral. [ Johnson D.H. The Southern Sudan, (London: Minority Rights Group, 1988), p. 4.] Since the 1960s, the worsening of civil war brought many Shilluks into guerilla forces. [ Ibid, p. 7.]

Historically, the conflict between Arabs and Blacks has resulted in bloody inter-ethnic opposition. [ Kurian, G.T. Encyclopedia of the Third World, vol.III, (New York and Oxford: Facts on File, 1987), p. 1835.] Massacres of Christian Southerners and slave-trading of youths from the South by Arab militias have been widespread in the country and are reportedly supported by the government. [ Johnson, ibid, p. 10.] In the village of Ed Daien in March 1987, Bagara Arab militias massacred more than 1,500 Dinkas, another Nilotic group who lives in close proximity with the Shilluks. [ Legum C. ed., Africa Contemporary Record 1986-1987, (New York and London: Africana, 1988), p. B582.] In Malakal, about 500 women and children were reportedly kidnapped (probably for slave-trading). [ Ibid, p. B585.] In 1986 and 1987, civilian aircrafts leaving from Malakal, the main city of Shilluk-land, were shot down by the armed forces. [ Ibid.]

Arabic tribes are located mostly in Central and Northern Sudan, around Khartoum, but their nomadic activities and political supremacy also brought them throughout the country. [ Gèze F. et al., eds., L'état du monde 1985, (Paris and Montréal: La Découverte and Boréal, 1986), p. 335.] The Shilluks are located along the Nile river South of Khartoum around the town of Malakal. [ Ibid.]

The only ethnographic data we possess on Sudan indicates that among the Bagara, "blood feuds occur between segments and are settled by payment of blood money". [ The Encyclopaedia Britannica, ibid, p. 270.] No more information concerning the persecution of the second son of one of the tribes is available at the IRBDC at the present time. The reading of the section "Traditional Cultures" attached, however, demonstrates the diversity of Sudanese customs. [ Ibid, p. 265-272.]

22 December 1989

1989/12/00eSubject:

Sudan
Information on the "Bugara" and "Shoulk" tribes in Sudan (confrontation between them, location of these tribes, persecution of the second child).
From:

Immigration and Refugee Board Documentation Centre (IRBDC) Ottawa
Keywords:

Sudan / ethnic and national groups / tribal peoples / interethnic relations

The Bagara (or Baqqarah), a group of Muslim cattlemen who claim Arabic descent, moved into the Sudanese region at the end of the 18th century [ The Encyclopaedia Britannica, Macropaedia vol. 28, (Chicago et al.: Encyclopaedia Britannica, 1989), p. 265.]. The Bagara have been thoroughly arabized and now speak no other language than Arabic [ Ibid, p. 270.].

The Shilluks (or Shillouks) of Sudan are Western Nilotes and predominantly pastoral [ Johnson D.H. The Southern Sudan, (London: Minority Rights Group, 1988), p. 4.]. Since the 1960s, the worsening of civil war brought many Shilluks into guerilla forces [ Ibid, p. 7.].

Historically, the conflict between Arabs and Blacks have led to bloody inter-ethnic opposition [ Kurian, G.T. Encyclopedia of the Third World, vol.III, (New York and Oxford: Facts on File, 1987), p. 1835.]. Massacres of Christian Southerners and slave-trading of youths from the South by Arab militias have been widespread in the country and are reportedly supported by the government [ Johnson, ibid, p. 10.]. In the village of Ed Daien in March 1987, Bagara Arab militias massacred more than 1,500 Dinkas, another Nilotic group who lives in close proximity with the Shilluks [ Legum C. ed., Africa Contemporary Record 1986-1987, (New York and London: Africana, 1988), p. B582.]. In Malakal, about 500 women and children have been kidnapped (probably for slave-trading) [Ibid, p. B585.]. In 1986 and 1987, civilian aircrafts leaving from Malakal, the main city of Shilluk-land, were shot down by the armed forces [ Ibid.].

Arabic tribes are located mostly in Central and Northern Sudan, around Khartoum, but their nomadic activities and political supremacy also brought them throughout the country [Gèze F. et al., eds., L'état du monde 1985, (Paris and Montréal: La Découverte and Boréal, 1986), p. 335.]. The Shilluks are located along the Nile river South of Khartoum around the town of Malakal [ Ibid.].

The only ethnographic data we possess on Sudan indicates that among the Bagara, "blood feuds occur between segments and are settled by payment of blood money" [ The Encyclopaedia Britannica, ibid, p. 270.]. No more information concerning the persecution of the second son of one of the tribes is available at the IRBDC at the present time. The reading of the section "Traditional Cultures" attached, however, demonstrates the wide variety of extraneous customs possible in the Sudan [Ibid, p. 265-272.].
(SEN) Senegal / Sénégal