Draft of Charter of Nubian Action (for discussion)

Hasan Shadda & Hasan Uru-N-Assi <D03N003@KSU.EDU.SA>, 27 March 1997

From Mr. Ezat Frahat. . .

All netters Maska aglo Hi.

1- Commmecing from the Nubian aspirations and their glorious struggle throughout their deep-rooted history, and in continuation of that struggle and that history with the aim of devoloping it towards new horizons;

2- From the verity of their past, the reality of their present and the call of their future prospects;

3- From Their great sufferings and sacrifices for a decent life worthy of their glory civilizations and inherited culture;

4- For the sake of a thriving Sudan unified by its cultural diversity and ethnic and religious multiplicity,

Comes forth the idea of this Charter as a legitimate expression of, and genuine belief in, the right of all nubians not only for arespectable life within their homeland but also to seek ways and means of achieving and maintaining such a life; BECAUSE we have been:

1- Disturbed by the economic, social, and service deterioration that has befallen our homeland and turned it into an expulsion area for its people, making it a breeding ground for various diseases and a nidus of abject poverty resulting from lack of development and widespread unemployment;

2- Aggravated at having been hostages under the present policies adopted towards Egypt with which we Nubian have established and maintained close link, and acted as a bridge between the two sister countries, throughout history, with devastating effects on the area and its people;

3- Shocked at what is being planned for the populous Mahas district, rich in its resources and ancient monuments, which is being threatened by inundation from the projected Kajbar DAM, thus triggering of another Nubian exsodus from yet another dear part of our homeland within decades;

We pledge ourselves as Nubians Men & Women, old & young, poor & rich, wherever we are to work together, hand in hand, casting aside our differences, and to struggle hard with perseverance, determinations and goodwill to achieve the following goals:-

A- To drastically change the abject reality of the Nubians through comprehensive development: economic, social, cultural, and services;

B- To stop and check the hemorrage of migration from the area by eradicating its motive and provision of and environment conducive to development, stability and welfare;

C- To stand up to and confront policies aimed at marginalizing Nubia and turning it into a backwater by reviving our cultural heritage and by eliminating all aspects of underdevelopment from our homeland.

These goals can be pursued according to the following general principles :-

1- To treat the Nubian issue as part and parcel of other issues of marginalized region in the Sudan that share common problems of underdevelopment and cultural oppression necessitating joint efforts with all concerned Sudanese and their struggle for democratic participation of power, and recognition of and respect to cultural diversity of the country, to secure fair distribution of national wealth through balanced develpopment and to create an environment that enhances diversity without putting any obistcals in the way under any pretext;

2- To stress that the geographic location makes Nubia the historic gate into the Sudan and Egypt emphasizing that special and close relationship that has developed throughout history between Nubia and Egypt: a relationship that encompasses social and economic aspects and permeates the fabric of Nubian communities in both countries. In this context we are FOR all means of improving and strengthening that relationship and AGAINST any policy or attempts to destroy it under any pretext whatsoever such as separatism, racism or political intrigue and other accusations so often levelled against Nubians. . .which we refute altogether. We must be true and honest to this role destiny and geography have bestowed on us to play.

3- To realise that all Nubian, despite their distribution along a wide area, are ONE entity whether they are MATOKY,FADIJA, MAHAS OR DONGOLAWY. Whatever organizations are formed they must address our common goals: that all Nubian wherever they are are ONE people with ONE homeland bound with common cultural heritage & history; we must enculcate all that bind and unit us and discard and disown anything that separate us

4- To encourage education up to the highest levels and making it available for everyone and to support and encourage scientific research and archaelogical excavations and all that related to Nubian studies also to encourage literary, artistical and sports creativeness and inventiveness among Nubians.

5- To emphasises our distinctive inhertance with regards to the status of women in Nubian society which is reflected in her participation and sharing of all worries of life with man and equality in rights and obligations she enjoys, her rights in education to ensure her full participation in building a healthy society in which the new generations will be brought up imbibing this spirit without any discriminatory attitude towards women;

6- To give utmost concern for the preservation of the natural environment in Nubia and to ensure that it remains clean and free from all kinds of pollution and all forms of mis- management and usurpation under any claim because nubia is one of the rich areas in the world in ancient monuments by the testimony of many scholars from different nationalities. According to present day dictum that our globe is a trust that can be destroyed unless we strive hard to stop this destruction through orgnaized intensive joint work.

7- To comply with all articles of human rights, women & child included in UN Charter. We Should consider ourself as the group to undertake the realization of these rights in nubia and to stress to the world that we always have the initiative to participate in the welfare of all humanity in general and of the nubians in particular.

This draft is presented for discussion among all nubians with the hope that, in its final form it will be a cresset that will guide us all and form a basis on which to build our homeland with a prosperous and thriving community. . .

Please give serious attention to this appeal and God bless us all.