Kutum
Encyclopedia
Kutum is a town in the Sudan
ese state of North Darfur
. It lies 120 kilometres (74.6 mi) northwest of the state capital, Al-Fashir
. The town is located along a wadi
and therefore also known as Wadi Kutum. It lies north along the Marrah Mountains
; the Kutum volcanic field is better known as the Tagabo Hills
. As of 2006, it had a population of 45,000, predominantly of the Fur
, Tunjur
and Berti
ethnicities. Kutum lies on one of the traditional north-south migration routes used by Darfuri pastoralists
.
The town hosts a number of mosques, with the mosque at the market having a notable minaret.
Commercial services includes bakeries, groceries, public phone outlets, as well as mechanical services. As of November 2006 no formal banking services were available in the town.
Electricity is available a few hours most days from a communal generator. For most of the population, water is fetched from wells around the town.
During the Darfur conflict
, which began in the early 21st century, the town experienced significant insecurity. While mostly government-controlled, the ethnic groups of the inhabitants are associated with the rebel groups, and the town was briefly taken by the rebels in August 2003. The area northeast of town is largely controlled by the rebel Sudan Liberation Movement
, while 'Arab' militias such as the janjaweed
are to the south and west. Two camps for internally displaced person
s, Fatta Borno and Kassab, formed near the town.
Sudan
Sudan , officially the Republic of the Sudan , is a country in North Africa, sometimes considered part of the Middle East politically. It is bordered by Egypt to the north, the Red Sea to the northeast, Eritrea and Ethiopia to the east, South Sudan to the south, the Central African Republic to the...
ese state of North Darfur
North Darfur
North Darfur is one of the 15 wilayat or states of Sudan. It is one of the three states composing the Darfur region. It has an area of 296,420 km² and an estimated population of approximately 1,583,000 . Al-Fashir is the capital of the state...
. It lies 120 kilometres (74.6 mi) northwest of the state capital, Al-Fashir
Al-Fashir
Al Fashir or Al-Fashir is the capital city of North Darfur, Sudan. It is a large town in the Darfur region of northwestern Sudan, 120 miles northeast of Nyala, Sudan....
. The town is located along a wadi
Wadi
Wadi is the Arabic term traditionally referring to a valley. In some cases, it may refer to a dry riverbed that contains water only during times of heavy rain or simply an intermittent stream.-Variant names:...
and therefore also known as Wadi Kutum. It lies north along the Marrah Mountains
Marrah Mountains
The Marrah Mountains or Marra Mountains is a range of volcanic peaks created by a massif that rises up to 3,000 m. It is located in the center of the Darfur region of Sudan, specifically within Dar Zagahawa and neighboring areas. The highest point is Deriba Caldera...
; the Kutum volcanic field is better known as the Tagabo Hills
Tagabo Hills
The Tagabo Hills is a volcanic field in the region of Darfur in Sudan. It lies north of the Marrah Mountains and southwest of the larger Meidob Volcanic Field. The Tagabo Hills are also known as the Kutum Volcanic Field, after the town of Kutum, or the Berti Hills after the Berti people...
. As of 2006, it had a population of 45,000, predominantly of the Fur
Fur people
The Fur are an ethnic group from western Sudan, principally inhabiting the region of Darfur where they are the largest tribe....
, Tunjur
Tunjur
The Tunjur, or Tungur, are a Muslim people estimated around 176,000 people, living mainly in central Darfur, a province of Sudan. They are farmers and live closely associated with the Fur, even if differently from these they speak Arabic as their native language...
and Berti
Berti
Berti is an extinct Saharan language formerly spoken in northern Sudan, specifically in the Tagabo Hills, Darfur, and Kurdufan. Berti speakers migrated into the region with other Nilo-Saharan speakers, such as the Masalit and Daju, who were agriculturalists practicing varying degrees of animal...
ethnicities. Kutum lies on one of the traditional north-south migration routes used by Darfuri pastoralists
Pastoralism
Pastoralism or pastoral farming is the branch of agriculture concerned with the raising of livestock. It is animal husbandry: the care, tending and use of animals such as camels, goats, cattle, yaks, llamas, and sheep. It may have a mobile aspect, moving the herds in search of fresh pasture and...
.
Facilities
The town hosts a local market which operates on Mondays and Thursdays. Other facilities in the town includes a hospital with basic medical and surgical services and a small botanical gardens alongside the Wadi and the market. Within the town two primary health care clinics also operate.The town hosts a number of mosques, with the mosque at the market having a notable minaret.
Commercial services includes bakeries, groceries, public phone outlets, as well as mechanical services. As of November 2006 no formal banking services were available in the town.
Electricity is available a few hours most days from a communal generator. For most of the population, water is fetched from wells around the town.
History
From September to November 1989, during the Chadian–Libyan conflict, Kutum was briefly occupied by Chadian forces.During the Darfur conflict
Darfur conflict
The Darfur Conflict was a guerrilla conflict or civil war centered on the Darfur region of Sudan. It began in February 2003 when the Sudan Liberation Movement/Army and Justice and Equality Movement groups in Darfur took up arms, accusing the Sudanese government of oppressing non-Arab Sudanese in...
, which began in the early 21st century, the town experienced significant insecurity. While mostly government-controlled, the ethnic groups of the inhabitants are associated with the rebel groups, and the town was briefly taken by the rebels in August 2003. The area northeast of town is largely controlled by the rebel Sudan Liberation Movement
Sudan Liberation Movement
The Sudan Liberation Movement/Army or is a Sudanese rebel group...
, while 'Arab' militias such as the janjaweed
Janjaweed
The Janjaweed is a blanket term used to describe mostly gunmen in Darfur, western Sudan, and now eastern Chad...
are to the south and west. Two camps for internally displaced person
Internally displaced person
An internally displaced person is someone who is forced to flee his or her home but who remains within his or her country's borders. They are often referred to as refugees, although they do not fall within the current legal definition of a refugee. At the end of 2006 it was estimated there were...
s, Fatta Borno and Kassab, formed near the town.
Further reading
- Grawert, Elke (1990) Impacts of male outmigration on women: case study of Kutum/Northern Darfur/Sudan (Discussion paper number 18, Sudanforschungsgruppe Bremen (Sudan Economy Research Group Bremen)) University of Bremen, Bremen, Germany, OCLC 28532242
External links
- "Kutum, Sudan" Falling Rain Genomics, Inc.
- "Kutum Map — Satellite Images of Kutum" Maplandia.com