The irony of the Sudanese government
The Sudanese government does not want the world to know the atrocities it is committing against its people. Ironically, the government forbids its local reporters from sharing any information with outsiders. The government claims that there is freedom of media and relay of information, but things are different. The narrator fears for his life, and he knows that he will be hanged when the government knows about his involvement with the international media and rebels. The narrator says, "It seemed that everyone had my phone number now. Philip certainly did not get my cell number from the government of Sudan, whose soldiers would kill me bringing in a reporter."
The irony of the rebels
The narrator depicts the rebels as hopeless people who do not fear death. The primary motivation of the rebels is revenge. The reader finds it ironic that rebels are after killing their fellow villagers without sitting back to ask the question, what is the Darfur conflict's motive? Consequently, the insurgents are just used to finish themselves and their families so that a few individuals can come to extort their resources. The author writes, "Emotionally, they are walking dead men who count their future in hours. This makes them often ruthless as if they think everyone might as well go to the next life with them."
The Irony of Automatic Weapons
Sudan is a developing country, but the rebels have the most sophisticated modern automatic weapons, which makes one wonder who is behind Africa's instability. The reader realizes that these rebels are funded by some countries that want to exploit African resources for their benefit. The author writes, "There are other Chad groups, and they travel across the borders as they please. Where they get their guns and money is often a mystery, but Darfur has been filled with automatic weapons from the time when Libya attacked Chad and used Darfur as the staging area.”
The Irony of the Darfur Conflict
Ironically, the Darfur conflict is not initiated by ordinary Sudanese citizens but by politicians and their international friends with similar interests. Darfur is one of Africa's richest oil deposits, and many global companies are after its dominance. Consequently, there easier access to oil resources when the country is unstable. However, these mouse and chase games leave the people of Sudan suffering. The author writes, "Also it must be understood that Sudan is aligned with radical Islamic groups and is, as a separate matter, letting China get most of its oil.”
The Irony of Africa
Africa is the wealthiest continent on earth because it has a great wealth of resources ranging from oil, gold, diamonds, metals, and other similar resources. Ironically, Africa has the most impoverished populations on earth because most people earn less than a dollar in a day. The author writes, “Nearly half of Africa is covered by the pastoral lands of herding villages, and much of this land has great wealth below and poor people above.”
