An huge underwater lake has been found in Darfur. This lake, per the article linked below, is roughly the size of Massachusetts and will provide a lot of water for the downtrodden population in Darfur, a people which has suffered starvation, genocide, and yes thirst for many years.
So, hallelujah and good for the people in the Darfur region of Sudan.
Scientists find lake remnants in Sudan
Scientists have discovered the underground remnants of an ancient lake in Sudan's arid Darfur region, offering hope of tapping a precious resource and easing water scarcity, which experts say is the root of much of the unrest in the region.
The researchers hope to drill at least 1,000 wells in the dusty territory and pump the long-hidden water to ease tensions among communities living there — and strengthen efforts to restore peace in Darfur.
Decades of scarce water and other resources have stoked low-intensity local conflicts that eventually led to a devastating civil war.
The four-year conflict has killed more than 200,000 people, displaced more than 2.5 million others and sparked a regional humanitarian crisis after feeding instability in neighboring Chad and Central African Republic
Water pumped from the underground reservoir — measuring as large as the state of Massachusetts — could help ease tensions in Darfur, El-Baz said. The wells could enable Darfur's nomadic Arabs to maintain their lifestyle, sedentary communities to flourish and irrigation to kick-start agriculture activities that may feed trade and economic growth, he said during a telephone interview.
I see news like this as a sign for more hopeful times. I know I shouldn't have much hope, what with the WWF pointing out that we RUN OUT of resources by 2050, if not sooner... nevertheless, I see things like this as a hopeful sign, a sign from which the people of the world can draw inspiration as, hopefully, this conflict in Darfur winds down.
That said, everything seems much the same right now in Sudan, what with stalled peace talks and the necessity of a UN force which, in another sign of hope, has been allowed by Sudan's government.
Here's hoping for Darfur and all of Africa for that matter!