A huge underground lake has been found in Sudan’s Darfur region, scientists say, which they believe could help end the conflict in the arid region.

According to the aforementioned BBC article a giant lake the size Lake Erie has been located under the arid, and desolate ground of the Sudan in the Darfur region. The article also goes on to hope against hope that that this water source will somehow bring about the end to the conflict which has wracked that region. It will not and I will explain why it won’t.

1)It’s been a long time since this conflict was about resources

At one point I’m sure it was all about resources, but now it is about anything and everything. It’s about religious beliefs, it’s about revenge, it’s about land-grabs, and so much more.

2)Drilling the 1,000 wells the article mentions will not be easy

Not so much from a technological standpoint, but from a security standpoint. I guarantee there are forces out there who do not wish for this to work. A lot of well workers will be threatened, hurt, maimed, or killed before it is all said and done.

3)Land grab will just get worse

Once the water is exploited and the land is turned over to agricultural usage the bloodshed will be 10 times worse as then there will actually be a “reason” for the land-grabs. Right now it’s about territory, but when Darfur becomes and economic player in Sudan’s economy due to it’s agriculture it will be about control.

Those are just a few reasons why I don’t believe that finding this water will do much to bring peace. It certainly is a sorely needed resource for that area and it is great that they will be making use of it in the near future, but to believe it is going to somehow end the conflict is grossly negligent of the facts.

God Bless and thanks for reading!