The Sudans series: what you said

http://www.theguardian.com/world/2014/dec/12/-sp-sudan-south-sudan-what-you-said

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All week the Guardian has been looking a life in the Sudanese region after South Sudan gained independence in 2011. Our Africa correspondent David Smith travelled to Khartoum, where he spoke to opposition parties and activists about the possibility of a revolution, met journalists taking great risks to report issues that cross the state’s “red lines” and spent some time on the weird, wonderful and virtually untrodden tourist trail.

Article by @GuardianAfrica on news for #guardiansudan: http://t.co/HjQfxXNTpd. Photo of newspapers available in #juba pic.twitter.com/rTmDN0uSFr

We also looked at the region’thriving culture scene: recordings from Sudan’s Blue Nile refugee camps and the music emerging from the Nuba Mountains even as the bombs reign down. We discussed the role of women in Sudanese society, and examined the art of storytelling during conflict.

Oh and the ace @BSonblast was picked up by the Guardian's ace Sudans series! http://t.co/i5xT4uSqvq

We found out about Radio Dabanga, the station exposing the use of rape as weapon of war in Darfur, asked residents what life has been like since the George Clooney show came to town and looked at Arab identity and Sudan’s history.

there are some truly beautfiully written pieces in the Guardian's #Sudan focus series, well worth ur time http://t.co/Tyaf6oiqSP

We invited a conservationist to take part in Reddit Q&A on elephants and other wildlife in jeopardy due to South Sudan’s prolonged civil war. You also left questions for Meriam Ibrahim, living in exile after being sentenced for refusing to denounce her Christian faith. We will have her responses on the site next week.

We translated our opening story into Arabic, and were pleased to see that many of the pieces were well-read in Sudan and around the Middle East.

Darfur from the air, makes you think how difficult it is to get around if you can't fly everywhere #guardiansudan pic.twitter.com/etdp28TClv

We also wanted to hear from you about the pieces you’ve enjoyed and suggestions for stories during our week of coverage.

The Africa network will continue to look at life in the two countries, so, as always, please do get in touch with any ideas. Either on Twitter @GuardianAfrica or email maeve.shearlaw@theguardian.com.

Your stories

Peter Moszynski is a journalist and documentary maker who has followed the Sudan conflict for 30 years. He got in touch to share three key things everyone should know about the fragile state of both countries since South Sudan split in 2011:

None of the peace initiatives pushed through by outside organisations have succeeded, largely due to their failure to provide a truly comprehensive solution.

The lack of any form of transitional justice – and in particular – the failure to act over the ICC indictments of Omar al-Bashir, has led to a culture of impunity.

Both governments have squandered the potential for peace by continuing to invest in arms. This has made the violence worse and undermined post-conflict reconstruction.

Sudan in the 1980s

Ian Fairbank got in touch too about two years spent in Sudan in the 1980s. He was one of 200 British graduates who travelled to teach in Sudan’s schools. He said:

“My abiding memory is of the friendliness of the Sudanese people; their hospitality, generosity and sense of humour ... I was in Gedaref, Kassala province. The mountains just outside Kassala are pretty spectacular. If I were young, free and single I would return tomorrow.”

More from the Blue Nile and Nuba mountains

The Guardian's going big on the Sudans this week, including music from Nuba Mtns/Blue Nile refugees, which is great: http://t.co/kOlPQSGMXz

If you liked Hajooj Kuka’s documentary, Beats of the Antonov, you can find out about the Nuba Mountains region from Guardian Africa network partners the Nuba Reports – one of the only media groups able to operate in the area.

In this film, they gain rare footage filmed by soldiers on both sides of the conflict, giving an insight intoone of the world’s most under-reported wars.

Documenting South Sudan’s civil war

Photographer Toby Richards sent us a photos of a trip to Juba last July. The first shot was taken from a makeshift runway in Bentiu as he was waiting to fly home, there had been a storm, the runway was flooded and the only way out was by UN helicopter.

His second photo shows the remnants of a crashed relief plane on a makeshift runaway in Juba. It had quickly became a playground for the kids that lived nearby.

South Sudan’s first national theatre

Stephen Greenberg got in touch to tell us about a project he was involved in which started as a plan to curate a national museum for the world’s youngest nation but ended up as a plan for a theatre. They felt there was a more immediate need to build a strong sense of society through drama.

Working with Jok Madut Jok, the under-secretary for culture, they drew up plans for a large contemporary version of a Tuku, a traditional home made of mud. The plans have been approved by the cabinet but since put on hold during the civil war. Greenberg is hopeful that the building will begin when the fighting dies down.