Darfur: The Facts

Darfur: The Facts

Name(s): ___________________________________________________________

The following information covers the events in Darfur through April 2005. Students should conduct further research using the Darfur: Internet Links & Sources handout in order to obtain the most current information concerning the situation in Darfur.

Displacement

Since 2003, ethnic populations of Darfur (Fur and Masali), have been consistently attacked by Arab militias (Janjaweed), enlisted by the Arab-ruled Sudanese government to burn villages and homes, massacre civilians and children, torture inhabitants, and rape both women and girls in an effort to "ethnically cleanse" Sudan of its ethnic population. Both the Janjaweed and the ethnic groups targeted are Muslim, but the Arab militias have destroyed mosques and killed Muslim leaders in order to intimidate and destroy all aspects of the lives of ethnic peoples in Darfur.³

The conflict between the ethnic and Arab groups dates back to the 1950s, but violence escalated in February 2003 when two ethnic rebel groups (the Sudan Liberation Army and the Justice Equality Movement) sought to equalize power and economic access for ethnic people in Sudan - the largest country in Africa with a total population of approximately 39 million, of which 52% are ethnic, and 39% are Arab. In an effort to suppress the actions of these two rebel groups, the Sudanese government waged a campaign of terror and violence specifically targeting civilian communities in the region of Darfur, leaving thousands murdered, and village after village decimated. ⁴

Since February 2003, up to 200,000 people are estimated to have died in Darfur, and up to 2 million people have been driven from their homes. Of the approximately 2 million displaced, nearly 200,000 have escaped to the neighboring country of Chad. ⁵

Devastation & Destruction

Over the last two years, thousands of civilians in the Darfur region have been killed or "disappeared" (kidnapped or stolen), millions have fled to refugee and internally displaced persons camps, land and villages have been ruined, all sources of supplies, food and water have been pillaged or destroyed, and women and children have been systematically raped or enslaved by government militias.

Most of the refugees and displaced persons from Darfur have lost whatever livestock or belongings they may have had before the government air strikes and the mass looting of the government-backed Janjaweed. Many have not survived the hundreds of miles it takes to reach a refugee or displaced persons camp. ⁶

The Committee on Conscience of the United States Holocaust Memorial Museum has declared for the first time since its existence that there is a "genocide emergency" in the Sudan, citing the following as evidence:

"The Committee's warning is based on the following government actions:

A divide-to-destroy strategy of pitting ethnic groups against each other, with enormous loss of civilian life
The use of mass starvation as a weapon of destruction
Toleration of the enslavement of women and children by government-allied militias
The incessant bombing of hospitals, clinics, schools and other civilian and humanitarian targets
Disruption and destabilization of the communities of those who flee the war zones to other parts of Sudan
Widespread persecution on account of race, ethnicity and religion." ⁷

Delivery of Aide

Agencies such as UNICEF, Doctors Without Borders, and USAID have been providing food, water and medical supplies to the scattered camps located in Darfur and neighboring Chad. However, there is still severe malnutrition, poor sanitation, poor healthcare and a lack of shelter in the camps as a result of the continuous interruption of humanitarian aide by the Janjaweed and the Sudanese government. In addition, the Sudanese government has limited media and national press reports on the situation in Darfur to block information to the outside world community. ⁸

Children in particular fall prey to high rates of famine and disease in the camps. In the wake of the war, there has been a resurgence of diseases like polio, which was completely eradicated in Sudan in 2001, but now has infected more than 10,000 Sudanese according to health professional estimates⁹ In addition, women and girls are at grave risk when gathering firewood outside the camps because they are frequently attacked, beheaded, stabbed or raped by the Janjaweed patrols. ¹⁰

As stated by representatives of USAID, "USAID has put over one billion dollars in humanitarian assistance into Sudan since 1989….On May 3, 2001, President Bush appointed USAID Administrator, Andrew Natsios, as the U.S. Special Humanitarian Coordinator for Sudan. His main agenda has been greater humanitarian access for all of Sudan. In September, former Senator Danforth was appointed the U.S. Special Envoy for Peace to Sudan. In the initial phase of U.S. engagement under the Special Envoy, the humanitarian and political agendas have intertwined. The success of these efforts led to negotiations between the Government of Sudan and the Sudan People's Liberation Movement on a comprehensive framework agreement for peace. It has also added to increased stability with international monitoring." ¹¹

Latest Developments

In September 2004, the United States went on record to declare that the atrocities in Darfur amounted to "genocide". In general, however, the international community has not applied maximum pressure on the Sudanese government to end acts of violence against civilian populations in Darfur.

Sanctions by the United Nations have not been imposed against Sudan for its attacks on civilians. Sanctions would include a travel ban for senior government leaders, freezing assets of overseas companies controlled by the government, or prosecuting those that committed atrocities towards civilians. In addition, divisions and veto threats within the United Nations Security Council have prevented the release of a strong international resolution to the crisis in Darfur. ¹²

A comprehensive peace agreement was signed by the Sudanese government and rebel groups in Nairobi, Kenya on January 9, 2005, although neither side agreed to disband their militias. Even though the Sudanese government still emphatically denies any involvement or connection to the Janjaweed, attacks on villages in Darfur have abated since the peace agreement was signed. ¹³ There have been reports, however, of government bombing and forced relocation of civilians by the Sudanese police forces, since the signing of the peace agreement. ¹⁴

As part of the cease fire, the African Union (AU) pledged a peacekeeping force of over 3,000 troops to protect civilians and ensure the successful implementation of the peace agreement. Unfortunately, due to the slow arrival of African troops and problems in garnering support from Western countries, there were less than 2,000 personnel on the ground as of March 2005. ¹⁵ This lack of presence by the AU threatens the adherence to the peace process, and keeps the lives of civilians in danger of continued attacks.

Questions we still have?

³"Darfur Destroyed", Human Rights Watch, http://hrw.org/reports/2004/sudan0504/sudan0504simple.pdf
⁴"Darfur Destroyed", Human Rights Watch, http://hrw.org/reports/2004/sudan0504/sudan0504simple.pdf
⁵"Violence and Suffering in Sudan's Darfur Region", Save Darfur, http://www.savedarfur.org
⁶"SUDAN: The Quick and the Terrible, January 2005", PBS Frontline World, http://www.pbs.org/frontlineworld/stories/sudan/facts.html
⁷"Sudan: South/Nuba Mtns Overview", US Holocaust Memorial Museum Committee on Conscience,
⁸"Violence and Suffering in Sudan's Darfur Region", Save Darfur,
⁹"Violence and Suffering in Sudan's Darfur Region", Save Darfur,
¹⁰"Violence and Suffering in Sudan's Darfur Region", Save Darfur,
¹¹A Reinvigorated Commitment", USAID: Sudan,
¹²"Darfur: The Failure to Protect", International Crisis Group, Africa Report No. 89, March 8, 2005
¹³"Historic Sudan peace accord signed", CNN World,
¹⁴"Violence and Suffering in Sudan's Darfur Region", Save Darfur,
¹⁵"Darfur: The Failure to Protect", International Crisis Group, Africa Report No. 89, March 8, 2005