The situation in Sudan and Chad is “the largest and most complex humanitarian problem on the globe,” according to the United Nations.
Since 2003, the Sudanese government and its proxy militia, the Janjaweed, have waged a vicious campaign against the people of Darfur, in Sudan’s Western region, and in neighboring Chad. Several hundred thousand people have been killed or seriously injured. More than two million people have been displaced and live in displaced-persons camps in Sudan or in refugee camps in Chad and more than 3.5 million people are reliant on international aid for survival.
The conflict in Darfur is rooted in long-term disputes over resources between farmers and herders. This conflict grew out of opposition to the Sudanese government by two rebel groups, the Sudan Liberation Army (SLA) and the Justice and Equality Movement (JEM), which primarily draw their support from the Fur, Masalit and Zaghawa ethnic groups. The stated political aim of the SLA and the JEM has been to compel the government of Sudan to address underdevelopment and the political marginalization of non-Arabs in Darfur. In response, the Sudanese government’s regular armed forces and a government-sponsored militia known as the Janjaweed – largely composed of fighters of Arab background – have targeted civilian populations suspected of supporting the rebels.
UN resolutions threatening the Khartoum government with sanctions have not been implemented and six rounds of peace talks over almost two years have failed to resolve the crisis.
The seventh round of peace talks in Abuja, Nigeria finally resulted in the Sudanese government and a faction of the SLA, led by Minni Minawi, signing the Darfur Peace Agreement (DPA) on May 5, 2006. The DPA is comprised of concrete steps to be taken by the parties with regard to security, power-sharing, and wealth-sharing arrangements. The DPA also provides for the establishment of a local Darfur peace and reconciliation process called the Darfur-Darfur Dialogue and Consultation (DDDC). The JEM and other factions within the SLA have refused to sign the agreement, claiming it fails to adequately compensate victims of the conflict and does not provide sufficient guarantees with regard to Janjaweed disarmament.
Since the Agreement, there has been increased violence including credible allegations of torture and attacks on civilians by both signatories of the agreement. This violence has made it dangerous, if not impossible, for most of the millions of displaced persons to return to their homes.
There is a broad range of opinion as to whether vigilant adherence to the steps and deadlines within the DPA present the best possible framework for peace or that the DPA is fundamentally flawed or impractical without full endorsement by all the parties.
Facts about Darfur
Where is Darfur?
Sudan is the largest country in Africa and is located in east Africa. Darfur is in the western region of Sudan and shares a border with Chad. The capital of Sudan is Khartoum.
How big is Darfur?
Darfur is about the size of Texas.
Who are the victims and the attackers?
The victims come mostly from ethnic groups and tribes that identify themselves as non-Arab, while the attackers come mostly from ethnic groups that identify themselves as Arab. The attackers are mostly government forces and their militia, called the Janjaweed (“devil on a horse” in Arabic), though recently non-Arab rebel groups have been attacking villages in areas controlled by other rebel groups. The victims in Darfur are Muslim, as are the attackers.
What are the tactics used?
The Janjaweed and Sudanese military, paramilitary, and police have employed a wide range of tactics against the civilian population of Darfur. These include aerial bombings with planes and helicopters, heavy shelling by tanks and other artillery, ground attacks with small arms on foot, on camels and horseback, the bulldozing and burning of villages, arrests and extrajudicial execution, kidnapping, torture, and rape.
Rape has also been used as a weapon in attacks on civilians both in villages and in IDP and refugee camps. Rape victims suffer not only trauma and the physical effects of rape, but also harassment, and intimidation. When a pregnancy results from the rape, women and girls also sometimes face criminal charges.
What caused the conflict?
Darfur lies between two deserts, with little land that can sustain life. Competition has long existed between nomadic grazers (largely associated with Arabs) and settled farmers (largely associated with non-Arabs). Until recently the conflicts between the two groups were largely resolved through mediation. However, these traditional approaches were undermined when President Omar Al-Bashir seized power and instituted policies perceived to be pro-Arab.
How many have been killed?
In March 2006, the New York Times reported that more than 200,000 people have been killed. Other estimates range from 180,000 to 400,000.
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