Sudanese Genocide …

Basic Facts of Darfur  Roughly the size of Texas  Divided into three states  Approximately 6 million people lived in this region before crisis started in 2003

Race 50% black or African 40% Arab 10% other Religion 70% Sunni Muslim 5% Christian 25% traditional belief systems

Main Ethnic Groups in Darfur  Fur, Massaleet & Zaghawa African farmers African farmers  Nomadic Arabs survival travelers

Centuries of Darfur Land Tensions  Ethic African farmers and nomadic Arabs have a conflict of interest when it comes to land and grazing rights of Darfur. Fur, Massaleet & Zaghawa vs. Nomadic Arabs

Genocide Players 1. Sudanese Gov’t – Arab system of rule led by Omar Al-Bashir and a few other elite members Al-Bashir and a few other elite members - Supports/ enforces an Islamic Front for Sudan

Islamic Front  It supports the maintenance of an Islamic state run on sharia and rejects the concept of a secular state

2. Janjaweed Devils on horseback  Arab militia  Bandits  Racist ideologues  Said to be backed by the gov’t  Motivation: take land & livestock

3. Rebels  Sudanese African ethnic groups Members of the 3 main African ethnic groups Members of the 3 main African ethnic groups Some former gov’t soldiers Some former gov’t soldiers  SPLA Sudanese People’s Liberation Army Sudanese People’s Liberation Army  JEM Justice and Equality Movement Justice and Equality Movement

Early 15 th Century to 20 th Century  Darfur was a prosperous independent kingdom for the people of the Fur tribe  Fur leaders (sultans) extended their kingdom southward from the Sahara

1899  Colonialism put boarders on Sudan’s diverse geography.  Britain takes the South  Egypt takes the North  Result: Two regions developed unique cultural and religious characteristics

Egyptian North Egyptians encouraged the spread of Islamic values British South The British developed a “Southern Policy” to reduce Islam’s influence. They also encouraged Christian missionaries to work and promote the English language.

1916  British gov’t extends its control to include Darfur and the land ruled by the sultans  A so-called “Native Administration” ( backed by the British ) loosely controlled Darfur at this time.

1945 End of WWII  British gov’t withdraws from Sudan  North & South are reconnected  British give control to northern elites they replace British administration in south they replace British administration in south  People of Darfur & southerners become suspicious of any central authority in Khartoum (capital of Sudan)

1955  Battle lines are drawn just before Sudan’s independence was granted on Jan. 1, 1956  Christian-Muslim civil war begins Sudan’s first civil war Sudan’s first civil war

1972  Peace agreement (Addis Ababa) is signed  Islamists renege on the peace agreement after a large oil supply was found in the south  Gov’t steals oil proceeds from the south and plans to pipeline oil from the south to the north

1983  Southerners express their frustration with northern soldiers that were stationed in the south  Jan.- Gov’t gets worried and orders the southern-based battalion to abandon their weapons and redeploy to the north  May- Gov’t sends troops to attack insubordinate troops & the insubordinate troops flee to Ethiopia where SPLA is formed Sudan People’s Liberation Army

1983  Addis Ababa agreement is completely annulled by gov’t  South is completely under northern gov’t control Arabic is now south’s official language Arabic is now south’s official language “September Laws” transform Sudan into a Islamic state “September Laws” transform Sudan into a Islamic state Islamic Sharia Law is reinstated = non-Muslims subjected to harsh penalties Islamic Sharia Law is reinstated = non-Muslims subjected to harsh penalties  Civil War breaks out again

1989  Both sides (gov’t & SPLA) realize that a total victory would be nearly impossible  Rebels (SPLA) take control and put a civilian gov’t into place  June 30 th Omar al-Bashir takes control after a military coup Reinstates the Islamic Law Reinstates the Islamic Law

Islamic Front  Application of Sharia Law  Uses Islamic sloganeering  State sponsored brutality  Systematic hoarding of wealth and power by elites usually in state capital  Endless violent campaign to silence a deprived and angry population

 al-Bashir gov’t Cracks down on opposition political parties Cracks down on opposition political parties Abolishes parliament Abolishes parliament Bans opposition political parties Bans opposition political parties Arrests opposition political leaders Arrests opposition political leaders Non-Muslims were forced to convert Non-Muslims were forced to convert Clamps down on press Clamps down on press Anyone who posed a threat to Islamists faced arbitrary detention, torture and/or deathAnyone who posed a threat to Islamists faced arbitrary detention, torture and/or death

 Violence Escalates in an Already Tense Region of Sudan

Feb  Two rebel groups in Darfur attack an airport (killing 75) as a protest against years of neglect and suppression  2 groups accused the gov’t of favoring Arabs and oppressing Africans oppress- to burden with cruel or unjust impositions or restraints; subject to a burdensome or harsh exercise of authority or power *

Government’s Response  Gov’t army strikes down on uprising in the Darfur region of Sudan  Most attacks began before dawn Gov’t dropped crude bombs on villages as the people slept Gov’t dropped crude bombs on villages as the people slept Then gov’t troops and Janjaweed fighters sweep into the village for a chaotic aftermath Then gov’t troops and Janjaweed fighters sweep into the village for a chaotic aftermath

According to the Gov’t  Gov’t admits to mobilizing “self- defense militias” following the rebel attacks  Gov’t denies an link to Arab Janjaweed militia who are accused of trying to drive out black Africans from large strips of land

What Has Happened to Darfur’s Civilians?

Destruction / Theft  Arson Over 400 villages have been destroyed Over 400 villages have been destroyed  Poisoning of wells  Looting Livestock Livestock Anything of value Anything of value

Rape  Members of the Janjaweed militia rape women and adolescent girls.  The militia often tells the women that they will give birth to Arab children.

Displacement  Janjaweed drive survivors into the desert.  Members of the Fur, Massaleet & Zaghawa tribes become refugees at camps in Darfur and Chad.  Approximately 2.7 million people have been displaced

Displacement  Living conditions at refugee camps  Sand storms at camp

Murder  Gov’t bombs kill anyone in the area where they are dropped.  Janjaweed mainly target men and adolescent boys.  Approximately 500,000 people have been killed.

March 2004  UN officers report that systematic killings on villagers are taking place.

NEVER AGAIN?

History  1820 – Sudan conquered by Turkey & Egypt Egypt  1881 – Sudanese people rebel  1882 – British Invade  1885 – Islamic state is founded  1889 – Sudan governed by British-Egyptian rule  1955 – Revolt = Christian-Muslim civil war

Independence  Sudan gains independence  Military coup = civilian gov’t removed  southern civil war breaks out  people of Sudan rebel / national gov’t is formed formed  Jaafar Numeiri comes to power by a coup  Peace Agreement is signed by Numeiri = southern Sudan is now partly self-governed southern Sudan is now partly self-governed

Ingredients for War  Large oil findings in southern Sudan Sudan  Numieri introduces Islamic Sharia law = civil war with Christian south with Christian south  Numieri is overthrown  civilian gov’t is made to restore peace  Al-Bashir and his Islamic Front (NIC) take power

US Attack on Sudan  US assumed WMD development = missile attack development = missile attack  internal struggle in gov’t leads to arrest of ideological leader who is arrest of ideological leader who is making peace attempts with SPLA making peace attempts with SPLA

New Hope For Peace  Jan ceasefire between gov’t and SPLA SPLA  Jul. 20, gov’t & SPLA sign to end war war  Jul. 31, gov’t attack SPLA again  Oct ceasefire confirmed again