THE DARFUR CONFLICT A HUMANITARIAN DISASTER

KEY FIGURES… 400,000 people died 2 million have been driven from their homes

TABLE OF CONTENTS… Geography Background Chronology of facts International response Conclusion

GEOGRAPHY 3 tribes: The Fur The Masalit The Zaghawa

BACKGROUND… Inequity between the center of the country (regions along the Nile) and the rest of the country such as Darfur Environmental disaster Political opportunism Regional geopolitics

BACKGROUND… Early 15th century: establishment of a sultanate which gave Islam the status of « state religion » Conquest by the Turco-Egyptian force expanding along the Nile defeated by another self-proclaimed state called « Mahdi » Mahdist state collapsed under the onslaught of the British force: creation of a British-Egyptian condominium Autonomy of Darfur until 1916: incorporation to Sudan Nile valley received the bulk of British investment Arab-African dichotomy

BACKGROUND… Interactions between Sudan, Lybia and Chad Establishment of Darfur as a rear base (decided by Sudanese preseident) : famine Civil war

BACKGROUND… In 2003 : Government Janjaweed Militia (the leader is the former officer of the Sudanese army) Justice Equality Movement (JEM) associated with the Fur, Masalit and a clan of Zaghawa Sudan Liberation Movement (SLM) associated with another clan of Zaghawa Sudanese armies bombed the villages of Darfur

CHRONOLOGY OF FACTS… April 2004: ceasefire declared between the Sudanese government and JEM and SLM Kofi ANAN: « the risk of genocide is frighteningly real in Darfur May 2006: agreement signed by the Sudanese governement and the faction of the SLA (Sudan Liberation Army=the military branch of the SLM) but rejected by the JEM and a rival faction of the SLA.

CHRONOLOGY OF FACTS… July-August 2006: fighting started again – Kofi Anan suggested to bring a force of 17,000 international peacekeepers to replace the African Union force of 7,000 Sudan opposed August 24 th : UNSC meeting with its plan of sending 10,000 Sudanese soldiers instead ot the proposed 20,000 peacekeeping force but Sudan refused to attend this meeting

CHRONOLOGY OF FACTS… August 31 st : UNSC resolution to send a new peacekeeping force of 20,000 strong opposition of Sudan September 5 th : Sudan wants the AU to leave the region. The AU mandates expires on September 30th but might remain passed the deadline October-November: deterioration of the situation which extend to Chad and the Central African Republic. Vote for the extension of the UN mission in Sudan until April 30 th 2007.

INTERNATIONAL RESPONSE… Beginning with reports of Amnesty International and the International Crisis Group Medias cover the events since 2004 September 2004: the UNSC calls for a Commission of Inquiry (Resolution 1564) « genocidal intent appears to be missing » March 2005: UNSC refers to the International Criminal Court In 2006: criticism of the international response, great powers have different interests in Sudan. Oil-bearing interests of the USA, Great Britain, China…

CONCLUSION… The interests of great powers seems to be an obstacle The right of interference is questionned