1. Darfur

2. A Background of Sudan Independence from Egypt and Britain in 1956
Capital: Khartoum
Population: 39,379,358
Islamic Law in North, South still deciding
Government: National Congress Party (NCP)
Agriculture is 80% of work force
Oil is one of their biggest exports

3. Life Expectancy: 49.11 years
Ethnicities: Black African: 52%, Arab: 39%, Beja: 6%, Foreigners: 2%, Other: 1%
Religions: Sunni Muslim: 70% (north), Christian: 5% (south and Khartoum), Indigenous Beliefs: 25%

4. Darfur- “Land of the Fur”
Darfur is a region in Sudan
Everyone “black”
Each tribe names themselves
“African” or “Arab” based on
language and culture(Sudanic
languages and other
dialects or Arabic)
Inhabited by Fur, Zaghawa,
Masalit tribes

5. Political Background
Omar al-Bashir (President) came to power in 1989 by Islamist backed coup
Born in Northern Sudan
Joined Sudanese armed forces in 1960
Introduced Sharia law to Sudan which is opposed by Christians and rebels in south
His coup prevented signing of peace treaty with SPLM (Sudanese People’s Liberation Movement) which would have allowed secular law and opposed Sharia law
Set up National Congress Party
Omar al-Bashir

6. The Beginning of the Crisis
2003 Sudanese rebels try to overthrow government
In response Sudanese government hire about 2000 Janjaweed
Janjaweed attack “black” farmers in Darfur
Sudanese rebel groups- Sudan Liberation Movement (SLM), Sudan Liberation Army (SLA), Justice and Equality Movement (JEM), fight back
Government denies connections with Janjaweed
Documents and investigators have proof that the government armed and financed the Janjaweed
Hejewa Adam, a rebel

7. Janjaweed “Devil on Horseback”
Derived from “Abala” (Arab camel herding nomads who migrated to Darfur from Chad and West Africa also from Arab camel herding tribes from North Darfur)
Arab militia (civilian military that is well trained and called upon in emergency)
Attack “black” farmers in Darfur by raping women, killing people, and burning villages

8. Reasons for Conflict
Government: One of Sudan’s biggest exports is oil, government wants the “black” farmers land for oil
Some argue that government are taking part in ethnic cleansing
Japan, China and South Korea are Sudan’s largest consumers of their oil
France gets oil from Chad which travels through Darfur
Arab nomads are pastoralists some of whom are Janjaweed
-They are running out of land due to desertification
-They want the “black” farmers’ land and water
Black African Women
Sudanese Arab