The Darfur Conflict was in Darfur and Sudan in February 2003. The Sudan Liberation Army, Justice, and Equality Movement in Darfur took arms up. They accused the government of holding down Africans in favoring Arabs. One side was composed mainly of Sudanese military and Janjaweed, a Sudanese militia group. They were recruited mostly from Afro-Arab Abbala tribes. They were of the northern Rizeigat region in Sudan, the tribes are mainly camel herding nomads. The other side was made up of rebel groups like the Sudan Liberation Movement/Army and Justice and Equality Movement. They were recruited from the non-Arab Muslim Fur, Zaghawa, and Masalit ethnic groups. The Sudanese government, publically denying that it supports Janjaweed, was accused of providing financial assistance to the militia. They also participated in joint attacks targeting civilians. The government has also been accused of tampering with evidence, like trying to cover up mass graves. They arrested and harassed journalist, limiting the extent of press coverage of the situation.
The United States government has described the conflict as genocide. The United Nations haven’t recognized it as genocide yet though. On January 31 the United Nations wrote 176 page report saying while there were mass murders and rapes of Darfurian civilians. Therefore they cannot label the atrocities as genocide because genocidal intent appears to be missing. Many activists however refer to the crisis in Darfur as genocide.In May 2006 the Sudan Liberation Movement/Army led by Minni Minnawi signed a peace agreement with the Sudanese government. The SLM led by Abdul Wahid al Nur, refrained from signing the agreement.
Comments