I'm pretty well voiced in current events, and yet I have a confession to make. I really hadn't a clue about Darfur. I knew the "what": Genocide. However, I didn't know the "who" "why" "when" "how long" or any other details. Tonight, I don't offer you political commentary and opinion - you already can gather that I think genocide is horribly wrong and we should do something about it. This blog isn't about the 'do something about it' crowd. I just want to provide some links and basic facts - Darfur for Dummies, say - to assist us in educating ourselves about this. We can't save the world. We can't fix every problem. We CAN use eduction and historical study to arm ourselves with the knowledge we need to prevent or help stop these atrocities. Without further comment:
The very basics about Darfur from darfuraustralia.org:
Darfur for Dummies
Confused by the complexity of the situation and the information out there?
What is Darfur?
Darfur is the western region of Sudan, Africa. Darfur is not a country in itself. The region was home to about 6 million people and is about the size of France.
Where is Darfur?
Who lives in Darfur?
Darfur is home to racially mixed tribes of settled peasants, who identify as African, and nomadic herders, who identify as Arab. The majority of people in both groups are Muslim.
What is happening in Darfur?
The situation is very complicated but it can be summarised in brief. Government neglect has left the people throughout Sudan poor and voiceless. In February 2003, the non-Arab ethnic groups of Darfur launched an uprising against the Kartoum government. The government responded by implementing their campaign of genocide, enlisting the help of Arab militia in Darfur called the Janjaweed.
The dispute is racial, not religious: Muslim Arab Sudanese are killing Muslim black Sudanese.
Who are the Janjaweed?
The Janjaweed are the armed militia supported by the Sudanese Government to carry out the genocide, alongside and independent of, the Sudanese Army.
How is the violence being conducted?
A typical situation is this: The Janjaweed will enter a village on horse or camel back. They then set about causing as much mayhem and terror as possible: destroying houses and buildings, shooting the men, gang raping the women and children and shooting any who try to escape. The village is generally destroyed, families dispersed and separated, most killed. Those who manage to escape then attempt the long journey to an IDP (Internally displaced persons) camp.
Essentially however, there are now very few functioning villages left in the Darfur region as most of them have been systematically attacked in this way. Google Earth and the United States Holocaust Memorial Museum have collaborated to let you see the destruction for yourself. You can zoom in on destroyed villages, houses and schools and see exactly the damage that is being done. Visit: http://www.ushmm.org/googleearth/projects/darfur/
Who has been affected so far?
Up to 400,000 people have died due as a result of direct attacks and conflict induced malnutrition and disease. The vast majority of these have been women, children and civilian men.
More than 3 million people have been displaced and are living in IDP camps
More than 350,000 people are deprived of humanitarian support due to the threat of attack faced by aid workers. Thousands starve each month due to the Sudanese government impeding humanitarian aid efforts
A further 4 million Darfuri residents are dependant on limited international humanitarian assistance. The violence is now spilling onto neighbouring Eastern Chad.
Why is the situation allowed to continue?
Although the Sudanese Government have committed to allowing a 26,000 strong peacekeeper force into the region they have continually showed their contempt for the people of Darfur. This shows a blatant disregard by the Sudanese Government of UN Security Council Resolution 1674, which gives the international community the 'Responsibility to Protect' civilians from genocide when governments fail to do so.
Amnesty Interntional provides detailed, specialized reports here.
You can help or get in touch with those who want to at savedarfur.org.
Hmm..you make me want to write "United Nations 101"
I'll go with that. SSTM and I are generally on the same side.
This is a VERY sad story and EXACTLY the kind of situation the UN was chartered to help avoid. But, we have had several situation identical to this in Africa. Whreas the United Nations DID intervene in Yugoslavia/Bosnia, they did practically NOTHING here or in any other African conflicts. The list is very long if you go back to the 60's.
The Black-African population is under attack by the Arab-African population. I believe you two simply have a semantical disagreement.
Is semantical a word? It is now.
Perhaps I should clarify.
The Sudanese government (through their inaction) and the Janjaweed (through their genocidal war to exterminate all non-Arabs)have basically already accomplished their goal. The African (not Arab)population of Sudan, most of whom lived in Darfur, have been exterminated or forced to flee to Chad.
If I am wrong, somebody please let me know.
Thanks for this article, it is great to bring light to this situation that is rarely talked about. Just south of the Sudan in the Congo there is a tribe of Batwa Pygmies that my Church has been working with. This is very near to my heart...
"At this point, most of the African population has been killed or run out of the country."
Huh?? You mean only the Chinese are left?
And as for fighting each other, Muslims have no monopoly. Christians do a bang-up job of it themselves, among others.
Funny how every time you turn around you've got muslims fighting and killing other muslims.
This is a matter for the United Nations. We are too busy elsewhere. The UN has done NOTHING, continues to do NOTHING, And in the future will do....NOTHING.
I have been following this human tragedy for several years. At this point, most of the African population has been killed or run out of the country. Several million live now in Chad in crude refugee centers, thousands dying every day. Most of the housing, food and medicine come from the U.S, and private donors. The REST OF THE WORLD is doing practically nothing.