Sudan
The republic Sudan is a country in northeastern Africa, bordered by Egypt, Eritrea, Ethiopia, Central African Republic, Libya, and South Sudan. Sudan is one of the least economically developed countries. It used to be the largest country in Africa and the Middle East, before the country split in 2011, in Sudan and South Sudan. They have a population of 30.894.000. The official language is Arabic, and the dominant religion is Islam, whereas, in South Sudan, it’s Christianity and animism. The country is governed by Omar Al-Bashir
History of Sudan
Since its Independence in 1956, Sudan has been part of many economic, political and economic conflicts, one of which led to the division of the country in 2011, due to the conflict between the North and South of Sudan, which has religious differences, the Islamic north and the Christian and indigenous religious South. While there have been many conflicts in Sudan, this report will be about the conflict in and around Darfur.
What is going on?
First of all, In 2003, the Sudan Liberation Movement/Army (SLM/A) and the Justice and Equality movement (JEM) rebel groups started fighting against the Sudanese government in Khartoum, the capital of Sudan. Like the South, the rebel groups in Darfur accused the Khartoum government of politically and economically discriminating the non-Arab population of the region. In response, Khartoum armed the nomadic Arabs, mostly the Baggara people, in order to create the Janjaweed, a militia to fight the non-Arab Fur and Zaghawa people of Darfur.
The 2006 Darfur Peace Agreement (DPA) splintered the SLM/A into two factions; the SLM/A-Minni Minawi faction that signed the DPA, and the SLM/A-Al Nour faction that, like the JEM, refused to sign. The agreement failed, and a UN and African Union peacekeeping force (UNAMID) was deployed in Darfur in 2008.
In 2009 the International Criminal Court indicted President Bashir on counts of war crimes and crimes against humanity, with three counts of genocide later added. In 2010, another peace process followed, leading to the 2011 Doha Document for Peace in Darfur, signed by the Government of Sudan and the Liberation and Justice Movement. However, neither the SLM/A or JEM signed. Therefore, this agreement also failed to halt the violence.
Origins of the conflict in Darfur
There are a couple of different explanations for the conflict in Darfur. One of the explanations states that the conflict is caused by a disagreement over the control of land between the practitioner of sedentary agriculture and the semi-nomadic livestock herders. Another explanation for the conflict is water access. Yet, another explanation for the conflict is related to another conflict in Sudan: the civil war. A civil war, that broke out in 1962, has been raging for a few decades now between African Christians and animists from the South and the Arab-dominated government. This last explanation is a conflict between the Khartoum-based national government and two rebel groups from Darfur: The JAM and SLA/M.
Consequences of the conflict in Darfur.
The Darfur conflict has already caused 200,000 deaths and over two million refugees, which about ten percent of them find refuge in the neighboring Chad. Many of these refugees have to leave the camps, as they are quickly getting overcrowded, and no longer have the ability to accept new refugees.
The civil war in Sudan came to an end in 2002. In that year, a cease-fire was declared, a peace agreement established and the petroleum sales would be divided evenly between the southern tribes and the central government.
It soon turned out that this agreement was a breeding ground for a new conflict. Rebels from the southern tribes found that oil revenues were distributed unfairly. The Arab tribes would be favored by the government. Two rebel organizations that fight for the interests of the South are The Justice and Equality Movement (JEM) and the Sudan Liberation Movement / Army (SLM/A).
International Influence
Because Darfur has a long history of conflicts, this is just a short timeline of the events that occurred from 2003 until 2012:
- 2003: The conflict sparks between the Government of Sudan and rebels in the Darfur region of western Sudan, while peace talks between southern rebels and the Government of Sudan about the Second Sudanese war are almost done.
- 2004: As the Darfur conflict continues, there is increased international attention towards the humanitarian crisis that is unfolding. The United States characterizes the conflict as genocide and multiple United Nations Security Council resolutions are passed concerning the conflict.
- 2005: On January 9, the Government of Sudan and the SPLM/A sign the Comprehensive Peace Agreement to end the decades-long Second Sudanese Civil War and the United Nations Security Council refers the case of Darfur to the International Criminal Court (ICC).
- 2006: The ongoing conflict and regular attacks continue to threaten security, even in refugee camps, and cause civilian displacement. Another round of peace talks begins and result in the Darfur Peace Agreement (DPA), however, this agreement is again not signed by all Darfur rebel groups.
- 2007: This year sees increased violence between the Government of Sudan and rebel groups, raising international concerns and leading to the expansion of peacekeeping operations in Sudan and in neighboring countries. The ICC issues its first arrest warrants for crimes committed in Darfur.
- 2008: Despite UNAMID obtaining official peacekeeping authority, full deployment of the authorized 26,000 troops is slow and attacks continue throughout the region. A coup attempt in Chad brings regional instability.
- 2009: The ICC issues an arrest warrant for President Omar al-Bashir on charges of war crimes and crimes against humanity in Darfur.
- 2010: Refugee numbers had remained steady throughout 2009, but the need for continued humanitarian support for Darfur refugees remains high throughout 2010. A weak peace accord is signed between the Government of Sudan and JEM in March.
- 2011: The population of Southern Sudan votes overwhelmingly in favor of secession from Sudan, allowing South Sudan to become the world’s newest nation in July. The Government of Sudan and a newly-formed rebel coalition sign the Doha Document for Peace in Darfur (DDPD).
- 2012: As the DDPD is implemented with limited success, violence in Darfur continues and conditions in refugee camps start deteriorating.
Steps that have been made to solve the conflict
A couple attempts to achieve peace were already made but have failed. On 8 September 2006, the head of the United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees said that Darfur was facing a “humanitarian catastrophe”. The envoy of Sudan in the European Union claimed that there were civilians being bombed by the army of Sudan. Also, it was reported that food aid has been blocked from reaching 335.000 people. On 14 September 2006, the leader of the SLA/M rejected the UN peacekeeping force and claimed it would be a western invasion.
On 17 November 2006, a report for a “compromise peacekeeping force” was announced, but later would appear to have been canceled by Sudan.