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The Darfur conflict is an ongoing conflict in the Darfur region of western Sudan, mainly between the Janjaweed, a militia group recruited from local Baggara tribes, and the non-Baggara peoples (mostly tribes of small farmers) of the region. The Sudanese government, while publicly denying that it supported the Janjaweed, provided arms and assistance and has participated in joint attacks with the group. The conflict began in February 2003.

Estimates of deaths in the conflict have ranged from 50,000 (World Health Organization, September 2004) to 450,000 (Dr. Eric Reeves, 28 April 2006). Most NGOs use 400,000, a figure from the Coalition for International Justice. See the first section for more information.

The conflict has been described by mass media as "ethnic cleansing" and "genocide"; the Bush Administration and U.S. Congress have declared it to be genocide, though the United Nations has declined to do so.

Although the large majority of resultant refugees are non-Baggara Africans fleeing Baggara Janjaweed attacks, Breaking Darfur's stereotypes (BBC) 13 October, 2004 there are also Baggara victims and non-Baggara perpetrators. In addition, both sides speak Arabic, are largely black in skin tone, and the distinction between "Arab" and "non-Arab" common in Western media is heavily disputed by many people, including the Sudanese government. Moreover, these labels have been criticized for describing the conflict as one of purely racial motivations, where some experts instead attribute the causes to competition between farmers and nomadic cattle-herders who compete for scarce resources.

While there seems to be a general consensus in the international community that ethnic groups have been targeted and that crimes against humanity have therefore occurred, there has been much debate about whether genocide has taken place. According to the BBC, article of May 7, 2006, "a UN investigation team sent to Sudan said that while war crimes had been committed, there had been no intent to commit genocide.” Nevertheless, several non-governmental organizations and representatives of the United States government choose to use the word "genocide" for what has taken place in Darfur. As yet, no international governmental body has chosen to use the term "genocide" to describe what is taking place in Darfur.

Quantifying the number of deaths

Accurate numbers of dead have been difficult to attain, partly because the Sudanese government routinely intimidates and censors journalists attempting to cover the conflict. Sudan Annual Report 2004 Reporters Without Borders 2004

In September 2004, the World Health Organization (WHO) estimated there had been 50,000 deaths in Darfur since the beginning of the conflict, an 18-month period, mostly due to starvation. An updated estimate the following month put the number of deaths for the 6-month period from March to October 2004 due to starvation and disease at 70,000. These figures were criticized, because they only considered short periods and didn't include violent deaths. How many have died in Darfur? By Russell Smith (BBC) 16 February, 2005 A more recent British Parliamentary Report has estimated that over 300,000 people have died, Darfur death toll may be 300,000, say UK lawmakers (Reuters), 30 March, 2005 and others have estimated even more.

In March 2005, the UN's Emergency Relief Coordinator Jan Egeland estimated that 10,000 were dying each month excluding deaths due to ethnic violence. UN's Darfur death estimate soars (BBC) 14 March, 2005 An estimated 2 million people had at that time been displaced from their homes, mostly seeking refuge in camps in Darfur's major towns. Two hundred thousand had fled to neighboring Chad.

In an April 2005 report, the most comprehensive statistical analysis to date, the Coalition for International Justice documented 400,000 deaths in Darfur since the conflict began, a figure most humanitarian and human rights groups now use. New analysis claims Darfur deaths near 400,000 Coalition for International Justice, 21 April 2005 (PDF)

On 28 April 2006, Dr. Eric Reeves argued that "extant data, in aggregate, strongly suggest that total excess mortality in Darfur, over the course of more than three years of deadly conflict, now significantly exceeds 450,000," but this has not been independently verified. Quantifying Genocide in Darfur Dr. Eric Reeves, 28 April 2006

Other estimates

Darfur: Counting the Deaths This report estimates the number of persons who have died in Darfur between September 2003 and January 2005. The report was prepared by the Centre for Research on the Epidemiology of Disasters.

Origins of the conflict

The conflict concerns the rebel forces of Darfur which the Sudan government has labled as insurgents and the government-controlled Janjaweed.

There has been a series of military dictatorships since 1958, and following independence in 1956, the Sudanese government acquired a strong Arab character. The First Sudanese Civil War, between the Muslim government and the mostly non-Muslim population of the southern Sudan, began in 1955 and ended with the 1972 Addis Ababa Accords. In 1983, the Second Sudanese Civil War ensued when the president declared Sharia law in the south. Peace conferences in 2005 ended the 21-year civil war and produced an agreement under which state revenues — oil money in particular — would be shared between the government and the southern rebel groups.

In early 2003, two local rebel groups — the Justice and Equality Movement (JEM) and the Sudan Liberation Movement (SLM) — accused the government of oppressing non-Arabs in favor of Arabs. The SLM is generally associated with the Fur and Masalit, while the JEM is associated with the Zaghawa of the northern half of Darfur.

Hassan al-Turabi was put in jail in March 2004 in connection with an alleged coup plot linked with JEM, Q&A: Sudan's Darfur conflict (BBC) 7 May, 2006 Fears for Sudan Islamist's health (BBC) 13 July, 2004 but denies supporting JEM. Al-Turabi denies stirring Darfur conflict (Al-Jazeera) 31 December 2003 However, al-Turabi blames the government for "aggravating the situation." The government dropped charges on December 3, 2004...

American officials labeling the conflict "genocide"

In the summer of 2004, U.S. Secretary of State Colin Powell traveled the refugee camps of Darfur with the Sudanese.

In addition to the Bush Administration, many others, such as Senator John Kerry, also have denounced the conflict as a genocide. Chad/Sudan: A Question of Genocide by Amy Costello (PBS Frontline) 16 September, 2004 In July of 2004, the U.S. Congress also unanimously declared the actions of the Sudanese government and their proxy militias officially as a "genocide". This has led to speculation of an anticipated international involvement, such as United Nations peacekeeping forces being deployed to Darfur, and possible International Police involvement. U.N.: Darfur Needs Strong Protection Force Troops Must Have Mandate and Means to Defend Civilians. Human Rights Watch. New York, April 21, 2006

Although African Union military forces are present, they have been largely ineffective, and lack the logistical support and expertise to be an effective deterrent. Because of this, there have been international calls for Western European military forces under the United Nations to be deployed to Darfur, as well as American military forces who also would fall under the United Nations, to help stabilize the country. An Analysis of Select Companies’ Operations in Sudan:. A Resource for Divestment (.pdf) by The Allard K. Lowenstein International Human Rights Clinic and The Allard K. Lowenstein International Human Rights Project Yale Law School. December 13, 2005 (Updated 24 February, 2006)

Security Council members hesitate in responding, but pass resolution

On May 16th 2006, the United Nations unanimously passed a peacekeeping resolution for Darfur. According to the document, the council demands that an assessment team deploy to Sudan within a week to prepare for the United Nations to take control of an African Union-led peacekeeping mission now in Darfur. Sudan's government had blocked the team but recently signaled it would lift its opposition because of the peace deal. The resolution came two days after the African Union agreed to transfer authority for its 7,300-member peacekeeping force in Darfur to the United Nations by the end of September or earlier if the U.N. is ready. The Security Council urged groups that haven't signed the peace agreement to do so immediately. It said it would "consider taking, including in response to a request by the African Union, strong and effective measures … against an individual or group that violates or attempts to block" the peace deal. *

The UN, prior to the 2004 Indian Ocean earthquake, called the Darfur conflict the world's worst current humanitarian crisis . But, intervention by the UN is unlikely as the governments of key members of the Security Council state they are pragmatically and ideologically constrained in their ability to respond to the conflict. The Russian government, with its weakened economy, struggles to meet its internal security dilemmas regarding its persistent border conflicts. United States force deployments in Iraq and elsewhere make intervention a difficult proposition. The United States also faces difficulty stemming from its commitment to the peace process ending the Second Sudanese Civil War, which it fears may be derailed. Finally, setting up No-Fly Zones are logistically difficult considering the remoteness of Darfur, the lack of infrastructure in potential airbase neighbors, and the issue of airspace rights for flyovers to Darfur from other neighbors.

Moreover, in both of these nations, along with Britain and France, a strong lobby exists opposed to intervention in countries whose internal strife is not clearly related to the nation's own interest (America and France having suffered demoralizing losses in Vietnam, as well as in Somalia and Algeria, respectively). The lack of capable foreign peacekeepers during the Rwanda and Liberia crises is a more recent example.

Those who have committed war crimes and crimes against humanity in the region on all sides of the conflict will most likely be held accountable . However, it is currently undecided whether prosecution will commence via the International Criminal Court, or via a provisional tribunal, such as the one used after the ethnic conflicts in Rwanda and in the Balkans. The Bush administration currently opposes the ICC option and supports the special tribunal mechanism.

Controversies

In a piece published in the French magazine Geostrategie (Geostrategy) titled "Why is the U.S. so Interested in Darfur?"* | Sara Flounders, co-director of the International Action Center , notes that American support for intervention in the Darfur conflict has been bolstered in the U.S. by pro-Iraq War conservatives. Flounders notes that the political disparity between promoting "humanitarian intervention" in Darfur, (to which China and others object), while supporting continued military aggression in Iraq (and Iran, etc.), points towards some planned political maneuvering.

Flounders suggests that U.S. promotion of human rights in Darfur is simply a red herring —part of a political campaign to distract the American public from the ongoing humanitarian crisis and war crimes in its prosecution of the Iraq War —an increasingly difficult political issue for the United States. The promoted outward campaign of concern for Darfur refugees appears, according to Flounders, designed to make U.S. foreing policy appear to be more humanitarian than it actually is. Flounders notes a report in The Jerusalem Post which noted that "Zionist"* groups had organized a coalition of leftist activism, and that these were endorsed by U.S. President George W. Bush himself. Flounders suggests Israeli PAC support is based in mutual interests regarding Iraq and War on Terrorism, where Darfur is simply a convenient avenue for misdirecting public attention and coordinated humanitarian activism away from Iraq.

Course of the conflict

The conflict in Darfur began in February 2003 when JEM and SLM rebels attacked government forces and installations. The government, caught by surprise, had very few troops in the region, and — since a large proportion of the Sudanese soldiers were of Darfurian origin — distrusted many of its own units. Its response was to mount a campaign of aerial bombardment supporting ground attacks by an Arab militia, the Janjaweed, recruited from local tribes and armed by the government. (The government, however, claims not to be connected to the Janjaweed militia.) While the conflict has a political basis, it has also acquired an economic dimension related to the competition between pastoralists (generally Arab) and farmers (generally non-Arab) for land and water.

In 2004, Chad brokered negotiations in N'Djamena, leading to the April 8 Humanitarian Ceasefire Agreement between the Sudanese government and JEM and SLM. A group splintered from the JEM in April — the National Movement for Reform and Development — which did not participate in the April cease-fire talks or agreement. Janjaweed and rebel attacks have continued since the ceasefire. The African Union (AU) formed a Ceasefire Commission (CFC) to monitor observance of the April 8th ceasefire.

A United Nations observer team reported that non-Arab villages were singled out while Arab villages were left untouched:

The 23 Fur villages in the Shattaya Administrative Unit have been completely depopulated, looted and burnt to the ground (the team observed several such sites driving through the area for two days). Meanwhile, dotted alongside these charred locations are unharmed, populated and functioning Arab settlements. In some locations, the distance between a destroyed Fur village and an Arab village is less than 500 meters. (UN Interagency Report cited below, 25 April 2004)

Both sides have been accused of committing serious human rights violations, including mass killing, looting, and rapes of the civilian population. However, the better-armed Janjaweed quickly gained the upper hand. By the spring of 2004, several thousand people — mostly from the non-Arab population — had been killed and as many as a million more had been driven from their homes, causing a major humanitarian crisis in the region. The crisis took on an international dimension when over 100,000 refugees poured into neighbouring Chad, pursued by Janjaweed militiamen, who clashed with Chadian government forces along the border. More than 70 militiamen and 10 Chadian soldiers were killed in one gun battle in April.

The scale of the crisis has led to warnings of an imminent disaster, with United Nations Secretary-General Kofi Annan warning that the risk of genocide is frighteningly real in Darfur. The scale of the Janjaweed campaign has led to comparisons with the Rwandan Genocide, a parallel hotly denied by the Sudanese government. Independent observers have noted that the tactics, which include dismemberment and killing of noncombatants and even young children and babies, are more akin to the ethnic cleansing used in the Yugoslav Wars but have warned that the region's remoteness means that hundreds of thousands are effectively cut off from aid. The Brussels-based International Crisis Group has reported that over 350,000 people could potentially die as a result of starvation and disease. 'Dozens killed' in Sudan attack (BBC) 24 May, 2004 The Genocide Intervention Network has been raising private donations to fund peacekeepers from the African Union in Darfur.

Timeline

July 2004

In early July 2004, Annan and then-United States Secretary of State Colin Powell visited Sudan and the Darfur region, and urged the Sudanese government to stop supporting the Janjaweed militias. Annan described the trips as constructive.

The African Union and European Union have sent monitors Annan warns of Sudan catastrophe (BBC) 6 July, 2004 (as of 5 July 2004) to observe the cease-fire signed on 8 April 2004; Sudan government and rebels sign Darfur cease-fire by Abakar Saleh, The European - Sudanese Public Affairs Council, 8 April, 2004 however, the Janjaweed's attacks have not stopped, as noted by the United States Sudan 'breaking Darfur ceasefire' (BBC) 13 April, 2004 and more recently Human Rights Watch. Darfur: New Atrocities Disprove Khartoum’s Claims, Human Rights Watch 11 August, 2004

According to the BBC in July, France opposes UN Sudan sanctions (BBC) 8 July, 2004 analysts estimate that at least 15,000 soldiers would be needed to put an end to the conflict.

On 23 July, 2004, the United States Senate and House of Representatives passed a joint resolution declaring the armed conflict in the Sudanese region of Darfur to be genocide and calling on the Bush administration to lead an international effort to put a stop to it.

On 30 July, the United Nations gave the Sudanese government 30 days to disarm and bring to justice the Janjaweed, in UN Security Council Resolution 1556; if this deadline is not met in 30 days, it "expresses its intention to consider" sanctions. UN resolution on Darfur: Full text (BBC) 30 July, 2004 The Arab League asked for a longer term and warned that Sudan must not become another Iraq. Resolution 1556 also imposed an arms embargo on the Janjaweed and other militia. DFID Information note on the humanitarian situation i Darfur, Sudan October 2004 British Embassy, Khartoum, October 2004

From the Sudanese government's point of view, the conflict is simply a skirmish. The Sudanese president, Omar Hassan al-Bashir, said, "The international concern over Darfur is actually a targeting of the Islamic state in Sudan." Sudan has warned Britain and the United States not to interfere in the internal affairs of the East African country saying it will reject any military aid, while asking for logistic support.

August 2004

'' In August 2004, the African Union sent 150 Rwandan troops in to protect the ceasefire monitors; however, "their mandate did not include the protection of civilians." Rwandan soldiers arrive in Sudan (BBC) 15 August, 2004 Rwandan President Paul Kagame declared that "if it was established that the civilians are in danger then our forces will certainly intervene and use force to protect civilians"; however, such an effort would certainly take more than 150 troops. They were joined by 150 Nigerian troops later that month. Sudan refugees report new attacks (BBC) 16 August, 2004 Nigeria go-ahead for Darfur force (BBC) 19 August, 2004 Peace talks, which had previously fallen apart in Addis Ababa on July 17, were resumed on August 23 in Abuja. The talks reopened amid acrimony, with the SLA accusing the government of breaking promises Sudanese rebels will attend peace talks on Darfur (Associated Press/USA Today) 19 August, 2004 that it made for the little-respected April ceasefire.

The UN's 30 day deadline expired on August 29, after which the Secretary General reported on the state of the conflict. According to him, the situation "has resulted in some improvements on the ground but remains limited overall". In particular, he notes that the Janjaweed militias remain armed and continue to attack civilians (contrary to Resolution 1556), and militia disarmament has been limited to a "planned" 30% reduction in one particular militia, the Popular Defense Forces. He also notes that the Sudanese government's commitments regarding their own armed forces have been only partially implemented, with refugees reporting several attacks involving government forces. Report of the Secretary-General pursuant to paragraphs 6 and 13 through 16 of Security Council Resolution 1556 (2004) (.pdf) United Nations Security Council Draft 30 August, 2004 He concludes that:

Stopping attacks against civilians and ensuring their protection is the responsibility of the Government of Sudan. The Government has not met this obligation fully, despite the commitments it has made and its obligations under resolution 1556 (2004). Attacks against civilians are continuing and the vast majority of armed militias has not been disarmed. Similarly, no concrete steps have been taken to bring to justice or even identify any of the militia leaders or the perpetrators of these attacks, allowing the violations of human rights and the basic laws of war to continue in a climate of impunity. After 18 months of conflict and 30 days after the adoption of resolution 1556 (2004), the Government of Sudan has not been able to resolve the crisis in Darfur, and has not met some of the core commitments it has made.

and advises "a substantially increased international presence in Darfur" in order to "monitor" the conflict. However, he did not threaten or imply sanctions, which the UN had expressed its "intention to consider" in Resolution 1556.

September 2004

On September 9, 2004, then-US Secretary of State Colin Powell declared to the US Senate that genocide was occurring in Darfur, for which he blamed the Sudanese government and the Janjaweed. This position was strongly rejected by the Sudanese foreign affairs minister, Najib Abdul Wahab. The United Nations, like the African Union and European Union, have not declared the Darfur conflict to be an act of genocide. If it does constitute an act of genocide, international law is considered to allow other countries to intervene.

Also on September 9, 2004, the US put forward a UN draft resolution threatening Sudan with sanctions on its oil industry. This was adopted, in modified form, on September 18, 2004 as Resolution 1564 (see below.)

On September 13, 2004, WHO published a Darfur mortality survey, which was the first reliable indicator about deaths in Darfur. It reported that 6,000–10,000 people were dying each month in Darfur. Many were related to diarrhoea, but the most significant cause of death was violent death for those aged 15–49. The Darfur mortality rates were significantly higher than the emergency threshold, and were from 3 to 6 times higher than the normal African death rates.

On September 18, 2004, the United Nations Security Council passed Resolution 1564, pressuring the Sudanese government to act urgently to improve the situation by threatening the possibility of oil sanctions in the event of continued noncompliance with Resolution 1556 or refusal to accept the expansion of African Union peacekeepers. Security Council declares intention to consider sanctions to obtain Sudan's full compliance with security, disarmament obligations on Darfur Adopting Resolution 1564 (2004) by Vote of 11-0-4, Calls on Secretary-General to Set Up Commission of Inquiry to Investigate Human Rights Violations. Press Release SC/8191, Security Council 5040th Meeting (PM), 18 September, 2004 Resolution 1564 also established an International Commission of Inquiry to look into human rights violations, and to determine whether genocide was occurring. In the wake of this resolution, the peacekeeper force was to be expanded to 4,500 troops. Darfur troops to arrive week late (BBC) 17 October, 2004

On September 30, 2004, during the first of three U.S. presidential debates, Jim Lehrer, the moderator, asked why neither candidate had discussed committing troops to Darfur. Senator John Kerry replied that "one of the reasons we can't do it is we're overextended," but agreed that he'd use American forces "to some degree to coalesce the African Union." President Bush cited aid committed to the region and agreed that action should be taken through the African Union. Both candidates agreed that what was happening in Darfur was genocide. 2004 U.S. Presidential Debate, Question 15: (WikiSource Transcript), 30 September, 2004

October 2004

On October 15 2004 World Health Organization official David Nabarro estimated that 70,000 people had died of disease and malnutrition in Darfur since March.

On October 17, 2004 in a meeting between leaders of Libya, Sudan, Egypt, Nigeria and Chad, the idea of foreign intervention was rejected. They stated that they believe it to be a purely African matter. Egyptian presidency spokesman Magued Abdel Fattah said that the international community should "provide Sudan with assistance to allow it to fulfil its obligations under UN resolutions (on Darfur) rather than putting pressure on it and issuing threats."

The African Union had expected to have 3,000 additional troops in place in the region sometime in November, but cited lack of funds and 'logistical difficulties' in delaying this deployment, waiting on the AU's Peace and Security Council to meet on October 20 and decide on the expanded duties and numbers of the force. It was decided that these AU troops, from both Nigeria and Rwanda, will be deployed by October 30.

The United Nations pledged $100 million dollars to support the force, about half of the $221 million cost to keep them deployed for a year. The European Union mobilised the remainder, an additional EUR 80 million on October 26 from their African Peace Facility to support the deployment and operations of the 3144-strong AU observer mission which will monitor the implementation of the cease-fire agreement. EU mobilises an additional € 80 million from African Peace Facility to support enlarged African Union observer mission in Darfur, Sudan European Union Press release IP/04/1306, 26 October, 2004

Peace talks between Sudan and Darfur rebels were scheduled to resume on October 21 in Abuja, Nigeria. However, rebels showed up late and the talks did not begin until October 25. Two more rebel groups now want in on the negotiations, and an existing cease-fire agreement is considered shaky. The talks are still in progress, but a humanitarian agreement is expected to be hammered out during the course of the talks.

November 2004

On November 2 the United Nations reports that Sudanese troops have raided the Abu Sharif and Otash refugee camps near Nyala in Darfur, moving a number of inhabitants and denying aid agencies access to the remaining inhabitants inside. Sudan army 'forcing out refugees' (BBC) 3 November, 2004 Meanwhile, the Abuja talks continued, with attempts made to agree on a no-fly zone over Darfur in addition to a truce on land and a disarmament of the militias. Sudan talks halt over no-fly zone (BBC) 5 November, 2004

A third UN resolution is being considered, calling for a speedy end to the conflict. Darfur peace push in new UN text (BBC) 6 November, 2004

On November 9 the Sudanese government and the two leading rebel groups, the Justice and Equality Movement (JEM) and the Sudan Liberation Movement (SLM), signed two accords aimed toward short-term progress in resolving the Darfur conflict. The first accord established a no-fly zone over rebel-controlled areas of Darfur—a measure designed to end the Sudanese military's bombing of rebel villages in the region. The second accord granted international humanitarian aid agencies unrestricted access to the Darfur region. The accords were the product of African Union sponsored peace talks in Abuja that began October 25. Delegates stated that a later round of negotiations expected to begin in mid-December would work on a longer-term political accord. The talks may have produced the breakthrough accords because of a looming meeting of the UN Security Council, which many expected would have imposed oil sanctions on the Sudanese government if progress had not been made. 'Breakthrough' deal for Darf (BBC) 9 November, 2004 Sudan, Rebels Reach Accord On Darfur — Government Approves No-Fly Zone, Access to Aid. By Emily Wax, Washington Post, Nyala, Sudan, 9 November, 2004

Despite the November 9 accords, violence in Sudan continued. On November 10—one day after the accords—the Sudanese military conducted attacks on Darfur refugee villages in plain sight of UN and African Union observers. Eyewitness: Terror in Darfur (BBC) 10 November, 2004 After Accord, Sudan Camp Raided — Shelters Reportedly Destroyed and Residents Beaten. By Emily Wax, Washington Post, Old Al-Jeer Sureaf, Sudan, 10 November, 2004 On November 22, alleging that Janjaweed members had refused to pay for livestock in the town market of Tawila in Northern Darfur, rebels attacked the town's government-controlled police stations. The Sudanese military retaliated on November 23 by bombing the town. Violence Fractures Cease-Fire In Sudan — Darfur Town Bombed Following Rebel Attacks. By Emily Wax, Washington Post, Khartoum, 23 November, 2004

December 2004

January 2005

The International Commission of Inquiry on Darfur hand their report to the Secretary General on January 25. Report of the International Commission of Inquiry on Darfu to the United Nations Secretary-General Pursuant to Security Council Resolution 1564 of 18 September 2004. Geneva, 25 January, 2005 The Commission found that the Government of the Sudan and the Janjaweed are responsible for serious violations of international human rights and humanitarian law amounting to crimes under international law. But the Commission stopped short of calling it genocide. The Commission identified 51 individuals responsible for the violation of human rights and recommended immediate trial at the International Criminal Court.

February 2005

March 2005

On March 7, UN Secretary General Kofi Annan spoke to the UN Security Council requesting that the peacekeeping force in Darfur be increased to support the 2000 African Union troops already deployed. Annan Urges Security Council to Take Action on Darfur By Barbara Schoetzau, Voice of America, New York, 7 March, 2004 A resolution for the deployment of an additional 10,000 peacekeepers has been delayed by the failure of the Security Council to agree on the mechanism to be used to try war criminals and the application and extent of sanctions. Stalemate delays Sudan peacekeeping troops — US, Europe disagree over how war crimes should be prosecuted. By Farah Stockman, Boston Globe, 17 March, 2005 A number of Security Council members want war criminals to be tried by the International Criminal Court; the United States refused, however, to support that proposition. An African-run tribunal has been proposed as a countermeasure, and proposals have been made for trials to be held in Tanzania and Nigeria. The current resolution has also been criticized, as it is unclear as to whether the peacekeepers will be deployed to Darfur or to monitor peace in the south of Sudan. On March 24 a peacekeeping force was approved to monitor peace in the south of Sudan, however the Security Council still remains deadlocked over Darfur. UN to Send 10,000 Peacekeepers to Southern Sudan By Peter Heinlein, Voice of America, United Nations, 25 March, 2005

On March 29 Security Council Resolution 1591 was passed 11–0. * The Resolution strengthened the arms embargo and imposed an asset freeze and travel ban on those deemed responsible for the atrocities in Darfur. It was agreed that war criminals will be tried by the International Criminal Court. SUDAN: UN envoy tours Darfur; ICC receives list of war-crimes suspects From Integrated Regional Information Networks via Reuters, Nairobi, 5 April, 2005

The United Nations released a new estimate of 180,000 who have died as a result of illness and malnutrition in the 18 months of the conflict. It has not attempted to estimate the number of violence-related deaths.

April 2005

On April 5 it was reported that the UN has given the ICC the names of fifty-one people suspected of war crimes. The list may include high government officials of Sudan. The Sudanese Government has said it will not hand over the suspects.

The sealed list, presented to the International Criminal Court, was drawn up following an investigation by the UN into claims of killings, torture and rape committed by Government forces and militias in the Darfur region. Sudanese President Omar al-Bashir, backed by huge protests against the UN in Sudan's capital of Khartoum, snubbed the UN resolution passed on March 29 to bring the suspects to trial before the court, adding that he "shall never hand any Sudanese national to a foreign court."

On April 29 it was reported Official Pariah Sudan Valuable to America’s War on Terrorism — Despite once harboring Bin Laden, Khartoum regime has supplied key intelligence, officials say. Global Policy Forum. By Ken Silverstein, Los Angeles Times, 29 April, 2005 that the administration of U.S. President George W. Bush had forged a "close intelligence partnership" with the Sudanese government despite their presence on the U.S. list of state sponsors of international terrorism and the declaration of genocide in Darfur by that administration's former Secretary of State, Colin Powell.

May 2005

Libyan leader Muammar Gaddafi has somewhat championed the cause of African unity. This sentiment has led him to invite the leaders of Sudan, Nigeria, Egypt, Chad and Eritrea to a summit in Tripoli regarding the conflict in Darfur.

The two main rebel groups in Darfur, the Sudan Liberation Movement and the Justice and Equality Movement, announced they wanted to resume peace talks. Previous negotiations were to be disbanded in favor of new dialogue hoping to solve their differences.

It seems that a possible hinge of the negotiations is compliance or refusal of handing over war crime suspects to organizations such as the International Criminal Court in The Hague.

Medecins Sans Frontieres doctor Paul Foreman was arrested by Sudanese authorities over the publication of a report detailing hundreds of rapes in Darfur. MSF chief arrested for Darfur report RTE News, 30 May, 2005

Claims began to surface that the Bush administration's noticeable toning down of its description of the situation in Sudan - it stopped calling the Darfur conflict a genocide, and claimed that United Nations death toll estimates may be too high - was due to increased co-operation from Sudanese officials towards the War on Terrorism. The claim asserted that Major General Salah Abdallah Gosh who is said to have been involved in training the Janjaweed, was flown to Washington for high-level talks with his United States counterparts, related to global terrorism.

June 2005

The International Criminal Court announces an investigation into crimes against humanity related to the conflict that is taking place in Darfur.

July 2005

Security in the region is improving, according to the commander of the African Union peacekeeping force. [http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/africa/4699285.stm Security in Darfur 'is improving'] By Jonah Fisher, BBC News, el-Fashir, 20 July, 2005 There have been no major conflicts since January, and the numbers of attacks on villages has been dropping. There are currently around 3,000 troops there to keep the peace, and more are due to arrive in the coming months, expecting to reach 7,000 troops in September. In keeping with a decision made by the Peace and Security Council, Nigeria sent a battalion of 680 troops on Wednesday, July 13 2005 with two more coming soon thereafter. Rwanda will send a battalion of troops, Senegal, Gambia, Kenya and South Africa will send troops as well. Canada is providing 105 armoured vehicles, training and maintenance assistance, and personal protective equipment in support of the efforts of the African Union Mission in Sudan (AMIS). Canada sends armoured vehicles for AU force in Sudan’s Darfur Sudan Tribune CNW Telbec, Ottawa, 28 July, 2005

On July 10, Ex-rebel leader John Garang was sworn in as Sudan's vice-president. Sudan ex-rebel joins government (BBC) 10 July, 2005 A new constitution was adopted, and all parties should be represented more fairly. The United States Deputy Secretary of State Robert Zoellick has applauded the political changes and the improving security. Kofi Annan and South African President Thabo Mbeki watched the ceremony.

August 2005

On August 1, newly-elected Sudanese vice-president John Garang, a former leader of the Sudan People's Liberation Army (SPLA), who was seen by many to be a crucial element of a Sudan that is free of genocide, died in a helicopter crash. This has sparked renewed concerns Garang: Rebel leader to vice-president By Humayun Chaudhry, Aljazeera, 1 August, 2005 throughout the international community, of Sudan's ability to unite in the face of genocide.

The long-term implications of Garang's death are still unclear; and, despite the recently improved security, talks between the various rebels in the Darfur region are going slowly, with no sight of a final peace agreement.

September 2005

On September 15, a series of African Union mediated talks began in Abuja, Nigeria. Representatives of the Sudanese government and the two major rebel groups are participating in the talks, however the Sudan Liberation Movement faction refused to be present and according to a BBC reporter the SLM "will not recognise anything agreed at the talks". Darfur talks start despite split (BBC) 15 September, 2005

October 2005

After a government-supported Arab militia attacked the Aro Sharow refugee village on September 28, killing at least 32, the African Union on October 1 accused both the Sudanese government and rebels of violating the ceasefire agreement. Sudan accused over Darfur attacks (BBC) 1 October, 2005 Associated Press reports the African Union as condemning the government's "acts of 'calculated and wanton destruction' that have killed at least 44 people and displaced thousands over two weeks."

On October 9, a rebel group abducted 18 members of an African Union peacekeeping team, but released most of them after negotiations. Darfur rebels release AU hostages (BBC) 10 October, 2005 Darfur Rebels Abduct African Union Team Reuters, Khartoum, 9 October, 2005

Following an increase in fighting in the region, on October 13 the UN announced that it will withdraw all non-essential staff from Darfur. West Darfur is reportedly too dangerous for aid-agencies to operate. UN staff withdrawn from Darfur By Jonah Fisher, BBC News, Khartoum, 13 October, 2005

November 2005

Attacks on African Union peacekeepers by rebels led to the Sudanese government approving the deployment of 105 Grizzly armored personnel carriers donated by Canada to aid African Union peacekeeping forces in the western region of Darfur. Sudan Approves Deployment of Armored Personnel Carriers to Darfur (VOA) 16 November, 2005

The seventh round of peace talks began on November 21.

December 2005

An attack on the Chadian town of Adre near the Sudanese border led to the deaths of three hundred rebels. Sudan was blamed for the attack, which was the second in the region in three days. Chad fightback 'kills 300 rebels' (BBC) 20 December, 2005 The escalating tensions in the region led to the government of Chad declaring its hostility toward Sudan and calling for Chadian citizens to mobilise themselves against the "common enemy". Chad in 'state of war' with Sudan By Stephanie Hancock, BBC News, N'Djamena, 23 December, 2005 (See Chad-Sudan conflict)

On December 24th, The Congress of the United States rejected Condoleezza Rice's request to restore $50 million in aid to the African Union that human rights groups say had been cut from the budget in November.

January 2006

The Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations called for $40 million to support its agricultural relief and recovery activities in Sudan in 2006, stressing that humanitarian assistance needs to be coupled with longer- term development aid to ensure lasting peace in the country. The appeal is part of the 2006 Work Plan for Sudan, which outlines the activities to be carried out by the UN and its partners in the country in the coming year. "FAO's role is particularly crucial given the importance of agriculture in the country," said Anne M. Bauer, Director, FAO Emergency Operations and Rehabilitation Division.

February 2006

On February 3, 2006, as the United States began its month-long presidency of the United Nations Security Council, the U.S offered a motion to begin plans to send UN peacekeepers to Darfur. The Security Council agreed unanimously to begin the planning process to send the troops, with a final decision to come later. It called for a 12,000 to 20,000 troop presence in Darfur with the 7,000 African Union troops already there being given new weapons and being incorporated into the UN mission. Furthermore, they would have a greater mandate to protect civilians. Nevertheless, difficulties are expected to arise in finding states willing to contribute troops to the UN mission. Although the United States offered the motion, the U.S is not expected to contribute troops to the mission. Also, Omar al-Bashir, the leader of Sudan who is widely believed to be backing the Janjaweed militias in Darfur, has also frequently stated his opposition to UN peacekeepers in Sudan further complicating the problem. Assuming these problems are overcome, UN troops are still not likely to appear in Darfur for nearly a year.

April 2006

A series of rallieswere held to call for more aid. On the 30th one was held in Washington D.C. where celebrities and lawmakers came together with thousands of protesters. Dr. Eric Reeves released a report arguing that the number of deaths in Darfur had likely surpassed 450,000.[http://www.sudanreeves.org/index.php?name=News&file=article&sid=102

May 2006

On May 5, 2006, the government of Sudan signed an accord with the Sudan Liberation Army (SLA). However, the agreement was rejected by two other, smaller groups, the Justice and Equality Movement and a rival faction of the SLA. The accord was orchestrated by the U.S. Deputy Secretary of State, Robert B. Zoellick, Salim Ahmed Salim (working on behalf of the African Union), AU representatives, and other foreign officials operating in Abuja, Nigeria. The accord calls for the disarmament of the Janjaweed militia, and for the rebel forces to disband and be incorporated into the army. But the agreement, signed in Abuja, was rejected by a smaller SLM faction and the rebel Justice and Equality Movement. The humanitarian activist and rock singer Bono visited Darfur with an NBC reporter to raise awareness among the general public about the crisis.

June 2006

One critic of United States involvement in Darfur, claims that U.S. promotion of human rights in Darfur is only intended to take attention away from Iraq, and make U.S. foreign policy appear to be more humanitarian than it actually is.*

On June 19, 2006, President al-Bashir insisted that he would prevent a UN peacekeeping force from entering Sudan. He stated:

"I swear that there will not be any international military intervention in Darfur as long as I am in power. Sudan, which was the first country south of the Sahara to gain independence, cannot now be the first country to be recolonized."
Al Bashir further blamed Jewish participation for causing the possible UN military presence:
"It is clear that there is a purpose behind the heavy propaganda and media campaigns.... If we return to the last demonstrations in the United States, and the groups that organized the demonstrations, we find that they are all Jewish organizations."

On June 25, 2006, the Sudanese Foreign Ministry spokesman Jamal Ibrahim announced the imposing of a partial ban on UN operations in Darfur, after accusing the UN of violating an agreement on its mandate by giving the rebel leader Suleiman Adam Jamous a helicopter ride.

July 2006

At the 2006 African Union summit held in Banjul, Gambia, it was decided that AU peacekeepers would remain in Darfur until the end of 2006 at the request of the United Nations; however, a request to allow UN peacekeepers into the area was refused by Omar Hassan al-Bashir. Jan Pronk, head of the United Nations mission in Sudan, claims that fighting has worsened since a peace deal was signed two months ago, stating that "It's non-implementation of the text which is creating a problem, not the text."

References

See also

External links

Darfur conflict | Genocide | History of Sudan | History of Chad | State terrorism

Darfur-konflikten | Konflikt in Darfur | Conflicto de Darfur | 다르푸르 분쟁 | Konflik Darfur | הסכסוך בדארפור | Conflict in Darfoer | ダルフール紛争 | Darfur-konflikten | Konflikt w Darfurze | Darfurin konflikti | Konflikten i Darfur

 

This article is licensed under the GNU Free Documentation License. It uses material from the "Darfur conflict".

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