Background on Darfur

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Background on Darfur
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Climate Problem

• The drought in the Darfur area continues to
  worsen, along with the effects of
  desertification.
  
• As a result, nomadic Arab tribes and African
  farming communities constantly fight with each
  other for fertile land.

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Government - Omar al-Bashir

• Sudans ruling party is the National Islamic
  Front, an Islamist dictatorship led by General
  Omar Al-Bashir.

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Government - Omar al-Bashir

• The policies of the regime against native African
  villagers have had racial and ethnic overtones
  and involved struggles over resources, especially
  land (control of oil).
• Omar al-Bashir wants to spread Sharia (Islamic
  law) across Sudan.
  
• He wants to ethnically cleanse the country by
  eliminating groups of people from different
  religious and cultural backgrounds such as the
  Fur, Masalit, and Zaghawa (African Muslim groups
  of people).

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Start of the Political Problem

• Sudan Liberation Army/Movement (SLA/M) and the
  Justice and Equality Movement (JEM) were
  comprised of African Muslim people.
  
• These parties wanted an end to economic
  marginalization and sought to share power within
  Arab-ruled Sudan.
  
• The government has responded to this armed and
  political threat by targeting the civilian
  populations

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• During the reign of Bashir, people of Darfur have
  been refused representation and deprived of
  essential resources for survival (land, food),

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Due to abuse from the government, people in
Darfur rebelled by attacking government
installations. President Al-Bashir fought again
st these rebels by giving government support and
money to Islamic militias known as the
Janjaweed. The Janjaweed are an alternate arm
y for the president.
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• People who escape the destruction of villages by
  the government go to refugee camps located in
  Darfur and Chad (neighboring country)
  
• The refugee camps do not have adequate food,
  shelter, sanitation, and health services. As a
  result, many people are at risk of starvation and
  disease

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Problems
Problems

• Civilians are suffering because the government
  restricts international humanitarian access.
  
• Men and women are constantly at risk of rape and
  murder when they set out to look for food or
  water. The chances for survival become even
  slimmer than before.

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Involvement of the UN

• July 30, 2004 The UN Security Council formed
  Resolution 1556 demanding that the Sudanese
  Government disarm the Janjaweed.
  
• August 31, 2006 The UN Security Council formed
  Resolution 1706 which authorized a peacekeeping
  force of 17,300 to enter Darfur.
  
• Sudanese president Al-Bashir claims that the UN
  peacekeeping forces are part of a plan to spread
  colonialism. He stated that he did not want
  Sudan to turn into another Iraq."

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African Union

• In response to violence against civilians in
  Darfur, the African Union sent out 7,000
  peacekeepers from Rwanda.
  
• The AU lacks adequate numbers of personnel and
  has limited logistical capabilities.
  
• The AU mission of maintaining peace on land
  expired on December 31, 2006 but after working
  together with the UN, both groups agreed on
  extending their stay in Darfur.

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Current Situation

• UN and AU forces have collaborated to fight
  against the Janjaweed and government sponsored
  attacks.
  
• The group is known as UNAMID.
• UNAMID currently does not have enough troops and
  supplies to effectively protect Sudanese
  civilians.
  

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Current Situation

• As of now, there are approx. 9000 soldiers in
  Darfur. UN Secretary General Ban Ki-Moon says
  the full deployment of 26,000 is required for
  effective peacekeeping.
• UNAMID also needs 24 helicopters (of those, 6
  attack helicopters) for security and transport.
  Efforts to fight against government sponsored
  soldiers are weakening.

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Sudan-China

• Sudanese government is selling its oil to
  countries around the world for money. This money
  is used to fund the ongoing genocide.
  
• One of the countries that purchases a lot of oil
  from Sudan is China

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Sudan-China

• As Chinas economy continues to grow, so do its
  demands for natural energy resources.
  
• China gets oil and supplies tanks, fighter
  planes, bombers, helicopters, machine guns and
  rocket-propelled grenades to Sudan.
  

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Pipelines and Oil Fields
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Sudan-China

• In the United Nations Security Council, China is
  Sudans strongest ally.
  
• The UN council tried passing resolutions to
  pressure the Arab dominated government to protect
  African tribes and sanction oil sales.
  
• China vetoed these resolutions and opposed all
  threats of oil sanctions

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2008 Beijing Olympics

• Beijing is a key city that invested in oil
  infrastructure. They are partially funding the
  internal war in Darfur.
  
• As a result, human rights activists are upset
  that the Olympics are being held in Beijing.
  
• The activists have called on countries to boycott
  the Olympics.
  

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Hollywood Help

• Mia Farrow and Steven Spielberg have worked
  together to try to convince Chinese officials
  that the Darfur crisis needs to be resolved.
  
• Mia Farrow labeled the 2008 Beijing Olympics as
  the Genocide Olympics and has highly publicized
  her dissent through the media.

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Hollywood Help

• Steven Spielberg sent a letter to China President
  Hu Jintao condemning the genocide.
  
• Soon after, China dispatched Foreign Minister
  Zhai Jun to witness firsthand the deplorable
  condition Darfur was in.
  
• What years of diplomacy tried to achieve, the
  will of ordinary people made a difference
  

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Zhai Jun

• Zhai Jun soon encouraged the Sudanese Government
  to accept UN Peacekeeping Forces.
  
• Mr. Jun also toured a few refugee camps to get an
  idea of what impoverished life was like.

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Sources

• Human Rights Watch
• Commondreams.org
• Washington Post
• New York Times
• BBC News
• Ministry of Foreign Affairs of the Peoples
  Republic of China