SUDAN: Genocide SUDAN: Genocide & Civil War& Civil War

Sudan…Sudan… More than More than 1/41/4 the size of the US – the size of the US –

largest African nationlargest African nation Northern AfricaNorthern Africa, bordering the Red , bordering the Red

Sea, between Egypt and EritreaSea, between Egypt and Eritrea PopulationPopulation - 40 million - 40 million EthnicityEthnicity - Black 52%, Arab 39% - Black 52%, Arab 39% ReligionReligion – 60% Muslim, 25% – 60% Muslim, 25%

Animist, 15% ChristianAnimist, 15% Christian

Background…Background… Achieved independence from Achieved independence from UKUK

and and Egypt Egypt in 1956. in 1956. Gov. mostly made up Gov. mostly made up military military

regimesregimes favoring favoring IslamicIslamic oriented oriented policies.policies.

Sudan was embroiled in two Sudan was embroiled in two prolonged prolonged civil warscivil wars during most of during most of the remainder of the 20th century. the remainder of the 20th century.

Capital - Capital - KhartoumKhartoum

Civil WarCivil War Conflict is rooted in Arab and Conflict is rooted in Arab and

Muslim northern economic, Muslim northern economic, political, and social domination political, and social domination of largely non-Muslim, non-Arab of largely non-Muslim, non-Arab southern Sudanese.southern Sudanese.

Lots of oil in the south, more Lots of oil in the south, more fertilefertile

NorthNorth vs. vs. SouthSouth ArabArab vs. vs. Non ArabNon Arab MuslimsMuslims vs. vs. ChristiansChristians

Civil WarCivil War Sudan’s People’s Liberation Sudan’s People’s Liberation

Movement/Army – main Movement/Army – main insurgent forceinsurgent force

Accused gov’t of keeping Accused gov’t of keeping revenues from oil for Arabs revenues from oil for Arabs onlyonly

Peace talks in 2003 produced Peace talks in 2003 produced agreement to share revenues agreement to share revenues between gov’t & southern between gov’t & southern rebel groupsrebel groups

Civil WarCivil War Jan. 2005 – civil war of Jan. 2005 – civil war of

nearly 20 years came to an nearly 20 years came to an end (longest-running in end (longest-running in Africa)Africa)

Peace agreement signed Peace agreement signed between SPLM and the between SPLM and the gov’tgov’t

2 million died and 4 million 2 million died and 4 million southerners displacedsoutherners displaced

Omar Al-Bashir Omar Al-Bashir

President of SudanPresident of Sudan His policy of “His policy of “IslamizationIslamization” of the ” of the

Sudan and implementation of Sudan and implementation of Sharia Law has enraged and Sharia Law has enraged and fueled the already ongoing civil fueled the already ongoing civil war in the Sudan.war in the Sudan.

Ranked world’s worst dictatorRanked world’s worst dictator

Omar Al-BashirOmar Al-Bashir

GenocideGenocide In 2003, rebel In 2003, rebel

groups (SLA -Sudan groups (SLA -Sudan Liberation Army & Liberation Army & JEM - Justice and JEM - Justice and Equality Movement) Equality Movement) staged an armed staged an armed rebellion in rebellion in DarfurDarfur – – the western region the western region of Sudan & largest of Sudan & largest region. region.

GenocideGenocide

Rebels- black African ethnic groups Rebels- black African ethnic groups Accused the Arab government of Accused the Arab government of

neglecting the region’s neglecting the region’s development development

Desertification also contributed to Desertification also contributed to hostilitieshostilities

Rebels attacked and killed Arab Rebels attacked and killed Arab gov. leaders.gov. leaders.

““Janjaweed”Janjaweed” The government retaliated by The government retaliated by

arming Arab “arming Arab “JanjaweedJanjaweed” ” (loosely translated as “evil (loosely translated as “evil men on horseback”) militias. men on horseback”) militias.

Janjaweed was ordered to Janjaweed was ordered to annihilate the civilians of annihilate the civilians of African, non-Arab tribesAfrican, non-Arab tribes, which , which were thought to be supporting were thought to be supporting the rebellion.the rebellion.

The bodies of the dead have The bodies of the dead have been:been: "tossed into the bottoms of wells, "tossed into the bottoms of wells, dumped into mass graves, interred dumped into mass graves, interred in sandy cemeteries and crudely in sandy cemeteries and crudely cremated. Children have been cremated. Children have been snatched from the arms of their snatched from the arms of their mothers and thrown into fires, mothers and thrown into fires, villagers dragged on the ground villagers dragged on the ground behind horses and camels by ropes behind horses and camels by ropes strung around their necks"(Lacey).strung around their necks"(Lacey).

GenocideGenocide

There has been There has been littlelittle international action toward the international action toward the crisis in Sudan due to the crisis in Sudan due to the question of whether or not the question of whether or not the government and Arab-Muslim government and Arab-Muslim “Janjaweed” militias have “Janjaweed” militias have actually committed “actually committed “genocide.genocide.””

Is this genocide?Is this genocide?

UN definition of Genocide (a) Killing members of the group;

(b) Causing serious bodily or mental harm to members of the group;

(c) Deliberately inflicting on the group conditions of life calculated to bring about its physical destruction in whole or in part;

(d) Imposing measures intended to prevent births within the group;

(e) Forcibly transferring children of the group to another group.

Genocide in BosniaGenocide in Bosnia

In mid 1990s a similar In mid 1990s a similar situation took place in Bosnia situation took place in Bosnia in which Muslims were being in which Muslims were being killed by Christians, and this killed by Christians, and this was labeled was labeled genocidegenocide by the by the WestWest

Why the difference in reaction?Why the difference in reaction?

More Recently…More Recently… As many as 2.7 million civilians As many as 2.7 million civilians

of Darfur have been displaced of Darfur have been displaced and 200,000-400,000 deaths and 200,000-400,000 deaths have resulted from the crisis. have resulted from the crisis.

A ceasefire agreement was A ceasefire agreement was signed between the rebels and signed between the rebels and government in April 2004.government in April 2004.

2008 – ICC issued arrest warrant 2008 – ICC issued arrest warrant for al-Bashir (3 counts of for al-Bashir (3 counts of genocide)genocide)

More Recently…More Recently…

Violence continues despite the Violence continues despite the ceasefireceasefire

Janjaweed continues to target Janjaweed continues to target blacksblacks

Refugees & internally displaced Refugees & internally displaced people need water, food, people need water, food, healthcare & shelterhealthcare & shelter

Many have not reached safety of Many have not reached safety of camps & are wandering the desertcamps & are wandering the desert

As a consequence of the As a consequence of the unwillingness of world leaders unwillingness of world leaders to interfere, they and their to interfere, they and their respective nations are partially respective nations are partially responsible for the responsible for the continuation of the conflict. continuation of the conflict.

Do you agree or disagree? Do you agree or disagree? Why?Why?

South SudanSouth Sudan

South SudanSouth Sudan Referendum held January Referendum held January

2011 to secede2011 to secede 98% voted yes – independence 98% voted yes – independence

on July 9, 2011on July 9, 2011 Mostly animist, few ChristianMostly animist, few Christian Capital is JubaCapital is Juba Most people are impoverishedMost people are impoverished

South SudanSouth Sudan Subsistence Agriculture – White Subsistence Agriculture – White

Nile valley extremely fertileNile valley extremely fertile Depends largely on import of Depends largely on import of

goods from Sudangoods from Sudan 98% of revenues from oil but 98% of revenues from oil but

refineries and pipeline in Sudanrefineries and pipeline in Sudan Khartoum has imposed Khartoum has imposed

blockades on foreign aid and blockades on foreign aid and goodsgoods

Border issues continue w/Sudan