history of darfur

Darfur is located in Sudan

Represents frontier between the Arab world and black

AfricaFor 10 years, Sudan has hardly seen peace – regularly

dealing with crises

Two distinct major cultures:

– Arab

– Black African

•hundreds of ethnic and tribal subdivisions and language groups

•make effective collaboration a major political challenge

Sudan’s population is one of the most diverse on the

African continent.

Fundamentalist Islamic law was instituted by Major General Gaafar Mohamed Nimeiri

in 1983

Sudan proclaimed independence in 1956 from

Egypt and BritainSeries of unstable parliamentary governments established

Influenced by the National Islamic Front and southern rebels, and supported by the Sudan People’s Liberation Army, unending civil war

erupted between government forces.

Language Religion

Political PowerEthnicity

A famine in the mid-1980s disrupted many societal

structures

Led to first significant fighting among people in

Darfur

Low level conflict continued for 15

years

Government survived and armed "Arab" militias against its

enemies

The arid, mountainous soil is central to the

conflict between African farmers and

Arab herdersThere is an eternal fight for water, food,

and shelterBelow-normal rainfall and massive numbers of displaced people have led to water

shortages in refugee camps

A secret group called “Tajamu al Arabi” (Arab Gathering) emerged in the

Darfur region in the 1980s.

This group created tensions between Muslims and Non-Arab Africans with violent attacks

against the Non-Arab Africans.

The mentality behind the conflict stems from the 1960s and 1970s. The

ideology of Arab supremacies grows in

northern Africa.

In 2003, the Non-Arab Africans

combined forces to protect

themselves against the

militia groups.

The Sudanese government became

involved in the 1990s, funding

militia groups who were carrying out

the attacks.

• Capital: Khartoum

• President: General Omar Hassan Ahmad Al-Bashir

• Industries: Oil, Textiles, Cement, Sugar

• Natural Resources: Oil, Iron Ore, Copper, Zinc

• Per Capita GDP: 1,900

• Ethnic Groups: Black 52%, Arab 39%

• Capital: Washington D.C.

• President: George W. Bush

• Industries: Oil, Steel, Chemicals, Aerospace, Food Process

• Natural Resources: Coal, Copper, Lead, Gold, Iron, and Nickel

• Per Capita GDP: 40,100

• Ethnic Groups: White 75.1%, Black 12.3%, Hispanic 12.5%, Asian 3.6%

• TV Sets: 173/1000

• Newspaper: 27/1000

• Internet: 300,000

• Life Expectancy: 57.3 male, 59.8 female

• Infant Mortality: 62.5/1000

• Education: mandatory ages 6-13

• Literacy: 61.1%

• TV Sets: 844/1000

• Newspaper: 212/1000

• Internet: 161.6 million users

• Life Expectancy: 74.9 male, 80.7 female

• Infant Mortality: 6.5/1000

• Education: mandatory 6-17

• Literacy: 97%

The Janjaweed, a rebel militia group, contribute to much of the violence in

Sudan, which has created over 2.5 million refugees

The Janjaweed, a rebel militia group, contribute to much of the violence in

Sudan, which has created over 2.5 million refugees

Mostly members of nomadic “Arab” tribes, long at odds with

settled “African” farmers in Darfur

Mostly members of nomadic “Arab” tribes, long at odds with

settled “African” farmers in Darfur

Target non-Islamic SudaneseTarget non-Islamic Sudanese

“The refugees are going to

have to move. There’s going to be nothing

here to sustain life.”

“The refugees are going to

have to move. There’s going to be nothing

here to sustain life.”

- Palouma Ponlibae

- Palouma PonlibaeAgriculture and Natural-

Resources Officer for CARE Agriculture and Natural-

Resources Officer for CARE

Before crisis