Since gaining its independence from the United Kingdom in 1956, Darfur has been in constant disarray and as a result of this has cost an estimated 2 million lives (Straus 1). These deaths come from two civil wars and local lineage tensions between the 'African ' farmers and the 'Arab' herders. The issue of genocide came to be as a result from the second civil war, involving the "the Islamist, Khartoum-based national government and two rebel groups; the Sudan Liberation Army and the Justice and Equality Movement" (Depoortere et al 1).
In February 2003, the tension between the Sudan government and the two rebel groups exploded into a heated and prolonged conflict (Totten et al 1). The two rebel groups, in April 2003, attacked a military airfield to protest the government for its neglect to unanswered pleas for political and economical help. Another reason for the rebel attack was the alleged oppression of the Khartoum government on its Black Sudanese population. Instead of "addressing long-term grievances over political and economical marginalization...the regime switched to a policy of destroying" (Reeves 2). This destroying plan was known as a scorched-earth policy. Under this plan of action, civilians of the same ethnicity as the rebel groups (primarily the groups of Massalit, Fur and Zaghawa) were murdered. The government rationalized this policy by an assumption: people of the same ethnic back ground as the rebels most have the same motives as the rebels, making them suspects of challenging Khartoum's authoritarian rule (Booker et al 1). This rationalization gives a whole different meaning to "guilty by association".
The government carried out this systematic method of displacing and murdering African civilians by supporting the recruitment of a militia formed from local Arab tribes (Darfurscroes.org 1-2). This group of "soldiers" call themselves the Janjaweed, meaning 'evil men on horseback'. The name was picked to inspire fear, this properly suits the murderous clan because many of the men are convicted felons and criminals (Hoile 1). These horseback militias were instructed by the Khartoum government to terminate the rebellion. Since that order was made, only a flood of violence and murderous rampages without mercy have followed.
Below are three websites that link to videos. They are a series of a documentary on the Janjaweed. They are interesting to watch because it shows the point of view from the people who are doing the killing.
Play first:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=LWSF82GeNTU&feature=related
Play second:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=yzfbKn2zJVw&feature=related
Play last:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=zTEX-55uxpQ&feature=related
Booker, Salith, and Ann-Louise Colgan. “Genocide in Darfur.” The Nation. 24 June 2004. 3 Nov
2008. < http://thenation.com/doc/20040712/booker/print>.
Depoortere, Evelyn, et al. "Violence and mortality in West Darfur, Sudan (2003-04):
epidemiological evidence from four surveys." Lancet 364.9442 (09 Oct. 2004): 1315-
1320. Academic Search Complete. EBSCO. [Zach Henderson Library], [Statesboro], [GA].
11 Nov. 2008 http://proxygsu-gso1.galileo.usg.edu/login?url=http://search.ebscohost.com/login.aspx?direct=true&db=a9h&AN=14671492&site=ehost-live.
“Genocide in Darfur, Sudan.” DarfurScores.org. 2004. 3 Nov 2008. < http://www.darfurscores.org/darfur>.
Hoile, David. “The ‘Janjaweed’ Militia in Darfur.” Media Monitors Network . 5 July 2004. 18 Nov 2008. <http://usa.mediamonitors.net/headlines/the_janjaweed_militia_in_darfur>
Reeves, Eric. “Darfur and the International Criminal Court.” Middle East Report Online. 29
April 2005. 29 Oct 2008. < http://www.merip.org/mero/mero042905.html >.
Straus, Scott. "Darfur and the Genocide Debate." Foreign Affairs 84.1 (Jan. 2005): 123-
133. Business Source Complete. EBSCO. [Zach S. Henderson], [Statesboro],
[GA]. 28 Oct. 2008 http://proxygsu-gso1.galileo.usg.edu/login?url=http://search.ebscohost.com/login.aspx?direct=true&db=bth&AN=15496775&site=ehost-live.
Totten, Samuel, and Eric Markusen.. "The US government Darfur genocide
investigation." Journal of Genocide Research 7.2 (June 2005): 279-290.
Academic Search Complete. EBSCO. [Zach S. Henderson], [Statesboro], [GA]. 28 Oct. 2008 http://proxygsu-gso1.galileo.usg.edu/login?url=http://search.ebscohost.com/login.aspx?direct=true&db=a9h&AN=17267372&site=ehost-live.
In February 2003, the tension between the Sudan government and the two rebel groups exploded into a heated and prolonged conflict (Totten et al 1). The two rebel groups, in April 2003, attacked a military airfield to protest the government for its neglect to unanswered pleas for political and economical help. Another reason for the rebel attack was the alleged oppression of the Khartoum government on its Black Sudanese population. Instead of "addressing long-term grievances over political and economical marginalization...the regime switched to a policy of destroying" (Reeves 2). This destroying plan was known as a scorched-earth policy. Under this plan of action, civilians of the same ethnicity as the rebel groups (primarily the groups of Massalit, Fur and Zaghawa) were murdered. The government rationalized this policy by an assumption: people of the same ethnic back ground as the rebels most have the same motives as the rebels, making them suspects of challenging Khartoum's authoritarian rule (Booker et al 1). This rationalization gives a whole different meaning to "guilty by association".
The government carried out this systematic method of displacing and murdering African civilians by supporting the recruitment of a militia formed from local Arab tribes (Darfurscroes.org 1-2). This group of "soldiers" call themselves the Janjaweed, meaning 'evil men on horseback'. The name was picked to inspire fear, this properly suits the murderous clan because many of the men are convicted felons and criminals (Hoile 1). These horseback militias were instructed by the Khartoum government to terminate the rebellion. Since that order was made, only a flood of violence and murderous rampages without mercy have followed.
Below are three websites that link to videos. They are a series of a documentary on the Janjaweed. They are interesting to watch because it shows the point of view from the people who are doing the killing.
Play first:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=LWSF82GeNTU&feature=related
Play second:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=yzfbKn2zJVw&feature=related
Play last:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=zTEX-55uxpQ&feature=related
Booker, Salith, and Ann-Louise Colgan. “Genocide in Darfur.” The Nation. 24 June 2004. 3 Nov
2008. < http://thenation.com/doc/20040712/booker/print>.
Depoortere, Evelyn, et al. "Violence and mortality in West Darfur, Sudan (2003-04):
epidemiological evidence from four surveys." Lancet 364.9442 (09 Oct. 2004): 1315-
1320. Academic Search Complete. EBSCO. [Zach Henderson Library], [Statesboro], [GA].
11 Nov. 2008 http://proxygsu-gso1.galileo.usg.edu/login?url=http://search.ebscohost.com/login.aspx?direct=true&db=a9h&AN=14671492&site=ehost-live.
“Genocide in Darfur, Sudan.” DarfurScores.org. 2004. 3 Nov 2008. < http://www.darfurscores.org/darfur>.
Hoile, David. “The ‘Janjaweed’ Militia in Darfur.” Media Monitors Network . 5 July 2004. 18 Nov 2008. <http://usa.mediamonitors.net/headlines/the_janjaweed_militia_in_darfur>
Reeves, Eric. “Darfur and the International Criminal Court.” Middle East Report Online. 29
April 2005. 29 Oct 2008. < http://www.merip.org/mero/mero042905.html >.
Straus, Scott. "Darfur and the Genocide Debate." Foreign Affairs 84.1 (Jan. 2005): 123-
133. Business Source Complete. EBSCO. [Zach S. Henderson], [Statesboro],
[GA]. 28 Oct. 2008 http://proxygsu-gso1.galileo.usg.edu/login?url=http://search.ebscohost.com/login.aspx?direct=true&db=bth&AN=15496775&site=ehost-live.
Totten, Samuel, and Eric Markusen.. "The US government Darfur genocide
investigation." Journal of Genocide Research 7.2 (June 2005): 279-290.
Academic Search Complete. EBSCO. [Zach S. Henderson], [Statesboro], [GA]. 28 Oct. 2008 http://proxygsu-gso1.galileo.usg.edu/login?url=http://search.ebscohost.com/login.aspx?direct=true&db=a9h&AN=17267372&site=ehost-live.
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