officials have often referred to the genocide
During the last few years, the press and international officials have often referred to the genocide in Darfur as a humanitarian crisis, the same term used for the destruction visited on people by a drought or a flood. It is important to note, however, that what is happening in Darfur is not a natural disaster, but one perpetrated needlessly by the Sudanese government, most specifically its president, Omar al-Bashir.
Darfur is located in the western section of Sudan, geographically the largest country in Africa. Sudan, located in the east of the continent, is surrounded by Egypt, Libya, Uganda, Zaire, Chad, the Central African Republic and Ethiopia. Sudan has long been considered a terrorist government by the United States due to its history of harboring known terrorists and terrorist cells. The country is also well known for many years of repression, killing, starvation, rape and violence inflicted by the government on its own people. This is particularly true in Southern Sudan, where black Christians and Animists were targeted for decades by the government in a campaign of killing that has left over 2 million dead. Since 1999, oil money from exploitation of the oilfields of Southern Sudan has provided Sudan with the capital to finance the terror. Though a fragile Comprehensive Peace Agreement (CPA) between the North (where the capital, Khartoum, is located) and South was signed in January of 2005, the murderous onslaught against civilians has not stopped. The newest targets of violence are the Black Muslim Africans of Darfur, where what the U.S. government acknowledges as genocide, has been occurring for the last 3.5 years.
The current crisis began in February of 2003 when Darfur rebels attacked a government installation there. The attack was planned as a protest to what the Darfuri believed was the omission of their inclusion in the CPA as well as a general lack of protection and security by the Khartoum government for black villages against violent attacks by Arab nomadic groups, known as Janjaweed (Arabic for “evil men on horseback”). In response, the governmentfurther armed and empowered the Janjaweed militia to continue and step-up attacks on civilians. It is estimated that since the beginning of the conflict the violence has left over 400,000 people dead, 2 million internally displaced, countless women raped and over 300,000 in refugee camps across the border in Chad.
In April, 2006, large numbers of activists across the United States staged rallies to end the genocide in Darfur. The focus of the message was for the US government to put more pressure on the Government of Sudan (GoS) to allow a multi-national peacekeeping force with a mandate to protect civilians into the region. A week after the rallies, the US helped broker the Darfur Peace Agreement (DPA). Unfortunately, though GoS and the largest of the Darfur rebel groups signed the agreement in May of 2006, nearly all of thedeadlines for disarmament and cessation of violence have passed while the situation has only worsened. The people of Darfur are still in grave danger of violence from Janjaweed militia and Sudanese soldiers (who have been found to be aiding in the attacks), the number of deaths has dramatically increased, and humanitarian workers are being targeted and murdered. The violence has spread into neighboring Chad, and many are dying of starvation and malnourishment, as it gets more and more difficult to provide the necessary aid.
Humanitarian and Policy organizations continue to push for a UN force to take over from a weak Africa Union mission in Darfur in September even though the Sudanese president, Omar al-Bashir, has repeatedly said that such a force will not be permitted to enter the country. Oil trading partners, especially China, have also continuously blocked the UN Security Council in condemningSudan or applying sanctions. In the meantime, the Bush administration has been reluctant to alienate the Khartoum government because of the belief that Sudan’s cooperation is essential in the war on terror.
It is the goal of The International Citizen’s Tribunal for Sudan to challenge the Sudanese government's denial of responsibility. In shining a spotlight on the deeds of Omar al-Bashir and others in his corrupt administration, it will call to account those culpable for Sudan's shameful history of serial genocide, hopefully hastening the day when the Darfuri people will have justice.
During the last few years, the press and international officials have often referred to the genocide in Darfur as a humanitarian crisis, the same term used for the destruction visited on people by a drought or a flood. It is important to note, however, that what is happening in Darfur is not a natural disaster, but one perpetrated needlessly by the Sudanese government, most specifically its president, Omar al-Bashir.
Darfur is located in the western section of Sudan, geographically the largest country in Africa. Sudan, located in the east of the continent, is surrounded by Egypt, Libya, Uganda, Zaire, Chad, the Central African Republic and Ethiopia. Sudan has long been considered a terrorist government by the United States due to its history of harboring known terrorists and terrorist cells. The country is also well known for many years of repression, killing, starvation, rape and violence inflicted by the government on its own people. This is particularly true in Southern Sudan, where black Christians and Animists were targeted for decades by the government in a campaign of killing that has left over 2 million dead. Since 1999, oil money from exploitation of the oilfields of Southern Sudan has provided Sudan with the capital to finance the terror. Though a fragile Comprehensive Peace Agreement (CPA) between the North (where the capital, Khartoum, is located) and South was signed in January of 2005, the murderous onslaught against civilians has not stopped. The newest targets of violence are the Black Muslim Africans of Darfur, where what the U.S. government acknowledges as genocide, has been occurring for the last 3.5 years.
The current crisis began in February of 2003 when Darfur rebels attacked a government installation there. The attack was planned as a protest to what the Darfuri believed was the omission of their inclusion in the CPA as well as a general lack of protection and security by the Khartoum government for black villages against violent attacks by Arab nomadic groups, known as Janjaweed (Arabic for “evil men on horseback”). In response, the governmentfurther armed and empowered the Janjaweed militia to continue and step-up attacks on civilians. It is estimated that since the beginning of the conflict the violence has left over 400,000 people dead, 2 million internally displaced, countless women raped and over 300,000 in refugee camps across the border in Chad.
In April, 2006, large numbers of activists across the United States staged rallies to end the genocide in Darfur. The focus of the message was for the US government to put more pressure on the Government of Sudan (GoS) to allow a multi-national peacekeeping force with a mandate to protect civilians into the region. A week after the rallies, the US helped broker the Darfur Peace Agreement (DPA). Unfortunately, though GoS and the largest of the Darfur rebel groups signed the agreement in May of 2006, nearly all of thedeadlines for disarmament and cessation of violence have passed while the situation has only worsened. The people of Darfur are still in grave danger of violence from Janjaweed militia and Sudanese soldiers (who have been found to be aiding in the attacks), the number of deaths has dramatically increased, and humanitarian workers are being targeted and murdered. The violence has spread into neighboring Chad, and many are dying of starvation and malnourishment, as it gets more and more difficult to provide the necessary aid.
Humanitarian and Policy organizations continue to push for a UN force to take over from a weak Africa Union mission in Darfur in September even though the Sudanese president, Omar al-Bashir, has repeatedly said that such a force will not be permitted to enter the country. Oil trading partners, especially China, have also continuously blocked the UN Security Council in condemningSudan or applying sanctions. In the meantime, the Bush administration has been reluctant to alienate the Khartoum government because of the belief that Sudan’s cooperation is essential in the war on terror.
It is the goal of The International Citizen’s Tribunal for Sudan to challenge the Sudanese government's denial of responsibility. In shining a spotlight on the deeds of Omar al-Bashir and others in his corrupt administration, it will call to account those culpable for Sudan's shameful history of serial genocide, hopefully hastening the day when the Darfuri people will have justice.
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