Figure 1.--Here Darfur refugees line up for rations at a camp in Chad. Most are women and children because the men have been killed. Many of the women have been raped. Source: Jahi Chikwendiu |
|
The Sudanese Government is engaged in a genocide against the Darfur people, Black Muslims of the western Sudan. There appear to be two elements involved. One is the racial element. The Khartoum Government looks down on the Black Darfurs. Two the Darfurs do not accept the strict shihira code promoted Law promoted by the Khartoum Government. The numbers of people being killed in military actions by the Khartoum Government is substantial. Even more significant is the efforts by the Khartoum Government to deny relief shipments. Some reports suggest that as of mid-2004 about 30,000 people have been killed. Human rights groups estimate that 0.3-0.5 million may die if Sudan succeeds in preventing relief supplies reaching these beleagered peoples. There is virtually no coverage of this in the Arab press or satellite news like Al Jazeera. Here is not just the Arabs that covering up the genocide. Nor has the United Nations been willing to address this outrage.
Darfur is the western province of the Sudan. More than 1 million people have been displsced from their homes in Darfur Province. There are different Black tribes in Darfur, including the Fur, Masalit, Zaghawa, and other tribes. Apparently Sudanese President Omar Hassan Bashir has offered land in Darfur to his Arab Janjaweed allies. The Darfur Black tribes are Muslim, but culturally they are more African than the Arabs if the northern Sudan. They are also a settled agricultural people. The Janjaweed are more nomadic. For centuries the African tribesmen and Aran nomads lived peacefully together.
Refugees interviewed in Chad report attacks by Arab Janjaweed militias. These militias are attacking villiages of Black ethnic groups, killing people and burning villages. For centuries they lived peacefully
with the Frican tribesmen in Darfur. That was until the Sudanese Government decided on a program of ethnic cleansing. The Janjaweed militia became one of their principal tools. The militias are attacking purely civilian targets. Refugee reports indicate that the Arab militias are stealing the animals and property from the villages attacked. The militias often kill the Darfur men and boys. Those that fled their villages on foot or with donkeys to carry their belonings report being attacked by Sudanese Air Force Antonov bombers.
The militias are supported by the Sudanese Government engaged in a civil war with Blacks in Darfur Province. Fighting in Darfur began to intensify in 2003 as prospects for the longer term civil war in the southern Sudan. Here the Khartoum Government has been fighting Black christians with some of the same tactics. The peace people with the southern Christian Blacks divides the country's resources. The fighting in Darfur appears to be an effort by the Khartoum Government to seize control of avalable resources for Arab ethnic groups.
The killing in Darfur involves attrocities beyound believe. One account by a Darfur tribesman describes a mothr who hanged herself with her shawl because she could not find foof for her starving children. The author found their diminutive corpses scattered around her. He recalled their skin which was like "dlicate brown paper, so wrinkled". He collected stories from the other rfugees. Accounts like the Januweed militianmen impailing a 4 year old girl with his bayonet and then prancing around as her blood dripped out. [Hari]
The Sudanese Government is engaged in a genocide against the Darfur people, Black Muslims of the Sudan. There appear to be two elements involved. One is the racial element. The Khartoum Government looks down on the Black Darfurs. Two the Darfurs do not accept the Struct shihira promoted Law promoted by the Khartoum Government.
About 0.1 million Darfurs as of June 2004 were in six refugee camps in the Chad which boders Sudan. Catholic Relief Services and Doictors Without Boirders are working to assist the refugees in Chad. As far as we know no Islamic groups are providing relief assistance to their fellow Muslims.
While some Darfurs have reached refugee camps in the Sudan. Most of the Darfur people driven from their villages are in the desert trying to survive with virtually no supplies. The numbers of people being killed in military actions by the Sudan Government is substantial. Even more significant is the efforts by the Sudan Government to deny relief shipments. Relief experts expect large numbers of these people to die unless relief supplies reach them. One press report explains, "... in the unforgiving desert, the stealing of food and animals, burning of homes, and blokage of access to wells--in short, the campaign of Janjaweed militias and the givernment--istantamount to a death sentence." {Fowler] The rainny season which begin soon will make it very diffiult to move relief supplies. The Sudanese Government is thus involved in delaying tactics on the relief issue.
Some reports suggest that as of mid-2004 about 30,000 people have been killed. Human rights groups estimate that 0.3-0.5 million may die if Sudan succeeds in preventing relief supplies reaching these beleagered peoples. AThe U.S. Aid for International Development estimates that 0.3 million Darfurians witthin the Sudan may die in 2004 unless relief supplies reach them.
There is virtually no coverage of the Darfur genocide in the Arab or even the wider Islamic press or satellite news services like Al Jazeera. One has to ask the question of why the Arab media is so selective about their coverage. The death of Palestinians receives intensive coverage and the term genocide brandished. The death of hundreds of thousands in Darfur is esentially ignored and the term genocide never used. Apparently as long as Arabs are not being killed or Arabs are doing the killing, it is a subject to be covered up.
The United States is lobbying for U.N. action to prevent another genocide. I am not sure to what extent the Europeans are advocating U.N. action. Islamic nations have shown no interest in U.N. actions. Strangely Kofi Annam has been strangely silent on this issue.
HBC has extensive information on historical events that have had dreadful consequences for children. Often children are forgotten in history. We are attempting to provide a historical discussion which highlights how children were affected. We receive quite a number of requests both from organizations asking for donations as well as individuals desiring to contribute. Unfirtunately we have a very limited ability to assess the charities asking for assistance. Most of our discussion is historical events. Here in the unfolding genocide being perpetrated by Sudan, there are children in desperate need. There are many responsible charities to which HBC readers can donate. Here is a link to CARE. Others can be found with a simple internet search.
Fowler, Jerry. "In Sudan, staring genocide in the face," The Washington Post June 6, 2004, B2.
Hari, Doud. With Megn M. McKennan and Dennis Michael Burke. The Translator: A Tribesman's Memoir of Darfur.
Navigate the Historic Boys' Clothing Web Site:
[Return to the Main War on Islam page]
[Return to the Main Sudan history page]
[Return to the Middle Eastern chronologies]
[Introduction]
[Activities]
[Art chronologies]
[Biographies]
[Chronologies]
[Clothing styles]
[Countries]
[Bibliographies]
[Contributions]
[FAQs]
[Glossaries]
[Images]
[Links]
[Registration]
[Tools]
[Boys' Clothing Home]