historical background |
In 1983 General Omar Bashir, through a military coup, manage to seize control over Sudan as president. This led to rising tension between the different regions caused by The National Islamic Front government. While struggling for political control violence broke out in Darfur, especially between the Nomadic Arabs and the African Farmers. Due to the failures of the government to acknowledge the issue and protect its people, the two Darfurian rebel movements (Sudan Liberation Army and the Justice and Equality Movement) begin to take up arms against the Sudanese government in 2003. The Sudanese government then retaliated by unleashing the Arab militia known as Janjaweed.
The Janjaweed began to systematically murder off many African farmers and others in Darfur. It was estimated that the escalated violence due to the Janjaweed has resulted in the 200, 000 to 500, 000 deaths since 2003. The violence continue on as they raid through over 400 villages, leaving the village to ruins as they finish to ensure the no survivors an return. The Sudanese government argues against these statistics and rejects all accusation of any connections with the Janjaweed. Due to their disregard for the crisis the people of Darfur continue to suffer under the terrorism of the Janjaweed, forcing them to flee their homes. |