Historical glimpse:
Darfur was an independent state before the emergence of the Sudanese state, in the period between 1650 to 1916, and it was known as (Sultanate of Darfur). The documents indicate that Darfur has joined the modern Sudanese state in 1916 after the defeat of Sultan Ali Dinar, who ruled Darfur at the time. Darfur situated in western Sudan, and covers an area of 549 thousand square kilometers. And lives in Darfur region more than 38 tribal groups, descending from two main groups, one originating From the Arab and the other is African.
Darfur has experienced several waves of violence, but the incidents of violence and the current conflict, were described as war crimes and crimes against humanity, which began in February 2003 after an attack by the Darfurian armed movements on a number of military facilities of the Sudanese government in protest against the marginalization of the political and development facing the region. Violence has surged since then, especially after the full logistical support provided by the Sudanese government for Janjaweed militia. These forces backed the government forces in the evacuation of areas that it considered non-loyal through the scorched-earth campaigns and mass murder, looting and rape, which killed thousands and displaced millions unarmed civilians, which is a violation and a clear contradiction with the Geneva Convention of 1949, which prohibits attacks on civilians and violating human rights.
In this context, the several parties, including the United Nations and neighboring countries, attempts to contain the crisis. However, the response of the Sudanese government and the armed movements were weak, pushing towards the internationalization of the crisis and the corridors of the United Nations and the International Criminal Court which confirmed the fact-finding commissions and United Nations missions, the following statistics:
• Thousands of civilians have been killed and up to 50% of what was expected at the outset by the United Nations.
• 4.2 million people, two-thirds of the Territory’s population now living on humanitarian aid.
• 2.5 million internally displaced persons living in tents in camps.
• Displacement of hundreds of thousands into camps in Chad and Republic Central Africa.
Facts about the conflict:
How did the conflict start?
It broke out in early 2003 after the Sudan Liberation Army (SLA) and Justice and Equality Movement (Jem) began attacking government targets, accusing Khartoum of oppressing black Africans in favour of Arabs.
Darfur, which means land of the Fur, has faced many years of tension over land and grazing rights between the mostly nomadic Arabs, and farmers from the Fur, Massaleet and Zaghawa communities.
How did the government respond to the rebellion?
It admits mobilizing “self-defense militias” following rebel attacks. But it denies any links to the Arab Janjaweed militia – who are accused of trying to “cleanse” black Africans from large swathes of territory.
President Omar al-Bashir has called the Janjaweed “thieves and gangsters”. But refugees say air raids by government aircraft would be followed by attacks from the Janjaweed, who would ride into villages on horses and camels, slaughtering men, raping women and stealing whatever they could find.
The US and some human rights groups have said genocide is taking place – though a UN investigation team concluded that war crimes had been committed but there had been no intent to commit genocide.
Trials have been announced in Khartoum of some members of the security forces suspected of abuses – but this is viewed as part of a campaign against attempts to get suspects tried at the International Criminal Court (ICC) in The Hague.