Friday, October 27, 2023

Sudan’s Darfur War: 20 Years On

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The conflict in Darfur, Sudan, has been ongoing for two decades. It began in 2003 when a newly-formed group called the Darfur Liberation Front (DLF) attacked the main town of Jebel Marra. This was in response to years of marginalization of non-Arab tribes by the government of Khartoum. In response, the government of then-President Omar al-Bashir equipped and supported Arab militias known as Janjaweed to fight the rebels in Darfur. This led to the displacement of at least half a million people, with many having their villages burned to the ground.

In 2004, a ceasefire was declared and African Union (AU) troops were sent in. However, despite mediation efforts in Abuja, Tripoli, and Doha, the conflict and resulting humanitarian crisis had killed 300,000 people and displaced 2.5 million by 2007. In July 2007, the United Nations Security Council authorised a joint UN-AU peacekeeping mission.

In August 2020, a comprehensive peace agreement was signed between the Transitional Government of Sudan and SLM/A and JEM. The agreement stated that the two former rebel groups would join the transition to democracy in Sudan through peaceful means. Unfortunately, Arab militias have continued to target civilians with no intervention from the government. West Darfur has experienced several serious bouts of violence since the beginning of 2021, resulting in hundreds of deaths and tens of thousands displaced.

The World Food Programme reported that 65 percent of the population in West Darfur is food insecure — the highest level in Sudan. Human Rights Watch has noted that neither Sudan’s transitional government nor the current military rulers have meaningfully addressed the underlying causes of the violence in Darfur, including marginalization and disputes over control of and access to land and natural resources. These failures have contributed to the escalation in violence and civilian harm.

For many among the displaced, there is no home to return to. Conditions are difficult in the camps, with malnourishment rampant and international agencies forced to cut down on their aid due to funding constraints. As such, it is clear that the conflict in Darfur is still very much alive 20 years on, with no end in sight.

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