DARFUR CRISIS

VIDEO:

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DARFUR CRISIS OVERVIEW

The Darfur Region of Western Sudan has been embroiled in a deadly conflict since February 2003. It is estimated that over 400,000 people have been killed; 2.5 million innocent civilians have been forced from their homes and now live in swelling displaced-persons camps across the Sudan and refugee camps along the Chadian border; more than 4.5 million men, women, and children are completely dependent on international aid for survival. Not since the Rwandan Genocide of 1994 has the world seen such a calculated campaign of displacement, starvation, rape, and mass slaughter.

The conflict erupted when two rebel groups in Darfur, The Sudanese Liberation Army/Movement (SLA/M) and the Justice and Equality Movement (JEM), launched an uprising to end a long history of political and economic marginalization as well as to settle compounding tribal disputes over scarce resources of the drought-prone region. The Government of Sudan responded in a campaign of mass terror, arming and unleashing the Junjaweed - an Arab militia - to suppress the rebellion and target civilian populations and ethnic groups from which the rebels draw the majority of support - the Fur, Masalit and Zaghawa. The Sudanese Government and the Junjaweed are responsible for the burning and obliteration of hundreds of villages. Mass slaughter and rape have been used as instruments of war by all sides to the conflict.

The United States has recognized these atrocities - carried out predominantly by the Government of Sudan and its allied Junjaweed militia - as genocide. The United Nations has described the situation in Darfur and its spill-over into neighbouring Chad and Central African Republic as “ the largest and most complex humanitarian problem on the globe.”

With much international pressure, the Darfur Peace Agreement (DPA) was brokered in May 2006 between the Government of Sudan and one rebel faction. However, the exclusion of key rebel factions has rendered the accord powerless and only led to the escalation of violence and insecurity. Furthermore, infighting within the rebel factions has resulted in more divisions, with over 16 rebel groups currently fighting in the region - adding a new level of complexity to the conflict. Unabated violence has made it extremely dangerous, if not impossible, for the millions of displaced persons to return to their homes. Humanitarian workers, themselves increasingly under threat, face growing obstacles in bringing widespread relief.

Since 2003, the UN has passed 19 Resolutions on Darfur - to little effect. On July 30, 2004, the UN Security Council adopted Resolution 1556 calling on the Government of Sudan to disarm the Junjaweed. This same stipulation was an integral part of the 2006 DPA. In August of 2006, the Security Council authorised a strong UN peacekeeping force to Darfur by passing Resolution 1706.

Most importantly, on July 31st, 2007, the Security Council passed Resolution 1769 mandating a hybrid UN/African Union force of 26,000 military and police personnel to take over from the struggling, under-resourced AU force deployed since 2004. However, the failure of members of the international community to contribute critical equipment to the mission and the calculated obstruction by the Sudanese Government are undermining the effectiveness and delaying the deployment of the mission. By December 31st, 2007, barely a third of the promised force was on the ground. Politicians and members of the international community continue to wrangle over details, shirking their own responsibilities to support the force.

The immediate deployment of this mission is critical to ensure the protection of the Darfuri people and facilitate peace negotiations. We must act NOW.

5 action points:

What can you do to help?

1. INFORMED PRAYER: Educate yourself regarding what is going on in Darfur, Sudan. Then PRAY for the people of Darfur, the humanitarian efforts on the ground, as well as for our Government and the international community to act swiftly and effectively, with wisdom and resolve.

2. BE A VOICE: Call 1-800-GENOCID(E) - this is a direct advocacy phone line that connects you to Canadian politicians. Call the number, follow the simple prompts, write down the speaking notes provided and be connected. Don’t let our government abdicate responsibility as they did after the Rwandan genocide by claiming that “the phones weren’t ringing”.

3. BE A VOICE SOME MORE: Write, email, and/or meet with your Members of Parliament to let them know that you care about this issue and want to see Canada continue to engage and contribute more to the international effort to halt the genocide in Darfur.

4. SEND A POSTCARD: Save Darfur Canada has launched a new postcard campaign for Darfur. They are aiming to collect 300,000 postcards - one for every life that has been lost in Darfur - and to deliver these postcards to the Canadian government. We are providing the postcards free of cost (or for a free will donation) to individuals and groups across the country. More information is available at www.SDCanada.org/postcards

5. GIVE: Help support Oxfam Canada and Doctor’s without Borders by donating specifically to their “Darfur Funds”.

Find out more about the Darfur Crisis at: www.savedarfur.org, www.standcanada.ca or watch “The Devil Came on Horseback” or “Darfur Diaries” (available at Blockbuster).