Axe's Corner - Darfur Primer

Last Updated

21 October 2006

Where is Darfur?

Darfur is a region in the west of The Sudan, a country in Africa (bordered by Egypt to the north, Libya to the north-west, Chad and the Central African Republic to the west, the Democratic Republic of Congo to the south-west, Uganda to the south, Kenya to the south-east, and Ethiopia and Eritrea to the east. The Sudan also has a coastline on the Red Sea. See the map from the International Crisis Group page.)

The current situation

Conflict in Western Sudan

There is currently ongoing fighting in Northern Darfur, between the Sudanese Government and rebel groups (the National Redemption Front [4]) who are not party to the Abuja peace agreement, signed in May this year. Further, the Janjaweed (Arab muslim militias which are supported by the Government in Khartoum) are continuing to carry out atrocities across Darfur and into eastern Chad. The conflict is part of a rebellion in Darfur against the central Sudanese Government in Khartoum has been underway since 2003. The rebels are mainly African muslims, in opposition to the Arab muslim dominated central and northern part of the country. Three years of conflict have seen at least 180,000 people (with estimates as high as 400,000) killed and 2.5 million people displaced, generally to refugee camps in Darfur or Chad [3].

Recent fighting has taken the conflict over the border with neighbouring Chad. After a battle between Government forces and the JEM on the 7th-9th of October, injured fighters from both sides crossed the border for treatment at a civilian hospital in Chad [25]. Some JEM fighters regrouped near aid camps in Chad, although the Chadian Government made a commitment to drive them back over the Sudanese border [26]. The tensions surrounding conflict near the border have potentially serious implications, wtih Sudan accusing Chad of backing the rebels by launching air raids on Sudanese army positions near the border [30].

The Sudanese Army is basing it's strike in the North of the region from the Darfur regional capital of El Fasher - the military operation commenced on 29 August [10]. These rebels are concentrated to the north of El Fasher [4]. Rains in the region restricted the level of the conflict in September, but reports from aid agencies and the WFP indicate that the conflict has since escalated [13, 14]. Further, there is evidence of conflict between the rebel groups (between the JEM and the SLM) [19] and between some tribal groups [20]. Initial reports on the conflict, from Jan Pronk, suggest that Sudanese government forces have lost two major battles [30].

After heavy fighting in October, the NRF have announced that they are willing to negotiate with the Government, but are demanding a similar deal to that reached between the Government and rebels in the south of Sudan, which would mean significant changes to the peace deal struck in Abuja in May. However, the Government and rebel parties who are signatories to the Abuja peace agreement reject any changes at this stage [31].

While the UN note that an African Union force (see below) has helped reduce the level of violence, it reports that there have been numerous violations of the peace agreement and that violence in the area is on the rise, including a rise in the level of sexual violence in the region, with frequent use of rape used as a tool of terror [7]. The violence between the Arab janjaweed, supported by the Sudanese Government, and the primarily black african rebel groups, has been called genocide by the US Congress, although the situation is not clear-cut [8].

Efforts by the International Community to stop the conflict

A 7,000-strong African Union (AU) peacekeeping force (the African Union Mission in Sudan, AMIS) is in place, but they are poorly equipped and supported, and have been unable to stop the violence [2]. There was concern that this force would leave at the end of September, but it's mandate has since been extended until the end of the year. Further, the AU has stated that it will boost the size of it's force to 11,000. One possible issue is that the Sudanese Government may be relectant to continue the AMIS mandate beyond the end of 2006, although the Government's position on this is not clear at the moment [19].

In early September, the UN Security Council voted to send a force of 20,000 UN peacekeepers to the region (albeit, incorporating many of the AMIS force) [5]. However, the President of The Sudan, Omar al-Bashir, bluntly refused to let such a force into the country, on the grounds that it violated the Sudan's sovereignty, stating his preference for the continuation of the AU mission and rejected that it be transformed into a UN operation [6]. In a strong statement on the 4th of October, the Sudanese Government warned African and Arab countries against contributing troops to the proposed UN force, saying doing so would be seen as a "hostile act" [15]. Relations between Sudan and the UN have deteriorated further, with the Sudanese Government declaring Jan Pronk, the UN envoy in the region, a 'persona non-grata', and called for his deportation. Sudan was particularly concerned at Pronk's portrayal of the Government's military performance, arguing that it was a ploy to put further pressure for Sudan to accede to a UN force in the region [34].

Further, al-Bashir pointed out that the peace accords with the Sudan People's Liberation Army (SPLA), which involve a UN mission in the south of Sudan (the United Nations Mission in Sudan, UNMIS - see[7]), could not be amended to allow the extension of this mission into other areas of the country without the agreement of the concerned parties.

However, while Sudan's Government flatly refuses a UN force, on October 4 they agreed with an offer made by Kofi Annan to support the AU force [16]. The offer includes support in the form of logistics, equipment and consultative expertise [18]. This may have been due to international pressure - the US Secretary of State, Condoleezza Rice, has stated that the choice for Khartoum was one between "cooperation and confrontation" [21]. A new US envoy to Sudan, Andrew Natsios, arrived in Sudan in the second week of October and met with an adviser to al-Bashir on the 19th, but failed to convince the Sudanese Government to accept a UN force, although they continued to talk about supporting moves to strengthen AMIS [32].

The Arab League has also become involved, with League Secretary General Amr Mussa meeting with Lam Akol, Sudan's Foreign Minister, on October 3. Amr Mussa has stated his commitment to "absolute cooperation between the Arab League and the African Union for finding a comprehensive settlement to the Darfur issue and achieving stability in the region." [18] Further, at a speech to the AU on October 10, President Obasanjo of Nigeria remarked "It is not in the interest of Sudan nor in the interest of Africa nor indeed in the interest of the world for us all to stand by and see genocide being developed in Darfur," [27].

Relief agencies feeding millions

The World Food Program (WFP) reported that nearly three million people in Darfur depend on international aid for food, shelter and medical treatment. The WFP is also delivering monthly food rations for a further 212,200 Sudanese spread amongst a dozen camps in Chad. The resources of the WFP in the area are stretched, with rations to people in Darfur cut as low as 50 per cent in May, although the response of donor nations helped raise the level back to 85 per cent in June. However, the WFP needs more funds to avoid a shortfall sometime between January and March 2007. The WFP Sudan Emergency operation is budgeted at $746 million in 2006, with Darfur accounting for 70 per cent of that amount [17].

Violence is also affecting aid workers, with 12 humanitarian workers in Darfur killed since May 2006. The WFP is also concerned that fighting in August cut 355,000 people off from food aid [11] . There are also numerous reports of rebel groups harrassing aid workers and stealing equipment and vehicles, both in Darfur and eastern Chad. On 10 October, four aid workers from Medecins Sans Frontieres were beaten in Darfur [26]. Even in eastern Chad, armed escorts are needed for aid agencies to travel to 6 of the 12 camps located there [23].

As well as hunger, there are issues of disease. Medical supplies are desparately low in many parts of Darfur [4], and there have been reports of people dying of cholera [20].

However, while the situation is clearly dire, a UN assessment released on 19 October noted that malnutrition levels have mostly stabilised, and food insecurity has improved slightly, driven by strong international support for the aid effort in the Darfur region. However, the assessment still found that 70 per cent of war-affected Darfurians were food insecure, and the remaining 30 per cent still required some form of assistance. Conflict in the region is still preventing many families from farming, exacerbating the food situation - only 51 per cent of families were able to cultivate their land in 2005 and 2006 [33].

High-profile lobbying

The situation in Darfur continues to receive high-profile attention, with notables including George Clooney and Elie Wiesel addressing the UN General Assembly over the issue, and the UN Secretary-General, Kofi-Annan, strongly arguing for the introduction of a UN peacekeeping force [7].

The issues driving the conflict

Concerns over Sudan's territorial integrity

Sudan only recently (2004) made peace with rebel groups in the South of the country, after a civil war that had persisted for much of the country's post-independence history (see background below). There are also rebel groups causing trouble in the east of the country (the Justice and Equality Movement, or JEM, has a presence in both Darfur and the east). This situation means that al-Bashir and the Central Government are fearful of being too accomodative of the rebels, lest they risk the fragmentation of the country or, at the very least, a backlash from conservative elements in Sudan's Intelligence and Military organisations [3].

Concerns amongst those in Sudan who have committed atrocities

On of the reasons why Sudan is likely to be reluctant to allow a UN force on its territory is because they fear such a force may arrest people accused of crimes against humanity (of which there have been many) in the region[14]. This may be why UN support of the AU force is acceptable, but a UN force is not.

Tension between Arab herders and black African farmers

The ethnic and religious mix in Darfur is complicated. There are the African muslim farmers (which are by no means a homogenous group), Arab muslim nomads/farmers and the Janjaweed militias (Arab muslims). There has been tension between the African farmers and the Arab muslim nomads/farmers for many years, given the limited resources in the Darfur region. It is now the case that many Arab muslim farmers are afraid to travel, and the nomads travel armed [12].

A BBC report has quoted a source allegedly from the Janjaweed that gives evidence that Sudan is training, arming, supporting and directing the activities of the militia. Quote the source, "I tell you one fact. The Janjaweed don't make decisions. The orders always come from the government," [29].

International concern over the situation facing civilians in Darfur

Atrocities have been committed by all parties to the conflict.

The distribution of funds from oil resources in Sudan

The main aim of the rebels in Darfur is of a fairer share of oil revenues [5].

Key Groups/Individuals

Omar al-Bashir - the President of The Sudan

Lom Akol - Sudan's Foreign Minister

Mahjub Fadul Bedry - Sudan presidential press secretary

Jan Pronk - the UN Secretary-General's Special Representative for Sudan

Andrew Natsios - the US Special Envoy for Sudan (his past experience includes leading the US humanitarian mission in Darfur and heading up USAID).

Janjaweed - Arab militias, supported by The Sudanese Government

JEM - the Justice and Equality Movement, one of the rebel groups in Darfur

SLM - the Sudan Liberation Movement

The African Union

Alpha Oumar Konare - AU Commission Chairman

The United Nations

UNMIS - United Nations Mission in Sudan - monitoring the peace agreement in the South of Sudan

Kenro Oshidari - the WFP representative in Sudan

Kent Degerfelt - the head of the EU mission in Sudan

Musa Mohammed Ahmed - head of rebel Eastern Front delegation at Eritrean peace talks

Background

Ineffective Ceasefires and Peace Deals

- Ceasfire in 2004, which the AMIS force was deployed in 2004 to enforce.

- Abuja (in Nigeria) peace agreement, signed between Sudanese Government and the main rebel group on the 5th of May 2006. However, a number of other rebel groups did not sign the agreement, and the Government has not reigned in the Janjaweed militias.

Internal conflict in The Sudan

The Sudan has been beset by internal conflict for most of its post-independence history (Sudan became independent in 1956). This is due to many factors, including the large number of ethnic/religious groups in the country and large disparities in the distribution of wealth and natural resources.

The longest and bloodiest conflict has been between the Arab muslim north and the black african christian/animist south, involving issues including rights over oil reserves and the imposition of Sharia law across the country. The war between the south and the north first broke out in 1963 between the rebel group 'Anya Nya' and the Government. A peace agreement was implemented in 1972, but political instability, economic issues and continuing tension between the north and south led to hostilities resuming in 1983. The main rebel group in the post-1983 conflict was the SPLA (Sudan People's Liberation Army) [9], lead by a Colonel John Garang. Peace between the north and the south was only achieved in 2004, (and formally ended in January 2005), although the agreement is at risk, due to limitied capacity, continuing tensions and bad faith between the Government and the south [2]. On the 6th of October, the UN Security Council extended the mandate of the UN Mission in Sudan (UNMISthrough Security Council Resolution 1714 (adopted unanimously) [24].

There is also a conflict in the east of the country (described as a low-level insurgency), although a wealth-sharing deal with these rebels was signed on the 1st of October, which is hoped to be the first step towards a broader peace agreement. On the 14th of October, the Eastern rebels signed a peace deal in the Eritrean capital of Asmara. It is hoped this will stabilise the situation in eastern Sudan, which contains a large gold mine, diamond resources and Sudan's only port (Port Sudan). The importance of the negotiations is highlighted by the President of Sudan, al-Bashir, leading the negotiating team in Asmara. There had been some tension between Sudan and Eritrea, as Sudan had accused the country of arming and training Sudanese rebels, and this deal is likely to strengthen Sudanese-Eritrean relations [28].