Written by Nathanael Advent and Indira Dea Aulia from Empowerment’s Division
The Darfur Genocide has its origins in a complex web of historical, political, and ethnic factors. The crisis and ongoing conflict in Sudan’s western Darfur region developed from several events. First, a civil war erupted between the Khartoum national government and two rebel groups in Darfur : The Justice and Equality Movement and The Sudan Liberation Movement/Army. These rebel groups emerged in February 2003 due to Khartoum’s political and economic marginalisation of Darfur. In April 2003, when the rebel groups attacked a military airfield and kidnapped an air force general, the government launched a counterattack. This response led to the Khartoum government arming militia forces (such as the notorious Janjaweed) to suppress the rebellion, resulting in mass violence against Darfuri citizens. A second contributing factor is the long-standing civil war that has occurred between Christians, animist Black Southerners, and the Arab-dominated government since Sudan’s independence from the United Kingdom in 1956. This earlier conflict displaced over a million people, leaving them fleeing to other places around Sudan or across the border to Chad. The ethnic conflict in Darfur has been persistent, with racism at its roots. Darfur is home to six million people and several dozen tribes, split into two main groups: those claiming Black ‘African’ descent (primarily practising sedentary agriculture) and those claiming ‘Arab’ descent (mostly semi-nomadic livestock herders).
The Darfur genocide, which took place from 2003 to 2005, involved a series of human rights violations committed by the Sudanese Government military and its proxy militia forces, particularly the Janjaweed. The violations that took place during the Darfur genocide included attacks on civilians, particularly those from ethnic groups associated with the rebel forces such as the fur, masalit and zaghawa ethnicities. Their actions included the burning of homes, villages and the destruction of food stores that resulted in the deaths of 200,000 people and the displacement of two million. In addition to verbal violations, they obstruct access to aid to refugees and harass internally displaced persons, especially women and girls. Most of the victims were mainly indigenous African tribes who suffered from starvation, food shortages, and the spread of disease. Inaccessible humanitarian aid into the Darfur region to provide health services to civilians at risk of death. The destruction of infrastructure such as the destruction of many villages, roads, schools and health clinics due to the war waged between SLA-JEM and Janjaweed.
The aftermath of the Darfur Genocide was marked by ongoing challenges, humanitarian crises, and international efforts to address the situation. Despite global awareness, violence persisted in Darfur, with hundreds of people continuing to die daily from starvation, disease, and violence. The conflict forced millions to flee their homes, resulting in approximately 2.4 million internally displaced people and another 200,000 refugees in Chad. Women and girls faced sexual violence while searching for firewood outside camps, while those inside the camps remained dependent on international aid. The international response involved debates at the UN Security Council, the deployment of African Union forces, and the tireless work of over 9,000 humanitarian workers. However, meaningful steps to end the fighting and address the needs of the uprooted were insufficient, and obstacles such as Russia’s opposition to sanctions persisted. The Darfur Genocide galvanized global advocacy groups, policymakers, activists, and journalists, emphasizing the importance of collective action to prevent such atrocities in the future.
The UN reached an agreement in 2007 to establish a so-called “hybrid force” – a combination of UN and African Union troops with the Sudanese government. However, lack of funding, difficult logistics, and the slow pace of the Sudanese government prevented the dispatch of these troops. On the other hand, the UN sent the Darfur case to the International Criminal Court to investigate allegations of genocide and crimes against humanity by the Sudanese government. The Sudanese government promised not to hand over the two indicted officials.
However, in July 2007, the court dramatically announced that it was seeking an arrest warrant for Sudanese President Omer Al-Bashir. A decision had to be made in the near future. and the UN responded that the Darfur genocide was an unreachable problem, and it was necessary to take steps to prevent a prolonged ethnic conflict. The UN took actions such as the creation of a UN convention aimed at strengthening the genocide convention that regulates human rights violations, the UN also negotiated for the conflict in Sudan by stating that there was no alternative but to continue the war to achieve a military victory that would only contribute to the destruction of the country, and the UN warned the Sudanese government that the violence committed against Darfur was very influential and could quickly plunge the country into a prolonged ethnic conflict.
The Darfur Peace Agreement is a document that establishes a democratic process for the people of Darfur to elect their leaders and determine their final status as a region, the Darfur Genocide peace process has seen progress and challenges, the agreement includes provisions for power sharing, wealth sharing, a final ceasefire and security arrangements, as well as a call for a “Darfur-Darfur” dialogue to address outstanding issues. The Darfur peace process has been ongoing since the signing of the Darfur Peace Agreement in May 2006. The agreement established a democratic process for the people of Darfur to elect their leaders and determine their final status as a region, including a popular referendum to decide whether or not to approve establishing Darfur as a unitary region or maintaining the three-state status quo. The Darfur Genocide peace process has seen both progress and challenges. In 2020, Sudan’s transitional government achieved a significant milestone by signing a historic peace agreement with an alliance of rebel groups. This agreement aimed to end not only the conflict in Darfur but also the violence in the southern regions of South Kordofan and the Blue Nile. While this marked progress, the peace process faces hurdles. An undefined framework for talks, lack of robust international engagement, and the ongoing proxy war between Sudan and Chad complicate the path toward lasting peace. Sustained efforts, inclusive dialogue, and global support remain essential for achieving stability and reconciliation in Darfur.
Referensi
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