What is Darfur!?

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Save DarfurBelieve it or not, most of us here in Jakarta are still asking what Darfur really is, what happens there, or how it can affect us here in Southeast Asia. The term is everywhere on international websites, blogs, social networking sites, even the Facebook’s FunWall skin might’ve subtly brought our mind to the cause: “Save Darfur”.

Okay, Obama, we all know him, but how did we miss out on Darfur? Well, it’s there somewhere on the local papers for the last four years. Just not in the spotlight. Therefore, here’s a quick and brief story on Darfur, there should be more aside from these pointers.

Darfur is a province in Sudan, Africa. The shari’ah-governed Darfur is mainly comprised of Arab Muslims and African Muslims. Ever since year 2003, millions of innocent civilians have been raped and murdered in Darfur; the violence began when two non-Arab groups, the Sudan Liberation Army and the Justice and Equality Movement, took up arms against the Sudanese government, alleging mistreatment by the Arab regime in Khartoum.

The groups believed that the Sudanese goverment led by Omar Al Bashir has been discriminative concerning its African citizens, on contrary to the Arabs. The Sudanese government is primarily made up of Arab Muslims, and therefore they favor the Arabs in Darfur. For years the ethnic Africans had been given significantly less rights and resources, and finally in July 2003, a group of rebel Africans formed the Sudanese Liberation Movement (SLM) and attacked key governmental locations in Darfur.

These opposing movements then drew their strength from members of Darfurian tribes–mainly the Zaghawa, Masalit, and Fur tribes. Please note that the term “Africans” and “Arabs” on this article can be misleading, due to the ethnic complexity in the region; Zaghawa, for instance, is also ethnically related to the Arabs.

After the rebellious uprising, a group of independent militia was suddenly becoming more aggressive and violent in the province, pillaging villages and towns inhabited by the Zaghawa, Masalit, and Fur tribes. This horse-riding militia troop is known as the Janjaweed. Actually, the Janjaweed was already familiar to the Darfurians before the opposing protests came about, they were known as bandits that steal cattle from non-Arab farms. However, after 2003, the bandits has become a full-fledged army with massive weaponry, and even a monthly salary for its troop.

Much of the violence in Sudan, has been attributed to this militia troops, the Janjaweeds–Devils on Horse Backs, as they were nicknamed. The Sudanese goverment under Al Bashir has shown no interest in taking control of the situation, which led to the assumption that the Janjaweed have been govermentally-sponsored. Al Bashir’s regime is presumed to be routinely conducting air strikes over Darfuri villages and refugee camps, before the Janjaweeds finally raid and demolish the area and its inhabitants.

Janjaweed

The acts of crime took place in Darfur aren’t just a crime, it is a process of genocide. Presently, there’ve been around 400,000 Darfuris killed during the period of genocide and more than 2.5 million more have been driven from their homes. These refugees now face starvation, disease, and rape, while those who remain in Darfur risk torture and death. We could also say that the Janjaweeds might have faced the same cruel hardship, so cruel that they are able to execute such extreme brutality the world sees today.

On May 2006, the Sudanese government has signed Darfur Peace Agreement with the Sudan Liberation Army (SLA). Nevertheless, official reports denote ongoing violation to the agreement; the Janjaweed is still as active as ever, especially in Northern Darfur where the Justice and Equality Movement or (JEM) is situated.

On the 31st August 2007, the United Nations Security Council approved sending a peacekeeping force to Darfur, in order to assist the somewhat weak and underfunded African Union troops already guarding the region. The Sudanese government has been resistant to this idea, and it also has strongly denied offering any support to the Janjaweed.

Indonesia, as member of the United Nations, delegates its Peace Corps and Formed Police Unit to the conflict area. As peacekeepers, their duty is to maintain a stable and secure situation in Darfur. Indonesia’s Formed Police Unit has just finished its one month Pre-Deployment Training from 23rd of January to 23rd February 2008, before boarding to Darfur this early March. For more articles on Indonesia’s police corps in Darfur, please go here.

How does the global awareness on Darfur help? Simply put, the UN must keep up the pressure on the Sudanese government to disarm the Janjaweed and to assimilate rebel forces into the Sudanese military. When citizens of the world speaks loud and long enough, ideally the politicians and elected officials in the governments across the world will react to the occurences, henceforth, making necessary policies or action regarding the issue. Global activism demands the attention to have the killings in Darfur as a priority case to be resolved. For instance, along the way, more than 20 states and 50 universities in United States have agreed on encouraging economic and trade divestment on the Sudanese businesses.

Darfur Formed Police Unit

However, eventhough the genocide in Darfur isn’t directly related to any religious cause and purely political power gone mad, United States’ administration itself has been cautious regarding the matter and reluctant to step in too far into yet another conflict in a Muslim country–of course, we all remember Iraq and Guantanamo Bay. Even so, the strength to save Darfur, should also suggest the strength to save the innocent “casualties of war” in Israel and Palestine, Afghanistan, Iraq, or Myanmar. At the moment, one of Janjaweed militia leader, Musa Hilal, has been assigned to a high position in the Sudanese government.

The clip below will play the trailer of A Journey to Darfur, the official documentary of Darfur’s humanitarian crisis. Find more videos related to Darfur here.

Note: Be sure to click the Sphere: Related Content below for latest updates on Darfur.

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Hello. You are now reading an article written by Marisa Duma, published on 03Mar08 along with other notes on Activism, Commentaries, International, Video.
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