2008 Woodie Awards
Genocide in Sudan, refugees seek humanitarian aid
Alissa Brew
Issue date: 9/16/04 Section: News
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U.S. Secretary of State Colin Powell called the crisis in Sudan's Dafur region genocide on Thursday, September 9, as the United Nations implored international communities to give more aid to the refugees of Dafur.
Powell's call to end the genocide came after department investigatorsinterviewed more than 1,800 refugees. The pro-government Arab militias have killed up to 50,000 people, causing Powell to call for an end to the genocide committed against Dafur's black Africans.
Refugees from Dafur, a western region in Sudan, claimed that after attacks by government aircraft, an Arab militia group called the Janjaweed rides into the villages on horses and camels. The militia slaughters men, rapes women and steals from the villages. In some cases, women abducted by the Janjaweed were held captive as sex slaves and not returned for more than a week.
Sudan's government denies any involvement with the Janjaweed. Powell and U.N.
Secretary Kofi Annan visited Dafur to place pressure on the government to disarm the militia group, but there is no evidence that task has started.
There has been a long-term conflict over land-use between the nomadic Arabs and farmers from the Fur, Massaleet, and Zagawa ethnic groups.
Two rebel groups, the Sudan Liberation Army (SLA) and the Justice and Equality Movement (Jem), emerged to form an opposition against the Sudanese government.
In April 2003, the SLA attacked El-Fasher airport in Dafur and destroyed several planes.
Now the government places blame on the rebel groups for starting the conflict while the rebels blame the government for taking the side of Arab militias. The Sudanese government recruited tribal militias to control the land since the country is too large for the national army to control. The Janjaweed was created by security agencies under Vice President Ali Osman Mohamed Taha.
Over 200,000 people escaped the region and now take refuge in neighboring countries like Chad. However, the refugees that camp along the border remain vulnerable to attacks. People are also vulnerable to malnutrition since the rainy season has started, causing parts of Dafur to become inaccessible.
Powell's call to end the genocide came after department investigatorsinterviewed more than 1,800 refugees. The pro-government Arab militias have killed up to 50,000 people, causing Powell to call for an end to the genocide committed against Dafur's black Africans.
Refugees from Dafur, a western region in Sudan, claimed that after attacks by government aircraft, an Arab militia group called the Janjaweed rides into the villages on horses and camels. The militia slaughters men, rapes women and steals from the villages. In some cases, women abducted by the Janjaweed were held captive as sex slaves and not returned for more than a week.
Sudan's government denies any involvement with the Janjaweed. Powell and U.N.
Secretary Kofi Annan visited Dafur to place pressure on the government to disarm the militia group, but there is no evidence that task has started.
There has been a long-term conflict over land-use between the nomadic Arabs and farmers from the Fur, Massaleet, and Zagawa ethnic groups.
Two rebel groups, the Sudan Liberation Army (SLA) and the Justice and Equality Movement (Jem), emerged to form an opposition against the Sudanese government.
In April 2003, the SLA attacked El-Fasher airport in Dafur and destroyed several planes.
Now the government places blame on the rebel groups for starting the conflict while the rebels blame the government for taking the side of Arab militias. The Sudanese government recruited tribal militias to control the land since the country is too large for the national army to control. The Janjaweed was created by security agencies under Vice President Ali Osman Mohamed Taha.
Over 200,000 people escaped the region and now take refuge in neighboring countries like Chad. However, the refugees that camp along the border remain vulnerable to attacks. People are also vulnerable to malnutrition since the rainy season has started, causing parts of Dafur to become inaccessible.