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Dictionary of Gross Human Rights Violations

Darfur (Sudan), Gross Human Rights Violations in

Darfur is a rugged and relatively isolated region in the western reaches of Sudan. From 2003 until the present day Darfur has been plagued by gross human rights violations such as genocide (intent to destroy can reasonably be inferred by the targeted nature of the killings) and crimes against humanity such as persecution, torture, sexual slavery, and rape. These crimes have largely been committed by the government-supported (Janjawiid) militias against the civilian population.

Tribal groups in Darfur are considered to be either “Arab” or “African” based on factors such as lifestyle and facial features. Both the Arabs and the Africans are black and Muslim. One can also draw a distinction between the camel herding Arabs of the north (who lack land title) and the cattle grazing Arabs of the south (who have land title). The roots of the conflict in Darfur are complex. The rebels (mostly Africans) are motivated by issues such as the economic and political marginalisation of the region, while the Janjawiid (Arab militias acting in concert with the Sudanese government) are drawn largely from the landless Arabs of northern Darfur and ideologically fuelled by an Arab supremacist movement.

The international response to the genocide has been largely ineffectual. An African Union (AU) peacekeeping force is on the ground but it lacks adequate resources, manpower, and training. The UN has decided to deploy a peacekeeping force but the Sudanese government will not allow it access. The situation in Darfur might be, like Rwanda, a case of too little too late.

In March 2005, the situation in Darfur was referred by the UN Security Council to the International Criminal Court for investigation and possible prosecution of international crimes

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