Sudan Genocide

Sudan

Genocide is defined as the systematic attempt to destroy a group of people because of their nationally, ethic, origin, race, or religion. The term comes from combining the Greek word genos, which means "race," "tribe," or "nation," with the

Latin cide, which means "killing." So "genocide" literally killing of a race, tribe, or nation.

The Darfur genocide has been called the worst humanitarian crisis of the early twenty-first century. The Republic of Sudan, located in northeast Africa, is the continent's largest country. Darfur is in the western Sudan. The name Darfur means "home of the fur." Sudan has been independent since January 1, 1956. However, the journey that led to Sudan's genocide in Darfur began in the late 1800s. For over four decades now the Sudan has been in a bitter and devastating civil war between its Northern and Southern regions.

The violence in Sudan Darfur began in Feburary 2002, when African groups in Darfur launched a rebellion with the aid of government armed militias drawn from nomadic Arab tribes. The militias were known as Janjaweed "devils on horsebacks." The Arab- dominated government and janjaweed declared their goal was to rid Darfur of Africans. Government soliders and Janjaweed militias forced more than two million Africans from their home. As many as 500,000 African many died.

The government recruited for the Janjaweed among the Arab tribes and paid Arab sheikhs for their support, offering cash and promising future development to improve the tribes' lives. In spite of the government's efforts, some Arab tribes refused to take part in the genocide. Any non Arab who tried to join the Janjaweed were rejected. However any Arabs at all- including criminals-were excepted.

Attacks on civilians by the Janjaweed and the government soliders