What is the conflict in Darfur?

Question

I am having trouble understanding what it is all about-there is so much history behind it. Is there an expert out there that can help me out? Thanks!

Answer 1

I think it's like this. Sudan has an arab muslim majority group and several African minority gorup. They used to get along. but for whatever reason the arab muslims are driving the fur out. They are using paramilitary death squads. the government of Sudan isn't officaly behind the killing but they arn't stopping it. Sort of reminds me of Serbia...

Answer 2

I'm not an expert but this is what I know.

Sudan, like all African countries, is the shape it is because that's where the European colonial powers drew the lines on the map. There are no religious, cultural or ethnic reasons for it to exist. The north is Arab and Muslim, the south is black and Christian or animist, while Darfur in the west is Muslim and a mixture of black and Arab.

It has been controlled since independence by a relatively well-educated minority from the capital, Khartoum (just like Iraq). This ruling elite is Arab.

They have oppressed the ethnic and religious groups in the other provinces. The south waged a war of independence for 30 years. There is now a peace treaty and they have a degree of autonomy.

Other areas, including Darfur in the west, also aspire to autonomy and claim, with justification, to have been neglected and exploited by the central government.

Perceiving a threat to their rule, the government, instead of acting directly in an area far away and difficult to control, armed a militia of traditionally warlike Arab-speaking tribesmen, horseback warriors called the Janjaweed (sounds like like ganja weed!)

These guys are given free rein to murder, loot, rape and burn the black native population of Darfur. They are also from Darfur, but are nomadic herdsmen. Their incentive is that if they get rid of the black people who are farmers, they will have all the land for their flocks. The insurgency movement against the government is amongst the black tribes.

Because of the remoteness of the region and because there are no resources of interest to the rest of the world, nobody cares enough to stop the murder. And because China gets oil from Sudan it does what it can to prevent the UN acting to help the people of Darfur.

Answer 3

It is an atrocious genocide by a militia called the Janaweed, allegedly backed by the Sudanese Government. Although some say that the United States should intervene however the Sudanese Government does not want American Troops in Sudan and will attack American troops if they come.
If someone supports Military action they have to believe (if they are rational) that our military can defeat the Sudanese government and create a stable democracy while fighting violence between different groups within that country. If someone has been following what is going on in Iraq, they will not rationally support intervention as it will lead to a similiar situation!

Answer 4

Basically it's a civil war in Sudan between the Muslim north & the Christian south that't been going on for the last 20 years.

Answer 5

No one is an expert on Darfur. It's only just been introduced to us. Human Rights. That's the issue. Death, Starvation, death. Murder.

Answer 6

I am not an expert, but Dar-fur is about a race of people that are being killed off. Its called Genocide.

Go to this website and it will give you the info you are looking for...

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Darfur_conflict

This is a big issue that will effect many of millions of people now and in the future if it continues to take place. Good for you for wanting to expand your knowledge in international news... You should be proud of yourself....