Darfur Genocide, Essay Example

Introduction

Definition: Genocide is a massive destruction of a human being. Darfur Genocide is one of longest of genocide that have occurred in the global, up to now it is still existing although it has reduce compared to the 19^th century genocide. This genocide is taking place in Darfur, Sudan. Sudan is been located at East and Central Africa bordering Kenya, Ethiopia, Chad, Uganda and Egypt. Moreover, it’s one of the largest countries in Africa. However, the ongoing genocide is an ethnic and not a religious genocide or unlike Sudanese Civil War.

These ethnic conflicts kicked of on February 2, 2003. There are three main groups which one of them is the Sudanese military, the Janjaweed and the Sudanese militia group whom are been recruited from Afro-Arab Abbala, the tribes of the Sudan people who lives in northern Rizeigat. Moreover, these tribes are essentially camel-herding nomads. On other side, it’s composed of rebel groups, whom are the Justice and Equality Movement and the Sudan Liberation Movement/Army. This rebels groups are been recruited in the non-Arab Muslim Fur, Masalit and Zaghawa ethnic groups. In addition, the government of Sudanese usually denies supporting the Janjaweed but it is accused by majority, by aiding financial backing to the militia, and joining hand in hand with the militia in order to attacks individuals whom are targeted.

Besides, there has been a lot of accusation to the Sudanese government of attempting to cover up mass graves. Additionally, journalist were been arrested and being harassed, therefore decreasing press coverage in Darfur in order to hide the true. A big question is, if the government is claiming to be right, then why they are harassing the journalist. Is this not be escapist, it’s totally ironic of what is coming out of the Sudanese government. The United State of America has described the conflicts in Sudan as genocide. Also according to the research conducted by United Nation (UN) on 31^st January 2005, it shows that there is a lot of rapes and murders of Darfurian civilians. Nevertheless, a lot of activists have also described the situation at Darfur as genocide including the Genocide Intervention Network and the Save Darfur Coalition. Also, the former United States Secretary of State known as Colin Powell has come out strongly with a statement pointing out the Darfur crisis as genocide. There other activist organization, like Amnesty international which have sail in the same boat with other activist.

However, in May 2006 there was a treaty between Sudan Liberation Movement/Army (led by Minni Minnawi) and Sudanese government. This treaty was a peace agreement but the other faction of the SLM, which was led by Abdul Wahid al Nur, who was the founder leader of SLM, rejected the signing of the agreement. Besides, on 31 August 2006, there was a resolution 1706 from United Nations Security Council which was to called for a new twenty six thousand soldiers (UNAMID from UN peacekeeping force) in order to boost seven thousand soldiers from African Union Mission in Sudan peacekeeping force. However, the Sudanese government rejected this proposal vigorously saying it was neo-colonialism and it send it soldiers to ensures that there are no troops from outside the country whom will enter Sudan.

Additionally, in March 2007, the Sudanese government was accused by the UN mission by orchestrating and engaging in gross violates in Darfur and called for critical aid of international protection of civilians. On 14 July 2008, the ICC (International Criminal Court) filed ten charges to Sudan President Omar al-Bashir, where he was charged of genocide, two murders and five crimes consisting crimes against humanity.

Billions of people have lost their lives to genocides, for example In Africa; the twentieth century has been full of conflicts in which most of them have led to genocide. The first genocide in the twentieth century occurred in German South-West Africa (currently known as Namibia) from 1904 to 1907, throughout the scramble for Africa. The Herero people under their leader Samuel Maharero rose in insurgence against German colonial statute. However, after the defeat, German general Lothar von Trona, drove Herero people into Omaheke desert where majority of them died of thirst. Nevertheless, the Nama also rose against Germans leadership but they also end up getting into hot water as their brothers Herero. In overall, betwixt 24,000 and 65,000 Herero, whom the total population was estimated to be 50%to 70% and 10,000 Nama, whom total population was 50% were all perished. The two characteristics of genocide which was used by Germans against Herero and Nama whom were trapped in the Namib Desert was poisoning of wells and starvation. Not only Namibians people who involved in the rebellion of independence in Africa in the twentieth century but also all the other countries in Africa (apart from Ethiopia and Liberia which were not colonized) suffered the same way as Herero and Nama as they fight against their rights.

The worst genocide that has occurred in the twentieth century in Africa is Rwanda Genocide. Rwanda is one of the smallest nations in Central Africa, with only seven million people, it also comprises of two main ethnic groups, the Tutsi and the Hutu. However, even though Hutus account 90% of the Rwanda population, in the past, the minatory (Tutsi) community was considered the aristocracy of Rwanda and subjugated Hutu peasants for decades, particularly when the Rwanda was under Belgian colonial canon. Nevertheless, after the independence in 1962, the majority (Hutu) seized authority and reserved the positions, tyrannizing the Tutsi through efficient prejudice and acts of violence.

Also, another example is from German whereby European Jews and others by the Nazis Germany under Adolf Hitler during the 11 world war conducted the worse genocide that was renamed as holocaust. The other group that were been persecuted and killed were Soviet civilization, Romanian, Ethnic Poles, the disables, Soviet prisoners of war, homosexual men, politician and religious opponents whom . It was between 1938-1945 where 6,000,000 deaths occurred and it began with a simple boycott of Jewish shops and finally finished in the gas chamber at Auschwitz. Hitler and Nazi followers were the people who wanted to exterminate the entire Jewish resident’s from Europe. It’s been approximated that the total victim of Nazi genocide policies was between nine and eleven million. There were several stages where the persecution and genocide were performed; Legislation to coup the Jews from civil society, concentration camps, Einsatzazgruppen, Ghettos, Extermination camps and Gas chambers

Conclusion

Sudan leaders should learn from other countries such as Rwanda, German and more which have experience genocide and see its impact. Currently, Rwanda due to a lesson that they learn after genocide, they now lives as brothers and sister. Also when looks at Germany, it was the superior country but after genocide it was overthrown by other countries such U.S. In present days, large number of Sudanese citizens lives in Kenya as refuges. Kenya is quarter of Sudan and they have managed to kept peace and in addition it has 42 tribes. A big shame goes to the Sudanese leaders who are trying to separate the Sudanese citizens due to their ethnicity. This type of leaders should at I.C.C waiting for their strong verdict.