Darfur>> What is happening What can we do Photo: Jerry Fowler, Committee on Conscience

Who We Are, What We Do Physicians for Human Rights mobilizes health professionals to advance health, dignity, and justice and promotes the right to health for all. Investigations International Forensic Program Asylum Network Campaigns Health Action AIDS Darfur Survival Campaign Campaign Against Torture Health and Justice for Youth Campaign to Ban Landmines

Physicians for Human Rights mobilizes health professionals to advance health, dignity, and justice and promotes the right to health for all. Investigations

International Forensic Program

Asylum Network

Campaigns

Health Action AIDS

Darfur Survival Campaign

Campaign Against Torture

Health and Justice for Youth

Campaign to Ban Landmines

Zeinab’s Story

300,000-500,000 Dead

Up to 90% of Non-Arab Darfurian Villages D estroyed Photo: Anthony Njguna for Reuters

Over 2.8 million displaced Photo: Jerry Fowler, Committee on Conscience

Hundreds of thousands remain at risk of disease and malnutrition Photo: Jerry Fowler

Setting the Scene Maps: Public Broadcasting Service Darfur, meaning land of the Fur, is the size of Texas It is bordered by Chad, Libya and the Central African Republic North - sandy desert, South - bush forest

Sudan at a glance Population: 39,148,162 Capital: Khartoum President: Omer Hassan Ahmad al-Bashir (Arab) came to power in a coup in 1989 Ethnic groups: 52% black, 39% Arab,6% Beja (nomadic tribesmen), 4% foreigners and others Major religions: Islam (mainly Sunni in the north); indigenous beliefs, mostly Christian in the south (some Christians in Khartoum) Internal Conflict: N-S war raged from 1985-2004

Population: 39,148,162 Capital: Khartoum President: Omer Hassan Ahmad al-Bashir (Arab) came to power in a coup in 1989

Ethnic groups: 52% black, 39% Arab,6% Beja (nomadic tribesmen), 4% foreigners and others Major religions: Islam (mainly Sunni in the north); indigenous beliefs, mostly Christian in the south (some Christians in Khartoum)

Internal Conflict: N-S war raged from 1985-2004

President Omer al-Bashir While in the army – in charge of military operations against south Took power in a military coup in ‘89 Promoted a fundamentalist Islamic state – declaring sharia law Harbored Osama bin Laden and other Islamic fundamentalists Named “World’s Worst Dictator” by PARADE MAGAZINE two years in a row

While in the army – in charge of military operations against south

Took power in a military coup in ‘89

Promoted a fundamentalist Islamic state – declaring sharia law

Harbored Osama bin Laden and other Islamic fundamentalists

Named “World’s Worst Dictator” by PARADE MAGAZINE two years in a row

Khartoum Ascendant Khartoum is booming.

Darfur Population: approx 6.5 million (4 million non-Arabs, 2.5 million Arabs) Non-Arab African tribes: Fur, Zaghawa, Masalit (3 largest tribes) Mainly settled farmers who have animals Arab tribes Mainly nomadic herders Islam is the main religion

Population: approx 6.5 million (4 million non-Arabs, 2.5 million Arabs)

Non-Arab African tribes: Fur, Zaghawa, Masalit (3 largest tribes)

Mainly settled farmers who have animals

Arab tribes

Mainly nomadic herders

Islam is the main religion

Roots of the Conflict INTERNATIONAL: Interference by Libya, Chad NATIONAL: Long history of neglect by Khartoum Ruling elite in Khartoum feel that Arabs are racially and culturally superior to non-Arabs REGIONAL: Famine in 1984-5 – 95,000 died Dwindling natural resources – decreased rainfall, desertification, less area for planting and grazing Local groups begin arming selves

INTERNATIONAL:

Interference by Libya, Chad

NATIONAL:

Long history of neglect by Khartoum

Ruling elite in Khartoum feel that Arabs are racially and culturally superior to non-Arabs

REGIONAL:

Famine in 1984-5 – 95,000 died

Dwindling natural resources – decreased rainfall, desertification, less area for planting and grazing

Local groups begin arming selves

www.edcnews.se Early 2000s: The GoS began to arm and support Arab militias. They became known as the Janjaweed.

Spring, 2003: The two main rebel groups, the SLA and JEM, attack gov’t outposts in northern Darfur Instead of negotiating, army Janjaweed counter with a scorched-earth response.

Government Response: Attacks on Villages

PHR Set Out to Document the Violence and Destruction Qualitative study 3 trips to Darfur/Chad border between May 2004 and July 2005 Interviewed refugees from Darfur’s 3 main ethnic groups Zaghawa from Furawiya in Oure Cassoni camp Masalit from Terbeba in Treging and Bredjing camps Fur from Bendisi in Djabal camp

Qualitative study

3 trips to Darfur/Chad border between May 2004 and July 2005

Interviewed refugees from Darfur’s 3 main ethnic groups

Zaghawa from Furawiya in Oure Cassoni camp

Masalit from Terbeba in Treging and Bredjing camps

Fur from Bendisi in Djabal camp

Darfurians have developed complex systems to survive in these difficult conditions All families owned plots of land and cultivated crops Families stored sacks of grains and seeds to survive during periods of drought People communally owned livestock, which provided food and transportation, and could also be used as disposable income The market served as a place to buy and trade goods ALL OF THESE WERE DESTROYED IN THE ATTACKS

All families owned plots of land and cultivated crops

Families stored sacks of grains and seeds to survive during periods of drought

People communally owned livestock, which provided food and transportation, and could also be used as disposable income

The market served as a place to buy and trade goods

ALL OF THESE WERE DESTROYED IN THE ATTACKS

Land Scorched

Community Destroyed

Bomb crater left by GoS Aircraft Crater left by bomb dropped by Government military aircraft

Russian Artillery

Livestock Killed and Stolen

Documenting Destruction of Livelihoods 57% faced dehydration/food shortage during flight 54% reported being attacked by the Janjaweed as they fled Average household size went from 12.1 to 6.7 40% of women were raped or sexually assaulted 33% of women were widowed Majority of respondents reported the complete loss of livestock (cows, camels, donkeys, goats, chickens) farmland, homes and possessions. In many cases, respondents reported the complete devastation of their villages, with houses, mosques, markets and schools burned to the ground, and fields destroyed

57% faced dehydration/food shortage during flight

54% reported being attacked by the Janjaweed as they fled

Average household size went from 12.1 to 6.7

40% of women were raped or sexually assaulted

33% of women were widowed

Majority of respondents reported the complete loss of livestock (cows, camels, donkeys, goats, chickens) farmland, homes and possessions.

In many cases, respondents reported the complete devastation of their villages, with houses, mosques, markets and schools burned to the ground, and fields destroyed

Prevent and Punish….Genocide After the Second World war, with a solemn vow to never again let a crime like the Holocaust happen, the world formed the United Nations. In 1948, the United Nations passed the Convention on the Convention on the Prevention and Punishment of the Crime of Genocide vowing to both prevent and punish the crime of genocide (it entered into force in 1951)

After the Second World war, with a solemn vow to never again let a crime like the Holocaust happen, the world formed the United Nations.

In 1948, the United Nations passed the Convention on the Convention on the Prevention and Punishment of the Crime of Genocide vowing to both prevent and punish the crime of genocide (it entered into force in 1951)

PHR Used Article 2c of Genocide Convention to determine that Genocide is occurring in Darfur: Article II: G enocide means any of the following acts committed with intent to destroy, in whole or in part, a national, ethnical, racial or religious group, as such: (a) Killing members of the group; (b) Causing serious bodily or mental harm to members of the group; (c) Deliberately inflicting on the group conditions of life calculated to bring about its physical destruction in whole or in part; (d) Imposing measures intended to prevent births within the group; (e) Forcibly transferring children of the group to another group.

Article II: G enocide means any of the following acts committed with intent to destroy, in whole or in part, a national, ethnical, racial or religious group, as such:

(a) Killing members of the group; (b) Causing serious bodily or mental harm to members of the group; (c) Deliberately inflicting on the group conditions of life calculated to bring about its physical destruction in whole or in part; (d) Imposing measures intended to prevent births within the group; (e) Forcibly transferring children of the group to another group.

Conditions Which May Constitute Genocide Under Art. II(c) (Int’l Criminal Tribunal for Rwanda) Starvation or subsistence diet Systematically expelling people from their homes Withholding sufficient living accommodations Reducing essential medical services below the minimum requirement Rape All of these are occurring in Darfur

Starvation or subsistence diet

Systematically expelling people from their homes

Withholding sufficient living accommodations

Reducing essential medical services below the minimum requirement

Rape

All of these are occurring in Darfur

Genocidal Intent: Direct Evidence Terbeba (Masalit, West Darfur) “ We will exterminate the Nuba” “ This land is for the Arabs, not blacks“ Bendisi (Fur, southern West Darfur) “ Exterminate the Nuba” “ The Nuba must be destroyed” “ Exterminate the Fur, kill the Fur” “ We have to kill them” Furawiya (Zaghawa, North Darfur) “ Time to get rid of all blacks in Darfur”

Terbeba (Masalit, West Darfur)

“ We will exterminate the Nuba”

“ This land is for the Arabs, not blacks“

Bendisi (Fur, southern West Darfur)

“ Exterminate the Nuba”

“ The Nuba must be destroyed”

“ Exterminate the Fur, kill the Fur”

“ We have to kill them”

Furawiya (Zaghawa, North Darfur)

“ Time to get rid of all blacks in Darfur”

Genocidal Intent: Indirect Evidence Perpetrator’s knowledge of local environmental conditions, combined with systematic destruction of all that can sustain life: foodstocks, animals, wells, crops, housing, medical facilities Preventing aid from reaching survivors Fleeing survivors are attacked Massive scale of atrocities, systematic manner of killings Consistent claims of derogatory language towards targeted group Only non-Arab groups are targeted Consistency across time, place, and different ethnic groups

Perpetrator’s knowledge of local environmental conditions, combined with systematic destruction of all that can sustain life: foodstocks, animals, wells, crops, housing, medical facilities

Preventing aid from reaching survivors

Fleeing survivors are attacked

Massive scale of atrocities, systematic manner of killings

Consistent claims of derogatory language towards targeted group

Only non-Arab groups are targeted

Consistency across time, place, and different ethnic groups

Life in Refugee Camps in Chad and IDP Camps in Sudan Photo: Jerry Fowler

Photo: National Geographic Farmers are now dependent upon international food aid

Thousands of women have been raped while leaving camps to collect firewood

Victims Require Compensation: International Law Recognizes Five Forms Restitution: restoration of property Rehabilitation: access to medical, legal, and psychological services necessary to restore well-being Compensation: monetary compensation for damages, e.g ., destroyed homes, lost livestock, compensation for suffering Satisfaction: enforceable ceasefire, mechanisms to acknowledged abuses and hold perpetrators accountable Guarantees of non-repetition: sufficiently enforceable to enable victims to return home without fear of continued abuse

Restitution: restoration of property

Rehabilitation: access to medical, legal, and psychological services necessary to restore well-being

Compensation: monetary compensation for damages, e.g ., destroyed homes, lost livestock, compensation for suffering

Satisfaction: enforceable ceasefire, mechanisms to acknowledged abuses and hold perpetrators accountable

Guarantees of non-repetition: sufficiently enforceable to enable victims to return home without fear of continued abuse

Current Situation Approximately 7,000 African Union (AU) Peacekeepers on the ground Darfur Peace Agreement signed May 2006 UN Security Council Resolution passed August 31, 2006 calling for a UN force of 20,000 Sudan refuses to allow a UN force Security situation deteriorating – aid groups evacuating Rebel groups have fractured, rebels are also guilty of attacks on civilians On-going investigation of crimes by the ICC

Approximately 7,000 African Union (AU) Peacekeepers on the ground

Darfur Peace Agreement signed May 2006

UN Security Council Resolution passed August 31, 2006 calling for a UN force of 20,000

Sudan refuses to allow a UN force

Security situation deteriorating – aid groups evacuating

Rebel groups have fractured, rebels are also guilty of attacks on civilians

On-going investigation of crimes by the ICC

Obstacles to Progress Sudan views actions of international community as empty threats China and Russia, powerful members of the Security Council, are allies of Sudan US has its own internal interests in Sudan US preoccupied with situation in Iraq Arab countries are protecting Sudan Little interest in the European Union

Sudan views actions of international community as empty threats

China and Russia, powerful members of the Security Council, are allies of Sudan

US has its own internal interests in Sudan

US preoccupied with situation in Iraq

Arab countries are protecting Sudan

Little interest in the European Union

What Can/Should be Done An international (preferably UN) peacekeeping force of at least 20,000 should be deployed to protect civilians Sanctions should be put on the GoS until they submit to a UN force The International Criminal Court should continue its investigations into crimes We should continue to support the provision of humanitarian assistance Special mechanisms should be put in place to protect women from sexual violence

An international (preferably UN) peacekeeping force of at least 20,000 should be deployed to protect civilians

Sanctions should be put on the GoS until they submit to a UN force

The International Criminal Court should continue its investigations into crimes

We should continue to support the provision of humanitarian assistance

Special mechanisms should be put in place to protect women from sexual violence

What You Can Do Tell Bush to make ending genocide in Darfur a priority Write to your member of Congress and tell them to continue funding humanitarian assistance and peacekeeping operations in Darfur Make connections with students worldwide

Tell Bush to make ending genocide in Darfur a priority

Write to your member of Congress and tell them to continue funding humanitarian assistance and peacekeeping operations in Darfur

Make connections with students worldwide

Educate Yourself Actions: www.physiciansforhumanrights.org www.genocideintervention.net, www.standnow.org News: www.reliefweb.int, www.sudantribune.com www.sudanreeves.org Nicholas Kristof, The New York Times Charles Bakst, The Providence Journal Books: Prunier, Gerald: “Darfur: The Ambiguous Genocide” Flint, J. and de Waal, A.: “A Short History of a Long War” Divestment: www.sudandivestment.org, www.fidelityoutofsudan.org

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