Land conflicts between people who engaged in sedentary agriculture and semi-nomad lifestyles were the root cause of the Darfur genocide. Access to water was also a major factor in the massacre. Another war in the south of Sudan is also blamed for the genocide in Darfur. Between animist black southerners and northern Arabs, there has been civil conflict in southern Sudan for many years. Near the close of the 1980s, a group of landless and destitute Arabs formed to reclaim their land from the local black farmers. After the publication of a racial superiority policy in 1987, conflicts between Arabs and Furs were ultimately resolved. (Bush, 2017). A rebellion also started in Darfur in 2003 because of the reaction against the political marginalization and abandonment of Darfur by Khartoum. Whereas the rebels first wanted a pan-ethnic front to address the issues, the division between the supporters and opponents of the government occurred mainly based on the ethnic groups. Nevertheless, land disputes formed the genesis of the genesis than the tribal clashes. As a matter of fact, the majority of the Arabs who had land rights never joined the fight of the government of Sudan. The lands of Darfur failed due to various reasons. The inhabitants were blamed for the environmental degradation that occurred in Darfur region and other parts of Sahel in the 1980s and 1990s. Poor maintenance of the vegetation of Darfur also contributed to the swift reduction in rainfall. In addition, more sand and rock that absorbs less sunlight than the plants were exposed because of the imprudent use of land. As a result, it minimized the prospect of rainfall by drawing the clouds downwards. This contributed to the conflict as people started to fight for the inadequate land resources. The climatic changes due to human activities also contributed to the loss of the fertile land that could be used for agricultural activities in Darfur (Bush, 2017).
II.
During the Darfur genocide, many people became victims. More than 50,000 people died while over one million individuals were displaced during the genocide. It also led to about 200,000 refugees escaping into Chad where they are living in refugee camps. The conditions in the refugee camps are unfavorable. For instance, there are refugee camps in places where the temperatures are normally more than 100 degrees Fahrenheit. During the conflict, the survivors faced shortages of water and food. The humanitarian efforts that could help the survivors and victims were also frustrated. Government and rebel forces attacked the aid convoys hence the survivors continued to suffer. It is approximated that 2.3 million individuals in Darfur require emergency assistance; however, organizations are usually not able to reach them due to the Darfur’s instability. Few individuals have returned home. Many villages in Darfur were burnt and the war is still on. According to the estimates of the United Nations, about 748,000 refugees who were displaced during the genocide live in UNHR camps in Ethiopia, South Sudan, Chad, and Sudan (Kumar, 2017). In addition, it is approximated that more than 4.7 million Darfuris depend on humanitarian assistance (Human Rights Watch, 2017). During the genocide, the U.S responded by establishing a policy that revolved around the shutting down of oil export through provoking regional and national antagonisms as well as sanctions. For more than 20 years, the United States imperialism offered support to the separatist movement that lived in South Sudan. As a result of the civil war, the resources of the central government were highly drained. The attention of the United States swiftly changed to Darfur after the negotiation of the peace agreement. The United States acted as a mediator and continued compelling Khartoum to agree to the restoration of peace. The U.S also provided military interventions and sanctions in order to help solve the problems of South Sudan. The cruise missile attack by the United States led to the death of many individuals, mainly Children in Sudan. The attack was carried out on Khartoum’s El Shifa pharmaceutical plant and it had a great effect since it was used to manufacture cheap drugs for tuberculosis and malaria in Sudan (Kumar, 2017).
III.
The aftermath of Darfur genocide left it in an awful condition. Darfur has actually become a place it is not easy to survive due to the fact that majority of people in the area are starving and homeless. A third of Darfur’s population ended up in the refugee camps after fleeing their homes. Tension and violence between the government of Sudan and rebels continue to grow and increase the war. Janjaweed is an issue that is still a major problem in Darfur since the United Nations tries to compel the government to act. Many people continue to lose their lives due to diseases and malnutrition in the region. According to a World Food Program report, there are about 3.5 million individuals who suffer due to inadequate basic needs in Darfur. New problems continue to emerge because of the failure to solve the issues affecting the region. For instance, there is the tension between Chad and Sudan that continues to build up. Presently, there are certain issues that start to emerge in Darfur such as sex trafficking and forced labor. Majority of the African girls and women have been subjected to sexual abuse because of Darfur genocide. Men would constantly compel them to engage in commercial sex activities since they do not have any power to refuse. Besides, the genocide has resulted into refugees being compelled to engage in forced labor so as to earn a living. Immorality in Darfur also affects children as they would normally be kidnapped and used to participate in other illegal activities. Different countries have responded to the conflict to help address the issues affecting the region. For instance, Russia and China have tried to block numerous UN resolutions so as to help Sudan resolve the conflict issues. China has been used to offer diplomatic resolutions in Sudan hence leading to China's heavy investment in Sudanese oil (Bush, 2017).
IV.
The world of Darfur is actually a different region compared to what it was during the start of the genocide. As a matter of fact, the UN Security Council is contemplating exiting the region. Over the past few years, there has been a significant reduction in the amount of violence between rebels and government forces. Unamid has actually been permitted to access some areas that were previously cordoned off. Nevertheless, there has been an increase in violence between 2016 and 2017 such as allegations of rape and chemical attacks. The attacks were initiated by the Sudanese military forces that include Rapid Support Forces and Janjaweed against the displaced individuals in the region (Kumar, 2017). The current challenge that faces Darfur is the failure of Unamid that has resulted in its leaders to fake prosperity while ignoring the level of suffering of individuals that it should protect. Currently, Darfur continues to be segregated by Khartoum as over 3 million residents of Darfur suffer in the refugee camps for about 14 years. The lands of Darfuris have also been awarded to the Khartoum loyalists living in Sudan. The continued government armed forces attacks on the people of Darfur in a serious challenge in the restoration of peace. The independent media and civil society groups continue to be repressed in Darfur hence it presents a serious challenge to providing humanitarian aid to the people. The UN and African Union peacekeepers were denied access to Darfur by the government of Sudan. As a result, it undermined the ability of the peacekeepers to safeguard the civilians who were suffering during the genocide. There was no freedom of expression and assembly in Sudan during the conflict period. Despite the numerous sanctions that were enacted during the genocide, the government of Sudan has failed to completely restore peace in Darfur (Kumar, 2017).
V.
With the present research that I have just completed on Darfur genocide, I actually think that it is an act of democide. According to Rummel (2001), an act of democide refers to the murder of people or any individual by the government, including executing genocide. For instance, many people were murdered by the government of Sudan and the rebel forces during the Darfur genocide period. Majority of the innocent citizens of Darfur were inhumanly murdered as a result of the government’s failure to end the conflict. It led to the fleeing of many individuals who camped at various refugee camps. In the camps, the refugees were subjected to malnutrition and also suffered from other types of diseases. They were also exposed to harsh climatic conditions that made it very hard for them to survive. In reference to the events that happened during Darfur genocide, I would actually not say it was ethnic cleansing because land disputes formed the genesis of the conflict between black farmers and northern Arabs. It is therefore essential for students to understand the effects of genocide and the factors that contributed to such acts. During the study, I learned a lot of information regarding genocide. It is a good starting point for any student who would wish to study history. Therefore, it is my expectation to learn various forms of genocide that would help to understand and offer recommendations on how to address the emerging issues in different societies. Nevertheless, there are various things that I need to learn in order to understand and teach difficult contents about the oppressed groups. For instance, I need to learn about the historical backgrounds of the oppressed groups so as to understand their past and present life. This would be essential in understanding and address the various challenges that they face in their day to day lives. In addition, it will also offer me great opportunity to know how to approach the oppressed groups and understand their livelihood. Without proper strategy, it is always not easy to learn about the oppressed or under-represented groups in the society. Acts of democide are common in many governments hence it would be very important to understand the different factors that contribute to such acts. Nevertheless, genocide is very inhuman and should not be practiced in any country around the world (Rummel, 2001).
References
Bush, C. (2017). Understanding Identity in Darfur: How Western Media Has Impacted the Conflict » Responsibility to Protect Student Journal. R2pstudentjournal.leeds.ac.uk. Retrieved 12 October 2017, from http://r2pstudentjournal.leeds.ac.uk/2017/05/18/understanding-identity-in-darfur-how-western-media-has-impacted-the-conflict/
Human Rights Watch. (2017). Sudan: Mass Rape by Army in Darfur. Human Rights Watch. Retrieved 12 October 2017, from https://www.hrw.org/news/2015/02/11/sudan-mass-rape-army-darfur
Kumar, A. (2017). OPINION: Darfur, the genocide America forgot. America.aljazeera.com. Retrieved 12 October 2017, from http://america.aljazeera.com/opinions/2014/4/darfur-genocide-unitedstatessudanjanjaweed.html
Rummel, R.J. (2001, Jan 15). When and Why to Use the Term Democide for “Genocide”. Idea: A Journal of Social Issues. Vol. 6, no.1 URL: http://www.ideajournal.com/articles.php?id=26
