{"id":36664,"date":"2020-07-24T18:42:42","date_gmt":"2020-07-24T18:42:42","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.jww.org\/?p=36664"},"modified":"2020-07-24T18:42:42","modified_gmt":"2020-07-24T18:42:42","slug":"violence-spikes-darfur","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/jww.org\/site\/violence-spikes-darfur\/","title":{"rendered":"Violence spikes in Darfur: genocide survivors and Sudan\u2019s transition at risk"},"content":{"rendered":"

UPDATE \u2013 July 30, 2020 \u2013<\/strong> Jewish World Watch’s fears of mounting atrocities in Darfur have been realized.\u00a0 Just days after publication, on July 25, more than 60 people<\/a>\u00a0were reportedly killed and approximately 60 injured during an armed attack in West\u00a0Darfur.\u00a0 On the same day, attackers killed\u00a0at least 20<\/a> in South\u00a0Darfur, including children.\u00a0 This is just the latest in a series of attacks reported over the last weeks that have left carnage and severe destruction in their wake.\u00a0 Areas of\u00a0Darfur\u00a0have been placed on lockdown or designated as being in a State of Emergency.\u00a0 Sudanese Prime Minister Abdalla Hamdock has promised to deploy fresh troops to the war-beleaguered region to help stymie the unrest.<\/span><\/em><\/p>\n

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Over seventeen years after the beginning of the Darfur genocide, inter-communal violence, militia attacks against civilians, and human rights violations are on the rise in this restive region of Sudan.\u00a0 Competition for scarce resources and disputes over land ownership between pastoralist and farming communities have inflamed tensions, which are often ethnically charged.\u00a0 This has resulted in clashes in various parts of Darfur that have left many dead and tens of thousands freshly displaced.\u00a0 In addition, security forces and militias are exploiting a climate of rampant insecurity to terrorize civilians, primarily internally displaced women and children who are supposed to be under the protection of the United Nations-African Union Hybrid Mission in Darfur (UNAMID).\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

Killings, assaults, sexual violence, and looting are all on the rise, and Darfuri genocide survivors are the targets.\u00a0 Jewish World Watch was created in response to the atrocities in Darfur, under the premise that we cannot stand idly by in the face of violations that shock the conscience and attack the fundamental humanity common to us all.\u00a0 The Darfuris, both those displaced inside Sudan and in refugee camps in eastern Chad, still need us.\u00a0 Jewish World Watch will continue to stand with them until their security is guaranteed, their rights are protected, and justice is served.\u00a0 Civilian protection must remain a priority of Sudan\u2019s transitional government, and the United States and international community must support ongoing efforts towards democratization and accountability.<\/span><\/p>\n

In early July, thousands of Darfuris took to the streets in protest, accusing the government of failing to protect them from assaults and<\/span> rising sexual violence<\/span><\/a> by armed militia groups.\u00a0 Protesters told<\/span> Al Jazeera<\/span><\/a> that Arab militia groups were responsible for the atrocities.\u00a0 On July 13, unidentified gunmen<\/span> waged attacks<\/span><\/a> on protesters staging the sit-ins, leaving at least<\/span> nine people killed<\/span><\/a> and seventeen others wounded at Fata Borno camp for the displaced in North Darfur. <\/span>Attacks<\/span><\/a> against peaceful protesters and civilians continued on July 17, 18, and 19 in West Darfur.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

Address the root causes of genocide<\/b><\/h2>\n

The Institute for Security Studies (ISS) attributes the current uptick in violence in the war-beleaguered Darfur region to the failure to resolve the underlying causes of the original conflict.\u00a0 The Darfur crisis erupted in 2003 after mostly non-Arab rebels rose up against the central government in the capital, Khartoum.\u00a0 Government forces and mainly Arab militias, commonly known as the Janjaweed, responded with widespread atrocities rising to the level of genocide.\u00a0 Some 300,000 people were killed and about 2.4 million forcibly displaced.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

The regime responsible for the genocide in Darfur remained in power until just recently, when a<\/span>\u00a0people\u2019s revolution<\/span><\/a> led to the ouster of President Omar al-Bashir in April 2019.\u00a0 In establishing the Sovereign Council in August 2019, civilian and military leaders agreed to jointly govern for a three-year transition period to culminate in free elections and eventual civilian rule.\u00a0 Despite progress in certain areas, including the<\/span> abolition of repressive Islamist laws<\/span><\/a>,<\/span> peace talks<\/span><\/a>, and the<\/span> restoration of diplomatic ties<\/span><\/a> with powerful countries like the United States, the transitional government helmed by the Sovereign Council has faced numerous setbacks, particularly<\/span> severe economic woes<\/span><\/a>.\u00a0 Moreover, insiders believe that even with al-Bashir\u2019s deposal and arrest, many of the architects of the Darfur genocide remain in high positions of power to this day, most notably Mohamed Hamdan Dagalo, known as Hemeti, who is one of the 11 members of the Sovereign Council currently governing Sudan.\u00a0 A ruthless commander who has amassed immense wealth, Hemeti is the absolute gatekeeper of Sudan\u2019s notorious security apparatus known as the Rapid Support Forces (RSF), the current incarnation of the Janjaweed, or \u201cdevils on horseback,\u201d who perpetrated the atrocities in Darfur, Blue Nile and Jebel Marra beginning in 2003.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

Although there has been no serious fighting in Darfur for years, there has never been a true resolution to the conflict, either.\u00a0 The transitional government has pledged to finally end the conflict in Darfur, but despite ongoing dialogue with some rebel groups in the war-torn region, no binding peace deal has been reached.\u00a0 Arab armed groups still control the land they seized during the conflict, impeding displaced Darfuri civilians from safely returning home and leading to deadly clashes over land rights.\u00a0 According to the Darfur Women Action Group (DWAG), \u201cwhile many had hoped that the transition to a new government could bring an end to atrocities in Sudan, the failure to address the root causes of inter-communal conflict risks a return to widespread ethnic violence and attacks on populations\u2026.The participation of factions of the RSF in attacks on civilians during recent inter-communal violence increases the risk of renewed conflict in Sudan.\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n

COVID-19<\/span><\/a> has also played a role in the deterioration of the security situation.\u00a0 UNAMID\u2019s operational effectiveness in protecting civilians has significantly diminished.\u00a0 COVID-related movement restrictions have impeded patrols and community engagement efforts, rendering UNAMID less visible and, thereby, less effective.\u00a0 Humanitarian assistance has also receded as a result of the pandemic, forcing displaced people to move out of their camps, with no protection, in search of means of survival.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

Ensure civilian protection<\/b><\/h2>\n

The one silver lining of COVID-19\u2019s destabilization has been the<\/span> extension of UNAMID\u2019s peacekeeping mandate<\/span><\/a> through December 31, 2020.\u00a0 In March, the Security Council decided to close UNAMID in June 2020 and replace it with the new United Nations Integrated Transition Assistance Mission in Sudan (UNITMAS).\u00a0 Unlike UNAMID, which has a Chapter VII mandate to protect civilians via policing forces, UNITMAS will be a political mission, not a peace operations mission, and does not have powers of civilian protection.\u00a0 Withdrawing UNAMID in a time of mounting violence would be the wrong move, leaving millions of internally displaced Darfuris unprotected.\u00a0 Until the nascent Sudanese government has the capacity to protect the most vulnerable of its people from attack and sexual violence, UNAMID must remain in place.\u00a0 Otherwise, the destabilization of Darfur risks upending Sudan\u2019s upward trajectory towards progress and peace.<\/span><\/p>\n

Support progress<\/b><\/h2>\n

Throughout this challenging time of transition, it is paramount that the United States support Sudan\u2019s efforts towards democratization and accountability.\u00a0 As mentioned above, the transitional government has made great strides in certain areas, perhaps most notably in holding disgraced leader Omar al-Bashir to account for his multitudinous crimes against the country and people of Sudan.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

Al-Bashir was convicted on corruption charges in a Sudanese court in December of last year, and the Sovereign Council seemed to endorse sending him to the<\/span> International Criminal Court<\/span><\/a> (ICC) to stand trial for the atrocities he orchestrated in Darfur.\u00a0 On June 9, notorious war criminal<\/span> Ali Kushayb<\/span><\/a> surrendered to the ICC after 13 years of evading justice.\u00a0 While it is unclear whether al-Bashir will follow suit and be extradited to the ICC, the wheels of accountability are continuing to turn domestically.\u00a0 Earlier this week, on July 21, al-Bashir, who is already behind bars for corruption,<\/span> went on trial<\/span><\/a> for orchestrating the 1989 coup that put him in power.\u00a0 He could face the death penalty for his junta against the democratically elected government of Prime Minister Sadek al-Mahdi.\u00a0 After al-Bashir\u2019s corruption conviction, many feared al-Bashir would escape accountability for his most heinous crimes.\u00a0 Though the coup-related trial does not touch upon the atrocities al-Bashir unleashed upon the people of Darfur, it does mark the<\/span> first time in the modern history<\/span><\/a> of the Arab world that the architect of a coup goes on trial.\u00a0 This trial does not preclude the possibility of future prosecution for genocide, including potentially before the ICC.<\/span><\/p>\n

The United States must see this trial as yet another indicator of the transitional government\u2019s concerted efforts towards breaking with Sudan\u2019s nefarious past and moving towards democracy.\u00a0 Khartoum has taken concrete steps to rebuild diplomatic relations with the United States in the hopes of being removed from the state sponsors of terrorism list, a formidable hurdle to obtaining foreign aid and investment.\u00a0 The opportunities that will open up upon removal from this list will be critical to helping Sudan dig itself out from the legacy of economic disaster that has plagued the transition.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

It is imperative that Washington and the international community help Sudan maintain its momentum towards realizing the democracy the Sudanese people so desperately yearn for and deserve.\u00a0 On July 20, House leaders re-introduced the Sudan Democratic Transition, Accountability, and Financial Transparency Act of 2020 (<\/span>H.R. 7602<\/span><\/a>).\u00a0 This marks the first comprehensive effort on behalf of the U.S. government to intelligently undergird Sudan\u2019s transitional process in a multi-sectoral, strategic and meaningful way.\u00a0 If enacted, the legislation will provide assistance for democratic institutional building, support development programs, help with debt relief, and impose sanctions on human rights abusers.<\/span><\/p>\n

Please ask your representatives to support this groundbreaking legislation to help realize the vision of the people\u2019s revolution of Sudan.\u00a0<\/b><\/span><\/em><\/p>\n

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You can also show your support for the people of Sudan as they grapple with the challenges of COVID-19.\u00a0 Senator Bob Menendez (D-NJ) introduced a<\/span>\u00a0bill<\/span><\/a> to assist COVID-19 recovery efforts in Sudan on May 7, 2020.\u00a0 It would authorize the Department of the Treasury to direct US financial institutions to provide financial assistance to Sudan\u2019s response to or recovery from the global pandemic.\u00a0 COVID-19 has hit the Darfur region hard and has had a deleterious effect on the region\u2019s security.\u00a0 Peace and democracy will not be possible as long as the people of Darfur continue to suffer, so doing something as uncontroversial as supporting COVID-19 response could be an important means of supporting Sudan\u2019s transition in an indirect but meaningful way.\u00a0\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

Please urge your Senators to add Sudan to a<\/b>\u00a0growing list<\/b><\/a> of countries benefiting from US government COVID-19 relief.<\/b><\/span><\/em><\/p>\n

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Darfuris in Chad<\/b><\/h2>\n

Amidst the recent uptick in unrest in Darfur, we cannot forget the Darfuris who fled to escape genocide so many years ago, and who continue to struggle to survive in refugee camps in eastern Chad. \u00a0 Jewish World Watch has continued to support these genocide survivors in their precarious existence in the camps, empowering them with education and meaningful life skills to help them move from merely surviving to thriving.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

COVID-19 restrictions have negatively impacted these refugees, restricting their freedom of movement, their ability to access services, and their food supply.\u00a0 That\u2019s why Jewish World Watch has adjusted our programming inside the camps to meet these evolving challenges.\u00a0 With our on-the-ground partner organization we are pivoting programming to provide the refugees with more seeds and fruit trees, empowering them to grow their own food in order to counter the heightened risk of hunger that has emerged as a result of COVID-19.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

We are also providing refugee community workers with masks and gloves to protect them as they continue to provide life-saving services to their own people.\u00a0 You can now purchase seeds, masks, and gloves to benefit the Darfuri refugees in Chad by going to our brand new Marketplace for Good<\/a>.\u00a0 The needs are immense, but every little bit counts.\u00a0 You can now be part of the solution, knowing that your support, no matter the size, is empowering the world\u2019s most vulnerable people with food and protection while they brace for the unknowns of this global pandemic.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

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Recent violence in Darfur reminds us of the long road ahead for Darfuris in Sudan, and those who live as refugees, but it also reinforces the need for us and the U.S. government to support them as they seek to rise out of the ashes of their nation\u2019s past.<\/span><\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

UPDATE \u2013 July 30, 2020 \u2013 Jewish World Watch’s fears of mounting atrocities in Darfur have been realized.\u00a0 Just days after publication, on July 25, more than 60 people\u00a0were reportedly killed and approximately 60 injured during an armed attack in West\u00a0Darfur.\u00a0 On the same day, attackers killed\u00a0at least 20 in South\u00a0Darfur, including children.\u00a0 This is…<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":6,"featured_media":36668,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[188,229],"tags":[572,336,244,192,140,143,160,195],"class_list":["post-36664","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-news-features","category-sudan","tag-atrocities","tag-chad-2","tag-covid-19","tag-darfur","tag-genocide","tag-jewish","tag-jewish-world-watch","tag-sudan","category-188","category-229","description-off"],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/jww.org\/site\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/36664","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/jww.org\/site\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/jww.org\/site\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/jww.org\/site\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/6"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/jww.org\/site\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=36664"}],"version-history":[{"count":0,"href":"https:\/\/jww.org\/site\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/36664\/revisions"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/jww.org\/site\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/36668"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/jww.org\/site\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=36664"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/jww.org\/site\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=36664"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/jww.org\/site\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=36664"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}