Sudan: War and Ethnic Strife
AP Images
Mary Galanis
World History
Period 2
5/18/09
The main conflict people in Sudan are facing is the long standing problem in Darfur. Darfur is a province of Sudan located in the western area. Unfortunately, countries, such as the United States, are more concerned with the question about if it should be considered it genocide then with actually helping the current situation (Straus 1). The people of Darfur desperately need help immediately in order to stop the war that seems like it will never end. The problem in Sudan has been a long standing argument over land lines, differences in government. and ethnic group tension while their people suffer because of it (Straus 2).
The issue arose between the two major ethnic groups that live in Sudan, the black Africans and the Arabs (Pike 2). The divide between these two groups isn’t clear, and that is what causes most of the fighting (Straus 2). There really hasn’t been a long span of peace in Sudan since the nation gained its independence (Straus 2). This divide of the two groups could be traced back to the two countries that decided to share Sudan while colonizing, those countries being Egypt and Britain. Sudan has never really been united on one front. The Untied States has one president and although many different political parties, we all operate under one person. There hasn’t been a stable president in a while. Their current president is being indicted on charges of genocide and crimes against humanity (BBC News 1). The conflict in Darfur is between the two main ethnic groups and the fact they don’t have a stable leader.
The war in Darfur is having a significant impact on their citizens and their ability to survive. First of all, over 4 million people living in Sudan have had to move somewhere else in order to avoid violence (Pike 1). They are then forced to move to refugee camps and live their lives in poverty. More than two million people have died since this war has started (Pike 1). This war really hasn’t ever stopped since Sudan’s independence, meaning the people of Sudan have never really felt comfortable living their own country. The war in Darfur is having the strongest influence on the people of Sudan and how they live their lives.
The war in Sudan does not seem to be improving. The United States, along with the U.N., are trying to send aid to Darfur, but they are even being refused by refugee camps (Sanders 1). At the Kalma camps, they denied packages of food that are in charge of feeding their almost 90,000 residents because of pressure from the government (Sanders 1). The countries in Africa need to step in and assist Sudan in its efforts to achieve peace and unity in their country.
Works Cited
"BBC NEWS | Africa | Sudan head accused of war crimes." BBC NEWS | News Front Page. 18 May 2009 <http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/africa/7504640.stm>.
This news site gave me information on the current situation with the government in Sudan and the issues they are having with the president. He has been indicted on many counts and those are listed on this site.
GlobalSecurity.org - Reliable Security Information. 12 May 2009 <http://www.globalsecurity.org/military/world/war/sudan/htm>.
This website gave me statistics on how many people have died because of this ongoing conflict and the affect on the people in Darfur and Sudan as a whole.
Sanders, Edmund. "Camp in Darfur refuses humanitarian aid - Los Angeles Times." Los Angeles Times - News from Los Angeles, California and the World. 18 May 2009 <http://www.latimes.com/news/nationworld/world/la-fg-sudan-camp21-2009mar21,0,2603175.story>.
This news site gave me insight on the problem with the camps refusing aid from foreign countries and why that is going on.
Straus, Scott. "Darfur and the Genocide Debate." Foreign Affairs Jan. & feb. 2005.
This was my primary resource for the background information about the war in Darfur and how it happened.
"Sudan: American aid groups considered for Darfur." Associated Press 8 May 2009.
This article gave me further information on the aid countries are trying to send to Darfur and why they are refusing it.
"Sudan." CIA- The World Factbook. 17 May 2009.
This list of statistics from the CIA helped me get a general idea of the country of Sudan, such as its location, and what kind of system they are run under.
Last updated by Mary Galanis on May 22, 2009
World History
Period 2
5/18/09
The main conflict people in Sudan are facing is the long standing problem in Darfur. Darfur is a province of Sudan located in the western area. Unfortunately, countries, such as the United States, are more concerned with the question about if it should be considered it genocide then with actually helping the current situation (Straus 1). The people of Darfur desperately need help immediately in order to stop the war that seems like it will never end. The problem in Sudan has been a long standing argument over land lines, differences in government. and ethnic group tension while their people suffer because of it (Straus 2).
The issue arose between the two major ethnic groups that live in Sudan, the black Africans and the Arabs (Pike 2). The divide between these two groups isn’t clear, and that is what causes most of the fighting (Straus 2). There really hasn’t been a long span of peace in Sudan since the nation gained its independence (Straus 2). This divide of the two groups could be traced back to the two countries that decided to share Sudan while colonizing, those countries being Egypt and Britain. Sudan has never really been united on one front. The Untied States has one president and although many different political parties, we all operate under one person. There hasn’t been a stable president in a while. Their current president is being indicted on charges of genocide and crimes against humanity (BBC News 1). The conflict in Darfur is between the two main ethnic groups and the fact they don’t have a stable leader.
The war in Darfur is having a significant impact on their citizens and their ability to survive. First of all, over 4 million people living in Sudan have had to move somewhere else in order to avoid violence (Pike 1). They are then forced to move to refugee camps and live their lives in poverty. More than two million people have died since this war has started (Pike 1). This war really hasn’t ever stopped since Sudan’s independence, meaning the people of Sudan have never really felt comfortable living their own country. The war in Darfur is having the strongest influence on the people of Sudan and how they live their lives.
The war in Sudan does not seem to be improving. The United States, along with the U.N., are trying to send aid to Darfur, but they are even being refused by refugee camps (Sanders 1). At the Kalma camps, they denied packages of food that are in charge of feeding their almost 90,000 residents because of pressure from the government (Sanders 1). The countries in Africa need to step in and assist Sudan in its efforts to achieve peace and unity in their country.
Works Cited
"BBC NEWS | Africa | Sudan head accused of war crimes." BBC NEWS | News Front Page. 18 May 2009 <http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/africa/7504640.stm>.
This news site gave me information on the current situation with the government in Sudan and the issues they are having with the president. He has been indicted on many counts and those are listed on this site.
GlobalSecurity.org - Reliable Security Information. 12 May 2009 <http://www.globalsecurity.org/military/world/war/sudan/htm>.
This website gave me statistics on how many people have died because of this ongoing conflict and the affect on the people in Darfur and Sudan as a whole.
Sanders, Edmund. "Camp in Darfur refuses humanitarian aid - Los Angeles Times." Los Angeles Times - News from Los Angeles, California and the World. 18 May 2009 <http://www.latimes.com/news/nationworld/world/la-fg-sudan-camp21-2009mar21,0,2603175.story>.
This news site gave me insight on the problem with the camps refusing aid from foreign countries and why that is going on.
Straus, Scott. "Darfur and the Genocide Debate." Foreign Affairs Jan. & feb. 2005.
This was my primary resource for the background information about the war in Darfur and how it happened.
"Sudan: American aid groups considered for Darfur." Associated Press 8 May 2009.
This article gave me further information on the aid countries are trying to send to Darfur and why they are refusing it.
"Sudan." CIA- The World Factbook. 17 May 2009.
This list of statistics from the CIA helped me get a general idea of the country of Sudan, such as its location, and what kind of system they are run under.
Last updated by Mary Galanis on May 22, 2009
