Sudan's Civil War and Darfur's

Misery

Courtney Schreiber

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Religion

70% are Muslims Official State religion in 1983

5% are Christians Most live in the South.

Most people practice traditional religion. Dinka Nuba Nuer Zande.

Sudan Background Info

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Dinka Cow Herder

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360 member National Assembly make the laws. In 2005, the assembly approved a new

constitution for Sudan. It’ll be in effect until 2011. It provides for power to be shared between

northerners and southerners. Also establishes a regional government in Southern

Sudan with a large degree of self-rule. Omar al-Bashir, President, is the head of state,

head of government and commander in chief of the armed forces.

Sudan Background Info

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Omar al-Bashir

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Economy

Minerals: Oil, iron ore, copper and chrome.

Agricultural: Cotton, sorghum, millet, gum arabic, wheat,

sesame and sheep. Industries and Products:

Cotton ginning, textiles, cement, edible oils, sugar, soap distilling, shoes, and petroleum refining.

Sudan Background Info

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Sudan’s Flag

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Population

32,600,000; annual growth 2.4% Languages

Arabic Nubian Ta Bedawie Nilotic Nilo-Hamitic Sudanic English

Sudan Background Info

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In 1821, Egypt conquered the Funj. In 1881, a Sudanese Muslim religious teacher

named Muhammad Ahmed proclaimed himself the Mahdi, which is a divinely appointed guide.

For the next four years, he led a successful revolt against the Egyptians.

In 1898, the United Kingdom and Egypt joined forces to defeat the Sudanese at the Battle of Omdurman. They both agreed to rule the country together.

Egyptian & British Control

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Muhammad Ahmed

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In the early 1900’s, many Sudanese began to

demand an end to British rule. In 1924, Sudanese troops under Egyptian

leadership rose up against the British. The mutiny failed and the British expelled

most Egyptian officials from Sudan. The Egyptian officials did not return until

1936, when Egypt signed a new agreement with the United Kingdom.

Egyptian & British Control

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In 1953, the United Kingdom and Egypt

agreed on steps leading to self-government. In 1955, Sudan’s parliament voted for self-

government. Sudan become an independent nation on

January 1st, 1956.

Independence

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Independence

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The South leaders feared that the North

leaders would not share power equally. They objected to use Arabic as the national

language. The South also feared that the Northern Administrators would force the South to be more like Arab Muslims.

Differences in ethnicity, language, and religion resulted in years of suspicion and fighting between the North and the South.

After Independence

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Sudan’s first independent government failed to improve

north-south relations. In 1958, General Ibrahim Abboud led a military take-

over of the government. He abolished all political parties and put man politicians in jail.

His attempts to force southern leaders to cooperate with his government only increased tensions in the south.

In 1964, teachers, students, lawyers, and union organizers held a general strike against Abboud.

They forced the army to return the government to civilian control.

After Independence

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General Ibrahim Abboud

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In 1969, Colonel Gaafar Nimeiri seized control

of the government. He outlawed political parties and arrested

most leading politicians. In 1971, he became president of Sudan. In 1972, he bought an end to the rebellion in

the south and signed agreements that gave the southern provinces a regional government.

After Independence

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Colonel Gaafar Nimeiri

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Sudan adopted a new constitution in 1973. It established a strong presidency and weak

legislature. It provided one official political, the Sudanese

Socialist Union. Nimeiri served as party leader.

After Independence

Constitution

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Civil War

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In 1983, Nimeiri established Islamic Law. He ended the regional government in the

south. Southerners protested against these actions. Fighting broke out between government forces

and southerners. In addition, severe nationwide economic

problems led to general strikes and rioting.

Civil War

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In 1985, a group of military officers forced

Nimeiri out of power, disbanded the Sudanese Socialist Union, and established a military government.

They soon helped set up a transitional government that included civilians.

In 1986, elections where held for a new legislature, and Sadiq al Mahdi, head of the Umma Party, became prime minister.

Civil War

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Civil War

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In 1989, Brigadier General Umar Hasan Ahmad al-Bashir

led a group of military officers that overthrew Mahdi. Bashir was backed by a political group called the

National Islamic Front. The NIF has sought to shape Sudan’s government

according to traditional Islamic law. Bashir got rid off the legislature and replaced it with a

military council. He suspended the Constitution and banned all political

parties. In 1993, the military council the got rid of itself.

Civil War

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In 1996, Sudan held presidential and

parliamentary elections. Bashir was elected president. The new parliament elected Hassan al-Turabi,

the leader of NIF, as speaker. NIF later became as the National Congress in

the late 1990’s. In 1998, Sudan adopted a new constitution

that allowed the formation of political parties. Several parties were organized in 1999.

Civil War

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Hassan al-Turabi

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In the late 1990’s, tension grew between

Bashir and Turabi. In December 1999, Bashir removed Turabi as

speaker, dissolved the National Assembly and suspended parts of the Constitution.

In June 2000, after being expelled from the National Congress, Turabi formed a new party called the Popular National Congress.

Civil War

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In December 2000, Bashir was re-elected

president and the National Congress won majority in the Assembly.

The main opposition parties boycotted the vote.

In 2001, police arrested and confined Turabi and other PNC members.

He was released in 2003, detained again in 2004, and released in 2005.

Civil War

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Civil War

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From 1983 to 2004, the fighting between

Sudan’s government and rebels in the south killed about 2 million people.

The fighting interfered with the production and distribution of food and caused widespread hunger.

Many civilians fled to the north or to neighboring countries.

Droughts in the mid- 1980’s through the early 2000’s contributed to the spread of hunger and disease.

Civil War

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In July 2002, the government and the rebels

signed an agreement providing that Islamic law would apply in northern Sudan but not in southern Sudan.

The government also agreed to eventually allow southerners to hold a referendum in independence.

In 2003 and 2004, the government and the rebels signed further agreements on sharing of power, the distribution of oil wealth and other issues.

Civil War

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In January 2005, the two sides signed a full

peace agreement that ended their conflict. In July 2005, the National Assembly approved

a new constitution that was to remain in effect until 2011.

It established a temporary power-sharing government, as well as regional government in the south.

Civil War

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Violence in Darfur

In 2003, a separate conflict erupted in the western region of Darfur.

Rebels from indigenous African ethnic groups claimed that the Sudanese government was ignoring Darfur and began attacking government targets in the region.

Arab militias known as the Janjaweed began attacking both rebels and civilians in Darfur.

There have been longstanding tensions over land and grazing rights in Darfur between herders, who are mostly Arabs, and farmers, who are mostly indigenous Africans.

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Darfur Refugee Camp

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Violence in Darfur rose in 2003 and 2004. Tens of thousands of people died. 2 million forced from their homes. Many international groups accused the

government and the Janjaweed of massive human rights abuses, including murder and rape.

The United States described it as genocide.

Violence in Darfur

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Starving Children

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Violence in Darfur

The End