Current+Problems

= ​ Sudan's Current Issues=


 * =====Civil wars in Sudan have been ongoing since their independence in 1956.=====
 * =====little solutions have been established, which leads to more civil war.=====


 * =====Most of Sudan's major ethnic and religious groups have fought and continue to fight one another.=====


 * =====The current struggle between Darfur refugees and the Sudanese government is known throughout worldwide governments and the UN.=====
 * =====Death toll currently at 300,000 with 2.7 million more refugees facing mass genocide and destruction of whole villages.=====


 * =====Most recently, in early 2009, the International Criminal Court (ICC) charged Sudan's president, Omar Hassan al-Bashir.=====
 * =====Five counts of crimes against humanity.=====
 * =====First sitting head of state to be pursued for such crimes by the ICC=====


 * =====October 2009, President Obama laid out a Sudan policy.=====
 * =====Holding Sudanese Government accountable for genocide.=====
 * =====Obama insisting that Sudan must improve the situation in Darfur.=====

**What is Darfur?**
Darfur is the western region of Sudan, Africa. Darfur is not a country in itself. The region was home to about 6 million people and is about the size of France.

The situation is very complicated but it can be summarised in brief. Government neglect has left the people throughout Sudan poor and voiceless. In February 2003, the non-Arab ethnic groups of Darfur launched an uprising against the Kartoum government. The government responded by implementing their campaign of genocide, enlisting the help of Arab militia in Darfur called the Janjaweed. The dispute is racial, not religious : Muslim Arab Sudanese are killing Muslim black Sudanese. Th e Janjaweed are the armed militia supported by the Sudanese Government to carry out the genocide, alongside and independent of, the Sudanese Army.
 * Where is Darfur?**
 * What is happening in Darfur?**
 * Who are the Janjaweed?**
 * [[image:http://2.bp.blogspot.com/_a3CLgAuAq8k/RwsAIcjDGUI/AAAAAAAACrs/fMbOy2_HNzI/s400/divest_from_sudan-m.gif width="287" height="306"]]

How is the violence being conducted?** A typical situation is this: The Janjaweed will enter a village on horse or camel back. They then set about causing as much mayhem and terror as possible: destroying houses and buildings, shooting the men, gang raping the women and children and shooting any who try to escape. The village is generally destroyed, families dispersed and separated, most killed. Those who manage to escape then attempt the long journey to an IDP (Internally displaced persons) camp. Up to 400,000 people have died due as a result of direct attacks and conflict induced malnutrition and disease. The vast majority of these have been women, children and civilian men. More than 3 million people have been displaced and are living in IDP camps More than 350,000 people are deprived of humanitarian support due to the threat of attack faced by aid workers. Thousands starve each month due to the Sudanese government impeding humanitarian aid efforts A further 4 million Darfuri residents are dependant on limited international humanitarian assistance. The violence is now spilling onto neighbouring Eastern Chad.
 * Who has been affected so far?**
 * [[image:http://themovingtarget.files.wordpress.com/2008/08/darfur_conflict.jpg width="318" height="294"]]

Why is the situation allowed to continue?** Although the Sudanese Government have committed to allowing a 26,000 strong peacekeeper force into the region they have continually showed their contempt for the people of Darfur. This shows a blatant disregard by the Sudanese Government of UN Security Council Resolution 1674, which gives the international community the ‘Responsibility to Protect’ civilians from genocide when governments fail to do so.

Hu Jintao, President of China, Being given oil from Sudan in return for tools of war.


 * With Sudan's immense fossil fuel source, China's trade of money and weapons gives the Sudanes government and the Jangawee the ultimate power.