Conflicts in Darfur, Blue Nile and South Kordofan

Darfur

A variety of factors contributed to the outbreak of conflict in Darfur in 2003 including desertification, scarce resources, regional conflicts, identity and poor governance. The region of Darfur, incorporated into Sudan in 1916, long suffered marginalization and under-development in comparison to Central Sudan. Poverty and lack of development in the face of environmental degradation led to recurrent conflicts among farming and nomadic communities in the 1990s. In the face of these conflicts, driven largely by economics and desertification, the government of Sudan repeatedly promised development schemes that were never realized. In 2003, a rebel movement said to be representing the Fur, Zaghawa and Masalit communities emerged, eventually calling itself the Sudan Liberation Movement (SLM) and protesting against socio-political and economic marginalization. Simultaneously the Justice and Equality Movement (JEM), which had initially emerged in 2001, took up arms against the government, also demanding an end to the political and economic dominance of Central Sudan of the people living in the periphery.

In 2003 the SLM and JEM began targeting and looting government locations. The government responded by utilizing a proxy army strategy it had taken before both in Darfur and against Southerners along the border with Southern Sudan. The government selectively armed communities in Darfur creating tribal militias comprised largely of nomads that came to be known as the Janjaweed. The Janjaweed were often promised land in return for fighting on the government’s behalf and therefore implemented tactics designed to displace the rebellious communities and eradicate them from Darfur.  The Janjaweed fought alongside the Sudan Armed Forces (SAF) and the Popular Defense Forces (PDF).

Reports soon began to emerge of scorched earth tactics including the burning of villages and the targeting of civilians by the government aligned groups accompanied by the use of racial epithets and hate speech, raising international concerns that a genocide was being implemented in Darfur. In 2004, the UN Secretary-General commissioned an International Commission of Inquiry on Darfur and the African Commission on Human and Peoples’ Rights sent a fact-finding mission to the region. In 2005 the UN Security Council referred Darfur to the International Criminal Court (ICC) on the basis of the findings of the Commission of Inquiry. As of 2012, the ICC has issued five public arrest warrants for the crimes committed in Darfur including one against President Bashir and the Government of South Kordofan, Ahmed Haroun.

Multiple agreements aimed at resolving the conflict in Darfur have been signed.  However none of these agreements have been inclusive of all parties involved in the conflict or appropriately representative of the communities most affected by the conflict.  The African Union/United Nations Hybrid Operation in Darfur (UNAMID) is underfunded and has had difficulties fulfilling the core mission of its mandate in a politically hostile and continuously insecure environment.

South Kordofan and Blue Nile

Although they sit solidly within Sudan geographically, significant portions of the population in South Kordofan and Blue Nile aligned themselves with the Sudanese People’s Liberation Movement/Army (SPLM/A) during and after the war between the Government of Sudan and the SPLM that culminated in the signing of the 2005 Comprehensive Peace Agreement (CPA) and secession of South Sudan. The grievances articulated by the SPLM against the Government of Sudan including discrimination, intentional underdevelopment and political and economic marginalization.  This resonated with communities in South Kordofan and Blue Nile, which led to significant representation of these communities from the two border states in the SPLA.

In March 2011, following the overwhelming Southern vote for secession in January, the SPLM northern sector official split off from the SPLM, forming the Sudan Peoples’ Liberation Movement – North (SPLM-N), headed by Governor Malik Agar with Abdelaziz Al Hilu as the Deputy Chairman and Yasir Arman has the Secretary General.

Fighting broke out between Sudan’s Armed Forces (SAF) and the SPLM-N in the border state of South Kordofan in June 2011 following the conduct of previously delayed elections for Governor and State Assembly. Although the vote took place peacefully, the SPLM-N alleged that the National Congress Party (NCP) and the National Electoral Commission committed fraud during the tabulation process and announced that it would not recognize the outcome of the elections, nor would it participate in any government established by the elections.

On 28 and 29 August 2011, just after President Bashir announced a unilateral ceasefire in South Kordofan, the Government of Sudan moved significant military forces and heavy equipment into Blue Nile state. On 1 September clashes broke out following a joint SAF/PDF attack on an SPLM-N convoy in Damazein. That same evening, an aircraft attacked the home of SPLM-N Governor of Blue Nile State, Malik Agar.   On September 2 2011, President Bashir declared a state of emergency in Blue Nile, suspended the application of the Interim Constitution in the state, sacked Governor Agar and replaced him with a military commander Major General Yahya Mohamed Khair.  SPLM-N offices were closed and its members arrested.

Patterns soon emerged from both South Kordofan and Blue Nile indicating that arbitrary arrests, detentions and indiscriminate aerial bombing of civilians in conflict areas were taking place.  Human rights activists also documented numerous abuses including, but not limited to, extrajudicial killing and the systematic targeting of civilians and perceived members of the SPLM-N political party, and the arming of militias.

The government quickly limited the access of civil society and international observers to the area as reports began to emerge that government-sponsored militias were attacking civilians and looting properties.  As in South Kordofan, the government banned the establishment of formal camps for Internally Displaced Persons (IDPs). However, there are thousands of IDPs in informal camps.  The government has prevented domestic and international NGOs from accessing these areas and providing relief to IDPs residing there. Most recent reports from persons displaced from South Kordofan indicate signs of an impending famine there. The SPLM-N has recently called for urgent humanitarian assistance for over 200,000 persons in dire need in Blue Nile.

This post is also available in: Arabic