Darfur Genocide in Sudan

Background:
In February 2003, civil unrest broke out among black African rebel groups in Sudan's western region of Darfur, seeking equal rights from the Arab Government of Sudan (GOS). In response, the GOS began sponsoring militias among Arab nomadic tribes to squelch the rebellion. These well-armed militias have become known as the Janjaweed, meaning "devil on a horse". Together, the Janjaweed and GOS launched widespread, systematic attacks on the civilian population with the shared goal of eliminating all black African tribes in Darfur. The attacks have been so brutal and deadly, including the use of torture, rape, looting and destruction, that many have called this conflict genocide, including the American Government. Since 2003 it is estimated that nearly 400,000 Africans have perished and nearly 3 million displaced by the violence. This ongoing ethnic and racial cleansing engineered by the GOS is threatening to extinguish the African population from the Darfur region completely.

Educational Resources:

• Art Works Project's Darfur/Darfur Exhibit and Photography Book
• Google Earth and US Holocaust Memorial Museum's Crisis in Darfur: Genocide Prevention Mapping Initiative
• Stop Genocide Now's i-ACT and Camp Darfur projects
• The Rebecca Davis Dance Company's ballet Darfur
• mtvU's Darfur is Dying Video Game
• 3 Generations' Survivor Stories
• The Enough Project's Darfur Dream Team Sister Schools Project
• Facing History and Ourselves' teaching units for documentary film: Darfur Now and book: Not on Our Watch

Advocacy Sites:
Save Darfur Coalition
The Enough Project
Genocide Intervention Network
Students Taking Action Now - Darfur