The Darfur civil war in the Sudan erupted in April 2003 while
negotiations to end the north-south civil war were in the
process. In a short span of time, the number of deaths from the
Darfur civil war reached more than 200,000 people, and another
two million Darfurians have been displaced either inside or
outside of the Sudan. Not only were outsiders shocked by this,
but the Sudanese themselves were also startled by the sudden
eruption of another civil war in their remote western region.
Soon, Western media reported it as either 'ethnic cleansing' or
'genocide' and called it the worst humanitarian disaster in
recent time. The Darfur civil war is, however, the result of a
long period of conflict between the settled African and the
nomadic Arab tribes because of the desertification of the
northern region due to both manmade and natural causes. The
whole region experienced one of the worst famines in
1984-85. The conflict between the two groups has been
escalated since then. The conflict, however, has been managed
by the traditional moral order until the power struggle between
President Bashir and Hasan al-Turabi began in 1999. Although
the background of the Darfur civil war is a long story, the
actual civil war started in 2003 because general conditions for a
civil war were met at the time.
The conditions were, firstly, the lack of government abilities to
control the country; secondly, the political instabilities caused by
power struggle between the president and the leader of Sudanese
radical Islam; and finally, the suitability of surrounding areas of
Mt. Marra for the recruiting, training, and hiding for the rebels.
Therefore, the Darfur civil war is not unique. Rather, it is very
similar to the cause of a general civil war, like a volcano: A long
period of preparation and eruption when the conditions are met,
Civil wars typically ended with a decisive military victory for one
side. Concluding a civil war by power-sharing agreements has
been far less common. Negotiations on power-sharing are
common in the midst of civil wars, but they have usually failed
because civil wars cause combatants to be organized in a way
that produces mutually reinforcing fears and temptations. Also, in
order to end a civil war by power-sharing agreements, there
should be a consensus to live up to the agreements in both the
rebel groups and the government. The main rebel groups in
Darfur, the SLA and JEM, are organized by tribal bases, so not
only do they compete with one another, but they have many
sub-groups on each side. The Sudanese government also lost the
control of the Janjaweed, the government supported Arab
militias. As a result, it is very difficult to conclude the civil war
by a power-sharing mechanism. The power-sharing agreement
between the government and the SLA in 2006 was failed, and the
civil war has been continued. The international conference held
to end the civil war in October 2007 in Libya was not successful
because of the absence of many rebel leaders. Right now, both
parties are incapable to end the civil war by a decisive military
victory. The only way to end it is through power-sharing
agreements, but conditions for this are not given at present. As
a result, the Darfur civil war will be a protracted one.
The Darfur civil war in the Sudan erupted in April 2003 while
negotiations to end the north-south civil war were in the
process. In a short span of time, the number of deaths from the
Darfur civil war reached more than 200,000 people, and another
two million Darfurians have been displaced either inside or
outside of the Sudan. Not only were outsiders shocked by this,
but the Sudanese themselves were also startled by the sudden
eruption of another civil war in their remote western region.
Soon, Western media reported it as either 'ethnic cleansing' or
'genocide' and called it the worst humanitarian disaster in
recent time. The Darfur civil war is, however, the result of a
long period of conflict between the settled African and the
nomadic Arab tribes because of the desertification of the
northern region due to both manmade and natural causes. The
whole region experienced one of the worst famines in
1984-85. The conflict between the two groups has been
escalated since then. The conflict, however, has been managed
by the traditional moral order until the power struggle between
President Bashir and Hasan al-Turabi began in 1999. Although
the background of the Darfur civil war is a long story, the
actual civil war started in 2003 because general conditions for a
civil war were met at the time.
The conditions were, firstly, the lack of government abilities to
control the country; secondly, the political instabilities caused by
power struggle between the president and the leader of Sudanese
radical Islam; and finally, the suitability of surrounding areas of
Mt. Marra for the recruiting, training, and hiding for the rebels.
Therefore, the Darfur civil war is not unique. Rather, it is very
similar to the cause of a general civil war, like a volcano: A long
period of preparation and eruption when the conditions are met,
Civil wars typically ended with a decisive military victory for one
side. Concluding a civil war by power-sharing agreements has
been far less common. Negotiations on power-sharing are
common in the midst of civil wars, but they have usually failed
because civil wars cause combatants to be organized in a way
that produces mutually reinforcing fears and temptations. Also, in
order to end a civil war by power-sharing agreements, there
should be a consensus to live up to the agreements in both the
rebel groups and the government. The main rebel groups in
Darfur, the SLA and JEM, are organized by tribal bases, so not
only do they compete with one another, but they have many
sub-groups on each side. The Sudanese government also lost the
control of the Janjaweed, the government supported Arab
militias. As a result, it is very difficult to conclude the civil war
by a power-sharing mechanism. The power-sharing agreement
between the government and the SLA in 2006 was failed, and the
civil war has been continued. The international conference held
to end the civil war in October 2007 in Libya was not successful
because of the absence of many rebel leaders. Right now, both
parties are incapable to end the civil war by a decisive military
victory. The only way to end it is through power-sharing
agreements, but conditions for this are not given at present. As
a result, the Darfur civil war will be a protracted one.