Action Brief – Disarming and Disbanding the Janjaweed Militias

Action Brief – Disarming and Disbanding the Janjaweed Militias
Our Urgent Recommendation to the Government of Canada

That Canada use its influence at the United Nations and elsewhere to pressure the Government of Sudan to take substantial and real action to disarm and disband the Janjaweed militias in Darfur.
Issues

The Janjaweed militias, supported by the Government of Sudan, are the principal perpetrators of the genocide in Darfur. They must be disarmed and disbanded if the refugees and internally displaced persons (IDPs) are to return to their home villages. 

 
Background

The humanitarian situation in Southern Darfur State is now worse than it has ever been. The current trend continues as bands of Janjaweed descend on the south from Northern and Western Darfur states, moving towards the Nyala and Sharaya areas. In spite of the deployment of the African Union Force and the increased presence of aid agencies these attacks continue. Neither the UN nor other agencies have managed to clearly map the areas depopulated as a result of militia activity, but according to humanitarian agencies, a clear trend has emerged of non-Arabs being hounded out of rural areas into urban centres. The current estimates are 1.2 million displaced and 70,000 killed. This is a clear case of ethnic cleansing and genocide, and it must be stopped.

The Janjaweed have attacked black Africans from the Fur, Masalit and Zaghawa ethnic groups with a ruthlessness that has not been seen in the region for some time, report aid agencies and refugees. They have killed, raped, maimed, looted and burned down tens of thousands of village homes, displacing hundreds of thousands of people. 

Many of the attacks take on a similar pattern, eyewitnesses report. Hundreds or thousands of Janjaweed riding horses and camels arrive in an area from different directions before engaging in a major offensive. Rich from looting thousands of head of cattle, they are well armed with automatic weapons and carry modern communications equipment. They easily coordinate their attacks with government forces. Before and after burning the non-Arab villages collectively accused of harbouring rebels, they often loiter, armed with automatic rifles, around water sources. Eyewitnesses say they intimidate and rape local women, loot their animals and destroy key infrastructure.

Given the nature of the crisis it will not be possible for the refugees and IDPs to return home until the Janjaweed are disarmed and disbanded.

©CFS
2004