AFRICA/SUDAN - The tragedy in Darfur: a list of the many militia groups responsible for oppressing innocent civilians

Tuesday, 21 September 2004

Khartoum (Fides Service)- The so-called Janjaweed militia are at the centre of the crisis in Darfur which was the subject of recent resolution issued by the United Nations Security Council (see Fides 20 September 2004). This militia is said to be responsible for atrocities committed against civilians in the western Sudanese region of Darfur.
The term Janjaweed was first used in the late 1980s to described Arab militia groups. Janjaweed in the local languages means “evil men on horseback armed with rifles”. But in fact various groups of militia come under the term “Janjaweed”. Here is a list:
1) Armed herdsmen: in Darfur communities are always armed. These groups armed for self defence are said not to be involved in the present violence.
2) Rizeigat Janjaweed led by Musa Hilal, a man incriminated by the international community. Musa Hilal was put in prison 1997 for killing 17 people in Darfur but was set free in 2003 to help to organise the militia, and he joined the Rizeigat Abbala group composed of Baggara, an ethnic group of Bedouin nomads descendent from Arab tribes who settled in Darfur in the Middle Ages. Musa Hilal does not have complete control of these militia, indeed he was nearly killed by members of his own clan during internal disagreements. International media say Hilal commands about 1200 armed men.
3) Militia formed of other Baggara communities, such as the Terjam group around Nyala in the south of Darfur.
4) Arab militia from neighbouring Chad, for example the Salamat who live on the border between Chad and Sudan and have many men at their disposal.
5) New militia have emerged from groups which until now were not involved in the conflict . The Fellata, herdsmen of West African origin who live in a vast area from streches from Senegal to Chad.
6) Lastly the Forces for Peoples’ Defence (FDP), the official government militia which support the army against the guerrillas in the south and in Darfur.
These forces are backed by government airforce fighter planes and assault helicopters which bomb civilians.
In Darfur there are two anti-government guerrilla groups: the Movement for Justice and Equality and the Sudanese Liberation which demand new resources from the central government to develop the region, for a long time ignored by the Sudanese government. Peace talks in Nigeria between these two movements and the Sudanese government have been suspended for a month. (L.M.) (Agenzia Fides 21/9/2004 righe 41 parole 480)


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