Darfur
2003 -present
In February 2003, the non-Arab ethnic groups of Darfur launched an uprising against the government in Khartoum. The government responded by implementing a genocidal campaign, enlisting the help of Arab militia in Darfur called the Janjaweed as well as the Sudanese Army. Up to 400,000 people have died, either as a result of direct attacks, conflict-induced malnutrition, or disease; the vast majority of these deaths have been civilians. More than 3 million people have been displaced and are living in camps, and more than 350,000 people are deprived of humanitarian support due to the threat of attack faced by aid workers. The ongoing racial conflict in Darfur was declared genocide by United States Secretary of State Colin Powell on September 9, 2004. The fact that no other permanent member of the UN Security Council has officially followed suit should in no way be seen to detract from the gravity of the crimes perpetrated in the region.
