Situation in Darfur, Sudan fr

Darfur is the epicentre of three overlapping conflicts in the region of western Sudan. Primarily, there is the four-year-old war between the Darfur rebel movements and the government. The conflict began in February 2003 when the Sudan Liberation Army/Movement (SLA) and the Justice and Equality Movement (JEM), claiming years of political, economic and social marginalisation of Darfur, took arms against the Sudanese government. In response, the Sudanese authorities armed Arab Janjaweed militia to clear civilian population bases of African tribes thought to be supporting rebellion. Secondly, the Darfur conflict has triggered a proxy war which Chad and Sudan are fighting by hosting and supporting the other’s rebel groups. Finally, there are localised conflicts, primarily centred on land tensions between sedentary and nomadic tribes.

Violence and broken ceasefires continued throughout 2004 and 2005 despite ongoing peace talks and the presence of an African Union protection force from August 2004. UN officials estimate that as many as two million civilians have been displaced and at least 400,000 people have lost their lives in the conflict. Hundreds of villages in Darfur have also been pillaged and destroyed.

In March 2005, the UN Security Council referred the situation in Darfur to the ICC Prosecutor for investigation. The Sudanese government continues to resist ICC involvement.

Cases before the ICC for the situation in Darfur, Sudan:

Ahmad Muhammad Harun (Ahmad Harun)
Ali Muhammad Al Abd-Al-Rahman ("Ali Kushayb") 
Omar Hassan Ahmad al-Bashir