Enough Silence

Enough Silence -> Darfur -> History of Sudan -> Arab Supremacy

Ever since the election of a Fur politician in 1981 the Darfurian Arabs had sought to gain more power in the government and create an Arab majority rule. Following this election, the Arab Gathering, a highly militant and demanding organization, were staunch supporters of this belief in Arab Supremacy. In October 1987, they mailed a request to the government for more Arab representation and rule. However, the infamous letter ended with a warning that if their wishes were not granted, there would be forceful action taken to ensure that their prerogatives were recognized and accepted. Despite the letter, a Fur politician was elected governor of Darfur in the following elections and the Arab Gathering published the Qoreish manifesto. Reminiscent of the Hutu Ten Commandments published during the Rwandan genocide, the Qoreish preached the supremacy of the Abbala and Baggara Arabs as pure Muslim descendants of Mohamed entitled to power and called Arabs to action against the native Africans.

By the 1990s Arabs had gained much control over Sudan and in 1994 the Minister of Federal Affairs, Ali al Haj, divided Darfur into three regions: North, South and West Darfur. The divisions made African Furs minorities in each region, while land and political power were given to Arabs. These governmental leaders, known as Amirs, soon began arming themselves and persecuting the Masalits, another Nilo-centric African tribe, by coordinating Janjaweed attacks. By 1999, military leaders were sent to Darfur by Omar al-Bashir to train the militias and even pay them for their duties. When an Arab politician became governor of North Darfur in 2000, the government backing for Hilal’s forces grew and two years later the first attack of the Janjaweed against non-Arab civilians took place. 160 were dead and thousands more were displaced from their homes. The Janjaweed were never punished.