The Archdiocese of Chicago

The Current Situation in Darfur continues to worsen and is deterorating rapidly according to U.N. sources. Increasing numbers of people have been uprooted from their homes and thousands of others have been forced to flee across borders. Humanitarian relief efforts have been hampered by increased violence and poor roads. The inability to access vulnerable groups and rowing food shortages are putting greater numbers of people at risk for survival.
The root causes of the conflict are connected to the collision of several major factors including religious, ethnic and tribal animostities, competing clashes over land by nomadic tribes and settled farmers, made more severe by recent droughts, and the government’s desire to consolidate power and control over lucrative oil reserves in the southern part of Sudan.
Profits from oil sales have not ben used to contribute to the overall economic or social development of the country. Growing disparity bvetween rich and poor contributes to greater instability. Tension and violence surrounding oil and the use of oil revenues continue to grow. In addition to these forces at work, the Sudanese government continues to ignore its commitments made in the Comprehensive Peace Agreement and ahs been reported to be a contributing force behind the icnreased violence. Several government leaders have been charged with crimes against humanity and calls for intervention continue to mount.
“The life of the community, both domestically and internationally, clearly deomonstrates that respect for rights, and the guarantees that follow from them, are measures of the common good that serve to evaluate the relationship between justice and injustice, development and poverty, security and conflict.”- Pope Benedict XVI, Address to the United Nations, April 18, 2008-08

Facts

Background
What is at the heart of the conflict in Darfur?
The present conflict in Darfur began in 2003 when local tribes rebelled against the Arab-dominated Sudanese government accusing it of blatant discrimination. Tensions have been mounting in the region as a result of a severe drought, desertification, and rising conflict between nomadic populations and settled farmers. The rebellion of local tribes and militias against the Sudanese government was met with a brutal response by the government, which included the burning of villages, ethnic cleansing, and escalation of violence against unarmed populations by the government’s military and its unofficial militia, the Janjaweed. The conflict is rooted in racism, competing land claims, consolidating power, tribal and ethnic tensions and the battle for control over oil and its revenues.

Key Dates

support the successful passage of the Darfur Peace and Accountability Act
to fund peacekeeping operations in Darfur.

July-Agreement signed to allow joint AU/UN Peacekeeping forces of
26,000 into Sudan

The Catholic Church & Darfur
“Turning now to Africa, I should like first of all to reiterate my deep anguish, on observing that hope seems almost vanquished by the menacing sequence of hunger and death that is unfolding in Darfur. With all my heart I pray that the joint operation of the United Nations and the African Union, whose mission has just begun, will bring aid and comfort to the suffering populations.”- Pope Benedict XVI, January 7, 2008

The Catholic Church ahs been a vocal and outspoken advocate calling for an end to violence in Darfur and protection and care of the most vulnerable populations. Pope Benedict XVI used his recent visit to the United States to remind the member states of the United Nations of their duty to protect human dignity and the rights of all people particularly the poor and vulnerable. The U.S. Catholic Bishops have issued numerous statements and have been working through diplomatic channels to bring pressure and attention to the conflict in the hopes of ending the violence and suffering. The relief agencies of the Church, particularly Catholic Relief Services, have been working to meet the needs of refugees and internally displaced people most affected by the violence.

Reflection: - by Bishop Antonio Menegazzo, Darfur
The following reflection was written to mark the fifth anniversary of the conflict in the region of Darfur by the Catholic Bishop of El Obeid, Antonio Menegazzo- whose diocese includes Darfur:
Five Years of Deaths, displacement, difficulties, suffering: these are the results of 5 years of war.
Experience teaches that no good comes from war, but only destruction and death; in spite of this, wars continue in the world, and man wants to solve his problems and divergences by war and the use of force.
War will not solve the existing problems in Darfur- only justice and equality, which will be reached through dialogue.
If dialogue is surely the only way to reach peace, why to continue to fight? Is it not better to lay down arms immediately and to start a real and sincere dialogue, with a decided will to come to a peaceful and satisfactory agreement?
A compromise by both parties is necessary. Truth and mistakes exist in both parties, and both must recognize this reality. But is there the goodwill to terminate the war, or will private interests and pride prevent the fighters from reaching the desired results?

Prayer for Darfur
O God, You are our Creator, the Creator of all humankind.
You created us all equal, with the same dignity and therefore
you want us to be brothers and sisters, to love and respect each other.
In Darfur there is no union, no love, no respect for the person.
Millions of people, children and elders, women and men, are lying
without dignity, suffering and dying.
Give them courage to bear their difficulties patiently and help and bless the
organizations who put their efforts towards alleviating their sufferings.
Help those who work for peace, trying to convince the parties to put an end to
the war.
Touch the hearts and enlighten the minds of the parties in war, so that they
think of the people, instead of their personal good and interest.
O God, peace is your gift and You are the God of peace: bring peace
In Darfur and put an end to the sufferings of innocent people.
AMEN.
By- Bishop Antonio Menegazzo, Darfur

Darfur: Hopes vs. Reality or: The Sudanese Government’s Failure to Meet its Commitments

The Hope Hope for a Joint UN/AU Peacekeeping Mission When the UN took joint command of the Darfur peacekeeping operation with the African Union on December 31, 2007 stability would result.	The Current Reality The Sudanese Government continues to prevent. 26,000 UN Peacekeeping troops were supposed to be on the ground by early January, 20-08. Currently, only 9,000 troops have been allowed in and without grater numbers, they do not have the capacity to fulfill their mandate. As of early 2008, peacekeeping troops were struggling to stabilize the situation, which ahs become increasingly volatile, and has brought instability to Eastern Chad, and Sudanese incursions into the Central African Republic.
The Hope Hope for Humanitarian Aid The Comprehensive Peace Agreement signed by the Sudanese government was hoped to be a way forward to deliver greater humanitarian aid to those in need.	The Current Reality Humanitarian efforts continue to be hampered by violence. Military actions by the government of Sudan and related activity by the Arab Janjaweed militias are directly contributing to the violence. Sudan faces large refugee influxes from neighboring countries, primarily Ethiopia and Chad. Armed conflict, poor transport infrastructure, and lack of government support have chronically obstructed the provision of humanitarian assistance to affected populations.
The Hope Hope for Oil Revenue Sharing The peace agreement had mandated more equitable sharing of oil revenues and the demilitarization of the oil producing region.	The Current Reality The situation in Darfur continues to deteriorate and much of the violence is related to control over the very lucrative oil fields in the southern part of Sudan. All the major issues of contention relate to oil, from the demarcation border between north and south to the failure of the government to meet its commitment to demilitarize the oil region. Oil in Sudan accounts for 92% of the country’s export revenue. Chinese investment in Sudan is in excess of $6 billion, predominantly in the oil industry.
The Hope Hope for Free and Fair Elections Census registration was scheduled to take place from April 14-20, 2008 in order to set the stage for elections planned for 2009	The Current Reality In recent weeks, militia attacks on travelers have increased in the disputed areas dividing the north and south of Sudan. Targeted attacks are preventing people from returning to their homes. Suspicion is mounting regarding the intent of the government to intentionally skew the census results by such attacks. It is uncertain if the census will proceed as planned.
The Hope Hope for the Safety of Women and Girls	The Current Reality The government of Sudan has failed to prevent or prosecute the rape and abuse of women and girls, much of which is carried out by their own soldiers and allied militia. In spite of the presence of international peacekeepers in Darfur, peacekeepers have been under-resources and unable to protect women and girls from rape and other forms of violence.

Five Things You Can Do to Help Darfur

4. Tell Congress to Act
Use your voice to speak up for the needs of the people of Darfur. The following pieces of legislation are currently pending before Congress:

State and Foreign Operations Appropriations act, 2009. This legislation will establish funding levels for foreign assistance programs, including Darfur-related programs, for the fiscal year ending September 30, 2009.

$414 Million for the U.S. contribution to the UN-African Union Mission in Darfur (UNAMID). This amount, which matches the Administrations’ request, is needed to support the UN-AU peacekeepers currently deployed in Darfur, and speed the deployment of additional forces.
$16 million in Peacekeeping Operations (PKO) funding for the continued training of troops for each of 16 battalions that the US will have bilaterally trained and equipped for deployment as a part of UNAMID. These funds will go to training replacement troops for those rotating out of Darfur.
$800 million in International Disaster Assistance (IDA) to respond to complex humanitarian emergencies worldwide, including in Darfur and the rest of Sudan. These funds are also necessary to mitigate and respond to the immediate effects of the global food crisis.
Action: Call or write your Representative urging him or her to support these critical programs for Darfur at the funding levels listed above.

House Resolution 1011: Calling for a Comprehensive Regional Strategy for Chad and Darfur

Action: Call or write your Representative urging him or her to cosponsor H. Res. 1011

House Resolution 3844: To establish the United States Commission to Monitor Slavery and its Eradication in Sudan. This legislation would crate a commission to: 1) Report on and document existing cases of slavery in Sudan; 2) Identify those individuals and groups responsible for slavery in Sudan; 3) Recommend action to be taken by the United States Government to end slavery in Sudan.

Action: Call or write your Representative urging him or her to co-sponsor H.R. 3844.

Education for Justice Resources

Book discussion Guide: Not on Our Watch (Darfur). A book on Darfur by John Prednergast and Don Cheadle offers an eye-opening look at what is happening in the Darfur region and why. This book discussion guide offers a shot synopsis, highlights Catholic social teaching themes to explore through this book, provides a list of engaging discussion questions, and offers a list of related resources and web links on the topic. http://www.educationforjustice.org/node/3077

Handout: Poverty, War, and the Environment in Darfur. This article and reflection highlights the continuing violence in Darfur and its root causes, such as poverty and environmental destruction. Use this resource for group discussion or as a bulletin insert. http://www.educationforjustice.org/node/1542

Fact Sheet: Darfur: A Call to Conscience. The UN and the U.S. bishops are encouraging the U.S. to take action in this crisis which has been called the “worst humanitarian crisis” currently in the world. http://www.educationforjustice.org/node/2969

Stories for Reflection: Women in Darfur. This timely four-page resource focuses attention on what is happening to women in Darfur. Read about the realities of women in the refugee camps and the challenges they face on a daily basis. This resource includes current facts about the situation, photos, short stories for reflection and discussion, prayers and suggested actions to take. http://www.educationforjustice.org/node2921