The Darfur conflict began in 2003 when rebels took up arms against the government, accusing it of neglect and discrimination against the region.

The government armed Janjawid militias in a bid to suppress the uprising, but the militias have been widely accused of carrying out a scorched-earth campaign of murder, rape and pillaging that has targeted mainly non-Arab inhabitants of Darfur. The conflict has since spilled over into eastern Chad and the Central African Republic.

(Source: UN Integrated Regional Information Network, Nairobi, 19 Mar 07)

According to various sources, more than 400,000 Darfuris have died in this slow genocide and ethnic cleansing by forced displacement.  The 2003 UN figures indicate that since the conflict began, 200,000 have died but hundreds are dying every week so this number is hopelessly outdated. The conflict has affected more than 2.6 million people in Darfur and Eastern Chad (US Govt., UE, UN).

Countries involved

CENTRAL AFRICAN REPUBLIC* - The Central African Republic, which lies in the centre of Africa encompassing rainforests in the southwest to savannahs in the north, is one of the world's poorest countries despite diamond wealth,

With a population of 4 million, the average life expectancy is 42 years with an average income of $260 a year (World Bank statistics).

CHAD* - Chad became an oil producer in 2003 with the completion of a $3.7 billion pipeline linking oilfields to terminals on the Atlantic coast.

In 2005, it was ranked the world's most corrupt country by Transparency International.

SUDAN* - At 2.5 million sq km (967,500 sq miles), Sudan is Africa's largest country straddling the middle reaches of the Nile. Oil in Sudan was a crucial catalyst in its bitter north-south conflict.

*Source: Reuters Foundation