Introduction
For
over four years, civilians in the Darfur region of Sudan have lived in near
constant fear of being raided by the Janaweed militias, which many say are
directly supported and directed by the Sudanese government. Civilians face
the constant threat of their homes being destroyed and being tortured, raped,
or killed.
Since
February 2003, there have been hundreds of thousands killed and millions
displaced from their homes. Many countries and human rights organizations
have called this genocide.
For
this WebQuest, your objective will be to gain a thorough understanding of the
conflict in Darfur.
Task
As a
member of the United Nations Mission in the Sudan, you have been requested to
testify before the United Nations Security Council on the conflict in Darfur.
The UN will be making decisions on whether or not to intervene in the conflict
by sending peacekeepers, sanctioning the Sudanese government, and/or
recommending other actions be taken. They are depending on you for all the
relevant information they will need to make their decision.
The
Darfur conflict can be very confusing, so you need to give a good summary on
the origins of the conflict. You will also need to include proposals for a
peace agreement. It will also be necessary for you to give a summary of the
current events in Darfur and the people and organizations involved in the
situation. Because the word “genocide” is such a politically sensitive word,
you will have to decide whether or not you decide to call this conflict
“genocide.” Be sure you have a good understanding of what this word means.
Process
1.
After looking for relevant information, write a text in which you answer the
following questions:
1)
Who
lives in Darfur (population, ethnic, religious, occupational composition)?
2)
What is the origin of the conflict there?
3)
Who
are the different groups involved in the conflict?
4)
Why
is the situation called “a humanitarian disaster”?
5)
What steps have been taken to stop the violence in Darfur? Why haven’t these
steps worked so far?
6)
Should the situation in Darfur be considered a genocide? Why or why not?
7)
What do you think the United Nations and the world should do to achieve
peace in Darfur?
2.
Search for fine images that illustrate the previous information and insert
them in the text. If necessary, you can edit them.
Links
All
the resources you will need to gain a thorough understanding of the Darfur
conflict are provided here. First, gain some understanding of the objectives
of the United Nations Mission in the Sudan by visiting their website. Then
explore other websites for more details on the history of the conflict, the
people and organizations involved, important events, and actions taken.
Online Dictionary
Merriam-Webster
United Nations Resources
United Nations
Mission in the Sudan
UN News Centre on
Sudan
UN Genocide Convention
News
Sources
PBS: Who’s Who in
Darfur: The Geopolitics of Tragedy
PBS: Sudan Facts and Figures
PBS: Links to other sources of information
BBC News: Articles
and Videos on the Darfur Conflict
BBC
News: Special Report on Sudan
BBC News: Q&A on
the Darfur Conflict
Timeline of Events
CBC News Timeline of Events
Wikipedia Timeline of Events
Documentary Video
PBS Documentary:
Sudan: The Quick and the Terrible (January 2005)
UN’s Peace Under
Fire Documentary
(2004)
Author: Talia Stol
(adapted from
http://student.missouristate.edu/u/unruh057/webquestdarfur/conflictindarfur.htm)
