The genocidal conflict began in February 2003 between the Arab Sudanese military and the Janjaweed proxy militia versus non-Arab rebel groups known as the Justice and Equality Movement (JEM) and the Sudan Liberation Movement/Army (SLA). The rebel uprising was spurred by a lack of political representation, economic oppression, and drought.

The rebellion was quickly squashed, but the government continued its attacks and expanded their target beyond the rebels to the civilian population of the non-Arab Fur, Zaghawa, and Masalit ethnic groups. The Sudanese government, operating with impunity, is ultimately responsible for over 400,000 deaths and 2.5 million internally displaced people.

The government uses the Janjaweed militia (a paid group of mercenaries, career criminals and poor civilians) as its instrument of death by heavily arming them, and providing coordinated ground and air attacks – while creating a veiled separation between the regime and the militia to allow the government to deny involvement. In 2007, the International Criminal Court pierced this veil and issued arrest warrants against the Minister of State for Humanitarian Affairs and in 2008 charged Sudan’s President Omar al-Bashir with war crimes.

Brutal violence against women and children

The story of Hawa, the lead character in the play is hardly unique.  Here is an account from a former Sudanese soldier who was ordered to rape children by the government. 

In September 2004, the United States declared the atrocities in Darfur were genocide. These acts include the murder of men, women, and children; gang rapes of women and girls; burning villages to the ground; poisoning water wells by stuffing dead bodies in them, and destroying crops. Since only certain ethnic groups are being targeted, the definition of genocide is satisfied.

And still, the genocide is allowed to continue...

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