The world’s worst humanitarian crisis is unfolding in Sudan’s western region of Darfur, the United Nations says.

---

BBC News

Some one million people have fled their homes and up to 50,000 people have been killed. Pro-government Arab militias are accused of ethnic cleansing and even genocide against the region’s black African population.

How did the conflict start?

The conflict began in the arid and impoverished region early in 2003 after a rebel group began attacking government targets, claiming that the region was being neglected by Khartoum.

The rebels say the government is oppressing black Africans in favour of Arabs.

Historically, there has long been tension in Darfur over land and grazing rights between the mostly nomadic Arabs and farmers from the Fur, Massaleet and Zagawa ethnic groups.

There are two rebel groups, the Sudan Liberation Army (SLA) and the Justice and Equality Movement (Jem), which have been linked to senior Sudanese opposition politician Hassan al-Turabi.

What is the government doing?

It admits mobilising “self-defence militias” following rebel attacks but denies any links to the Janjaweed, accused of trying to “cleanse” large swathes of territory of black Africans.

Refugees from Darfur say that following air raids by government aircraft, the Janjaweed ride into villages on horses and camels, slaughtering men, raping women and stealing whatever they can find.

Many women report being abducted by the Janjaweed and held as sex slaves for more than a week before being released.

Human rights groups and the US Congress say the Janjaweed are carrying out a genocide.

If the UN accepts that a genocide is occurring, it is legally obliged to take action to stop it.

UN Secretary General Kofi Annan and US Secretary of State Colin Powell have both visited Darfur to see the situation for themselves and to put pressure on the government.

They said there was a “humanitarian catastrophe” in Darfur but said there was not yet enough evidence to call it a genocide.

Sudan’s government denies being in control of the Janjaweed and President Omar al-Bashir has called them “thieves and gangsters”.

After strong international pressure and the threat of sanctions, the government promised to disarm the Janjaweed. But there is little evidence of this so far.

What has happened to the civilians?

Some one million have fled their homes and up to 50,000 have been killed.

They have fled their destroyed villages for camps in Darfur’s main towns but there is not enough food, water or medicine.

The Janjaweed patrol outside the camps and Darfurians say the men are killed and the women raped if they venture too far in search of firewood or water.

Aid workers say that many thousands are at risk of starvation in the camps. The aid operation has become even more difficult now that the rainy season has started, when many parts of Darfur become inaccessible.

Some children have already died from malnutrition.

More than 100,000 have sought safety in neighbouring Chad, but many are camped along a 600km stretch of the border and remain vulnerable to attacks from Sudan.

Chad is worried that the conflict could spill over the border.

Its eastern areas have a similar ethnic make-up to Darfur.

What help are the civilians getting?

Lots of aid agencies are working in Darfur but they say they have not been given enough money by the international community.

They also say the government has been blocking their access to Darfur by demanding visas and using other bureaucratic obstacles.

Sudan says these have now been removed.

Is anyone trying to stop the fighting?

The government and the two rebel groups signed a ceasefire in April but this has not held.

The African Union and other international bodies are trying to get them to resume talks.

What is the international community doing?

The UN Security Council passed a US-drafted resolution calling on Sudan’s government to halt atrocities by Arab militias within 30 days or face further action.

The vote was only passed after the US dropped the word “sanctions” and added economic and diplomatic “measures”.

Sudan rejected the resolution, saying it went against previous agreements with the UN.

China and Pakistan abstained from voting, saying they were dissatisfied with the wording.

Analysts say that 15-20,000 troops would be needed to secure Darfur and no-one is talking about sending anything like that number. The African Union has pledged to send 300 troops to protect its military observers.

So for the moment, the international community is hoping that the threat of further action will be enough to stop the violence.