|
Darfur
Timeline
A History of
Conflict
|
| pre 1980 |
Intermittent small
scale conflict between farmers and
nomads. Farmer's crops would often
be destroyed by camels and cattle
belonging to nomads migrating south
in search of water and grazing land.
Traditional leaders on both sides
would normally resolve disagreements. |
| 1984 |
Severe drought strikes
the region, increasing competition
over dwindling resources. |
| late 1980's
|
Automatic weapons
become easily available in Darfur
after civil war in neighbouring
Chad, and conflicts become bloodier. |
|
Turmoil in
Darfur
|
| February 2003
|
Emergence of SLA and
JEM rebel movements in Darfur, who
begin to campaign against the marginalisation
of the region. |
Displaced
A displaced
man and his orphaned niece in
a Darfur camp
|
| March - April
2003 |
SLA launch surprise attacks on
towns in northern Darfur. |
| April 2003
|
Refugees begin arriving in eastern
Chad to escape the conflict. Large
numbers of civilians flee their
homes. |
| September
2003 |
The SLA and the Government reach
a fragile ceasefire agreement hosted
in Chad. |
| October 2003
|
Refugee
numbers in Chad reach 70,000.
UN agencies estimate at least 500,000
people in Darfur need humanitarian
aid. |
| December 2003 |
Ceasefire agreement
completely breaks down. |
| January 2004 |
Army moves to quell
rebel uprising in western Darfur;
more than 100,000 people seek refuge
in neighbouring Chad. |
|
Humanitarian
Response
|
| February 2004 |
IR
staff begin preparations for emergency
intervention as nearly 41,000
people have by now fled their homes
for camps in Darfur, in addition
to the 100,000 refugees in Chad. |
| March 2004
|
Number of people living
in camps increases dramatically.
IR provides building
materials for 350 families, and
distributes food and 1,400 blankets.
|
| 8 April 2004
|
Khartoum and the rebel
groups sign a humanitarian ceasefire
agreement. |
Rakubas
Shelter provided
by Islamic Relief
|
| May 2004 |
Senior UN officials
describe the Darfur situation as
one of the worst humanitarian crises
in the world. The
number of displaced is now estimated
to be more than one million
with another 120,000 refugees in
Chad.
IR distributes
shelter kits, blankets, sleeping
mats and household utensils to 921
families, and food to 18,000. |
| June 2004 |
The rainy
season begins, hampering the
delivery of humanitarian relief.
IR takes over the
management of the Al-Riyadh camp |
| July 2004 |
IR
registers residents of Al-Riyadh
camp to ensure each family
has food tokens, and receives shelter
materials, blankets, water containers
and soap for distribution to camp
residents. |
|
Keringding II
|
| August
2004 |
IR opens a new camp, Kerinding
II, to house families that had taken
up residence in local schools. Islamic
Relief distributes aid to
over 8,000 residents of
Al-Riyadh camp.
Adeel Jafferi visits
Darfur to take photographs
and write a diary
of his experiences.
|
| September
2004 |
Islamic
Relief relocates 3000 people from the Mustaqbal, Zahara and Thoura schools to Keringding II.
|
| October
2004 |
Islamic
Relief's Primary Health Care Clinic is opened in Kerinding II to families living in the camp.
Masakhane school opens its doors to 800 children. The school, consisting of 16 classrooms made with traditional shelters and tents, is staffed by more than 20 teachers.
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