More Background

Now back to some more background. While peace negotiations were being made, a rebellion broke out. The two groups responsible, the Sudan Liberation Movement/Army (SLA) and the Justice and Equality Movement (JEM), attacked military institutions. They were fighting for an end to economic and political marginalization in Darfur. Government supported militias were created and they began to recruit Arabs from Darfur and Chad. These so called "Janjaweed" militias were allowed by the government to clear unloyal citizens. Janjaweed, along with the government, began to systematically kill civilians. When they invaded a village, they would usually kill the men and rape or sexually assualt the women. In 2004, the U.S. Congress declared that the situation in Darfur was truly a case of genocide.