Genocide Monitor: Apr. 2, 2010

  • SUDAN: New fighting is reported in the Jebel Marra region of Darfur, even as Sudan prepares for landmark elections in April.
  • BURMA: Troops begin to concentrate in Shan State and the NLD announces a boycott of this fall's elections.
  • DEMOCRATIC REPUBLIC OF CONGO: Brutal Lord's Resistance Army attacks are reported in the Haut- and Bas-Uele region of the DR Congo.

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Spotlighted Conflict:

Situation on the Ground

Fighting appears to have flared again in Darfur's Jebel Marra region, between the Sudanese Armed Forces (SAF) and Abdul-Wahid al-Nur's faction of the Sudan Liberation Army (SLA/AW).   At least 200 civilians were reportedly killed and more than 100,000 people have been forced to flee the region since fighting began in February.

Julie Flint has posted an excellent report on the situation in Jebel Marra on the Social Science Research Council's Making Sense of Sudan blog.

Inter-tribal fighting was also reported in South Sudan's Jonglei state, where 18 people died in violence that appears to be linked to cattle raiding.  Clashes between ethnic groups in South Sudan have been on the rise in 2010, with more than 70 incidents since January, compared to 102 during the whole of 2009, These incidents account for at least 450 deaths in 2010 and have caused the displacement of more than 60,000. 

Electoral Preparations

From April 11 to 13, voters in Sudan will head to the polls for the first time since 1986 to cast their ballots for president, state governors, local assemblies and the national parliament.

In preparation for the elections, Sudan is expected to host a number of electoral observers. According to recent reports, the European Union, African Union, Russia, Japan and the U.S.-based Carter Center are set to deploy electoral monitors for the polls.

Despite the international scrutiny, it is unclear whether the elections will be free and fair.  Last week, Human Rights Watch alleged that the practices of both the Government of National Unity and the Government of South Sudan were threatening the ability of Sudan's citizenry to vote freely for their leaders. For more information on repression related to the electoral process, click here.

Earlier this week, five opposition parties announced a boycott of the upcoming presidential elections. GI-NET is closely following these events as they develop and will update information at http://www.genocideintervention.net/blog.