Guide Note

Janjaweed, meaning "devil on horseback" or "faith warriors," are a partisan militia group allegedly enlisted by the Sudanese Government to fight rebels in Darfur, specifically, the Sudan Liberation Movement. The etymology of the term is somewhat of a mystery, though most believe it to be a derivative of the Persian jangdrug, meaning "crack", and jangawee, meaning "warrior." The Janjaweed are a modern incarnation of the Murahilin, or "high nomad" militia, which had been operating in Sudan for many years prior. Since February, 2003, they have conducted a "scorched earth" campaign, targeting civilian villages throughout western Sudan. In 2007, the United States declared the Janjaweed campaign an act of genocide, because it has pitted nomadic Arab militia fighters against predominantly non-Arab, sedentary farmers. The Janjaweed have also been active in the Chad War and have been a point of conflict between the governments of Idriss Deby and Omar al-Bashir.

Fast Facts

Formed: 1988
Leader: The Government of Sudan and Musa Hilal
Tactics: Engaged in a "scorched earth" campaign in Darfur
Also involved in the Chad War
Death Toll: 200,000-400,000 civilians since 2003

Categories

News | Groups and Organizations

View Note History

Janjaweed

Also try: Darfur | Sudan | Chad War

The Mahalo Top 7

Wikipedia: Janjaweed
Global Nation: In the Eye of Horror in Darfur (November 6, 2007)
New York Times: In Southern Darfur, Signs of Another Massacre (October 17, 2007)
Times: Curse of the Janjaweed (September 23, 2007)
BBC News: Janjaweed Still Roam Free in Darfur (April 26, 2007)
HRW Video: Janjaweed Chief Says Sudan Government Backed Attacks (Time: 8:30)
Google News: Janjaweed Militias

Janjaweed Recent News

Sudan Tribune: Janjaweed
Washington Post: Janjaweed Using Rape as 'Integral' Weapon in Darfur, Aid Group Says (July 3, 2007)
International Herald Tribune: Janjaweed Fighters Kill 400 on Chad Border with Sudan (April 10, 2007)
The Independent: Fleeing the Janjaweed: a People Brutalized and Betrayed (March 24, 2007)
Sudan Tribune: Darfur People Still Fleeing Janjaweed Militia—UN (March 15, 2007)
Reuters: Janjaweed Now Killing Each Other, say Darfuris (January 22, 2007)

Janjaweed Background and Articles

Who Are the Janjaweed?

PBS News: Sudan's Janjaweed Militia (April 7, 2006)
Slate: Who Are the Janjaweed? (July 19, 2005)
Reuters AlertNet: Crisis Profile: What's Going on in Sudan's Darfur? (June 14, 2005)
BBC News: Sudan's Shadowy Arab Militia (April 10, 2004)

Overview

Christian Science Monitor: A Darur Town Empties as the Janjaweed Return (November 10, 2006)
allAfrica: Sudan: Disarming the Janjaweed and Armed Militia (July 14, 2006)
The Telegraph: Janjaweed Onslaught Forces UN to Quit Darfur (March 18, 2005)
Washington Post: U.S. Calls Killings In Sudan Genocide (September 10, 2004)
Human Rights Watch: Darfur Documents Confirm Government Policy of Militia Support (July 20, 2004)

Ethnic Identity in Darfur

Justice Africa: Who are the Darfurians?... (July, 2006) (314KB)
BBC News: Breaking Darfur's Stereotypes (October 13, 2004)
AntiWar.com: Darfur's War of Definitions (August 26, 2004)
Guardian: Darfur's Deep Grievances Defy All Hopes for an Easy Solution (July 25, 2004)

Origins and Ideology

Wikipedia: Muhammad Ahmad
Darfur Center: The Janjaweed and Their Ideology
Genocide Watch: Ideology in Arms: The Emergence of Darfur’s Janjaweed (August 30, 2005)

Musa Hilal

Wikipedia: Sheikh Musa Hilal
New York Times: Over Tea, Sheik Denies Stirring Darfur's Torment (June 12, 2006)
ABC News: Darfur Notebook: Death in the Desert (May 2, 2005)
BBC News: Janjaweed 'Leader' Denies Genocide (November 14, 2004)

SLM and JEM

Wikipedia: Sudan Liberation Movement and Justice and Equality Movement
Sudan Tribune: SLM-Unity Accuses Sudan of Trying to Kill Rebel Leaders (October 14, 2007)
ReliefWeb: Darfur Rebel Group JEM Splits Again Ahead of Talks (July 30, 2007)
BBC News: Who are Sudan's Darfur Rebels? (May 5, 2006)

Janjaweed Videos and Media

YouTube: Testimonial From an Ex-Solider of the Janjaweed (Time: 06:42)
Google Video: Special: Our Story Our Voice (Time: 04:58) | Darfur Destroyed (Time: 06:06)

Janjaweed Images

The First Post: The Janjaweed's Horseback Killers (July, 2005)
Google Image Search: Janjaweed Militias
Yahoo! Image Search: Janjaweed Militia
Live Search Images: Janjaweed
Flickr: Janjaweed

Janjaweed Blogs and Message Boards

Sudanese Online Discussion Board: Top Wanted Janjaweed Leaders
Juhad Watch: Darfur Leader: Janjaweed Militias Attacking Key Town
Sundanese Knights: Who’s Calling Who a Janjaweed?
Guardian: Comment is Free: Doomed to Failure

Janjaweed Timeline

1885: The Baggara militia, led by Muhammad Ahmad take control of Sudan and establish the Mahdiyah
1988: Libyan partisan forces, after their defeat in Chad, retreat to Sudan and are sheltered by Musa Hilal
1990-1999: Janjaweed, a group of Chadian and Darfurian partisans fight for land claims
1999-2000: Under threat of incursion, the Sudanese governemnt arms the Janjaweed forces
2003: February, as the SLM and JEM gain ground, the Janjaweed are named a counter insurgency force
2003: The Janjaweed enact a scorched earth campaign
2004: The United States declares Janjaweed campaign genocide

Janjaweed Criticism

Real Clear Politics: Janjaweed Peace (August 9, 2007)
Sudan Tribune: Janjaweed Defector Confesses Sudan’s Atrocities in Darfur (October 19, 2006)
Slate: The Art of War: Children's Drawings Illustrate Darfur Atrocities (July 14, 2005)
UN News Center: Sudan has Carried out Massive Human Rights Violations in Darfur (May 7, 2004)

Related Searches

Darfur | Darfur Peacekeeping Force | SPLA | Sudan | Chad | Chad War

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