Africa / Darfur : Chronology of events

Amadou Ly

1956 : Sudanese independence, old Anglo-Egyptian condominium. The non-arab tribal and Christian south revolts against the Islamic north.

1958: Army takes over the power.

1969-1985 : the dictatorship of marshal Djafar el-Nemeyri.

1972 : Addis-Ababa agreement puts an end to ten years de guerilla warfare, thereby the south would acquire “autonomy”.

1978 : natural oil (petroleum) discovered in southern Sudan.

1983 : The Sudanese People's Liberation Army (SPLA), founded by the dissident colonel John Garang, starts the rebellion. Seeking allies among muslim brothers of Hassan el Tourabi, marshal Nemeyri promulgates a new legislation based on Sharia (Islamic law).

1985 : since 1983, the devastating famine causes a big exodus and killed more than 200 000 people.

1986 : formation of a civil coalition government led by Sadeq el Mahdi.

1989 : coup d'Etat of General Hassan el-Bechir, supported by National Islamic Front, led by Hassan el-Tourabi.

1991 : new Penal Code, based on Sharia. A split inside SPLA weakens the rebellion, at a time when it controlled nearly 90% of the south.

1992-1994 : several southern rebel groups got entangled in infightings.

1994 : In Khartoum, the terrorist Illich Ramirez Sanchez, alias «Carlos», accused to have committed triple murder in 1975 in Paris, arrested by the French secret service.

1995 : Egypte accuses Sudan of being involved in an assassination attempt on Hosni Moubarak.

1996 : UN accuses the country of supporting terrorism. Expulsion of the “Afghan” Islamist Osama Bin Laden.

1997 : US decides an embargo against Sudan.

1998 : US retorted anti-American attacks in Kenya and Tanzania by bombarding a pharmaceutical plant suspected of producing chemical arms.

1999 : Khartoum seeks to normalize its relations with Ethiopia who ceased to support SPLA.December 1999 : President Bechir dissolves the Parliament, presided by his ex-ally, the Islamist leader Hassan al-Tourabi.

Mai 2000: Hassan el-Tourabi is ousted from the party in power, the National Congress (NC).

February 2001 : Hassan el-Tourabi arrested.

2002

20 July : In Machakos, Kenya, signing of a protocol of agreement in order to end nearly 20 years of conflict in southern Sudan.
10 August : Ban lifted on political parties consisting of pre-1989 coup d'Etat members.

2003

February-March : first armed squad actions in Darfour, the Liberation Movement of Sudan (LMS), calls for a total overthrow of the Khartoum regime. The government enlists militiamen, the janjaweeds (men on horse or camel).

2004

7 January : The Government and the SPLA sign an agreement on the equal share of the petroleum revenue of the southern Sudan.
13 February: The LMS joins the ranks of the National Democratic Alliance (NDA), which regroups together the northern opposition and the southern rebellion.
2 April: A high rank UN official describes this war in Darfur as “ethnic cleansing”.
8 April: signing of a cease-fire between Khartoum and the rebels of Darfur.
May: a report by the UN High Commissioner for human rights recommends to examine the Khartoum regime’s responsibility in the crimes committed against the humanity in Darfur. UN urges the militia groups to put down weapons.
30 July: UN adopts a resolution threatening the Sudanese government of retaliation if they don’t abstain themselves from recruiting janjawids.August : A contingent of African Union (AU) arrives to look after the security of the observers of the cease-fire signed on 8 April.
18 September : The UN Security Council threatens Sudan of sanctions if they fail in their engagement to restore the security in Darfur.

2005

9 January : The government and the SPLA sign, in Nairobi, a final peace agreement to end 21 years of war in southern Sudan. John Garang became the first vice-president.March : The UN security council decides to send 10 000 men to support the peace agreement. An UN resolution demands for legal actions against the people responsible for genocide in Darfur in the International Criminal Court (ICC).
17 May : NATO announces logistical support to AU mission in Darfur.
1st June : ICC starts an enquery about the crimes committed in Darfur.
8 July : Return de John Garang to Khartoum after a 22 year absence.
30 July : John Garang is killed in a helicopter accident.
20 September : formation of a government of national unity (GNU) in Khartoum.

2006

3 February : The UN security council appeals for an elaboration plan in order to replace AU force by UN force.
17 February : George W. Bush strongly recommends to send a UN peace force supported by the NATO in Darfur in order to double the 7000 soldiers currently deployed by African Union.